Flint and Haverfordwest promoted to top tier

Cymru Premier

Last month the Football Association of Wales confirmed promotion and relegation throughout the national leagues would be implemented in line with the existing pyramid regulations, based on the final standings in each league following the curtailment of the season due to the Covid19 pandemic.

Following on from the FAW’s earlier decision to wrap up the domestic football season using a points per game method, the FAW confirmed Flint Town United and Haverfordwest County would be promoted to the Cymru Premier, with Airbus UK Broughton and Carmarthen Town going in the opposite direction.

Both Flint Town and Carmarthen finished in second place in the Cymru North and South respectively, but both attained the Tier One Licence to qualify for promotion.

Following the conclusion of the season Prestatyn Town were crowned Cymru North champions ahead of Flint, but The Seasiders failed to attain their Tier One licence propelling The Silkmen to the top flight for the first time in 22 years after relegation from the League of Wales at the end of the 1997-98 season.

Swansea University claimed the Cymru South title but like Prestatyn they failed to achieve Tier One status, opening the door for runners-up Haverfordwest to return to the top flight following relegation at the end of the 2015-16 season.

Airbus, who propped up the Cymru Premier, replace Flint in the Cymru North, with Llanidloes Town, Holyhead Hotspur and Holywell Town gaining promotion to the division at the expense of Porthmadog, Corwen and Llanfair United.

Carmarthen join promoted sides Trefelin BGC, Risca United and Port Talbot Town in the Cymru South, with STM Sports, Cwmamman United and Caerau (Ely) relegated.

Cardiff-side STM Sports, who finished sixth in the Cymru South and were runners-up in the League Cup, failed to achieve their Tier Two Licence. In the League Cup it was the fourth time in five years that a second-tier side had finished runners-up, with STM losing 3-0 to Cymru Premier champions Connah’s Quay Nomads in the final.