FAW delays grounds rules
FOOTBALL
THE Football Association of Wales has delayed by a season the implementation of Tier Two Ground Criteria Regulations, writes Tony Poole.
Next season the new Tier Two criteria was due to kick in for clubs currently in Nathaniel Cars Welsh League Division One.
A new elite Welsh League tier and the corresponding Huws Gray Alliance in the north will underpin the Welsh Premiership.
But after consulting their solicitors, the FAW Council meeting back in June noted some key aspects of the plan were incompatible with current pyramid regulations.
And during the FAW meeting in October, it was decided to delay Tier Two until the start of season 2018/19.
Tier Two will impact on Bridgend super club Penybont, as one of the main stipulations is that clubs must possess grandstand accommodation, amounting to 250 seats.
At present the grandstand only caters for 100 fans, but they have immediate plans to extend it and construct two turnstiles.
Getting a Tier Two Licence is seen as a stepping stone towards the full-blown FAW Domestic Licence that allows clubs to operate in the Welsh Premiership and Europe.
It remains to be seen how many of the 16-strong current Welsh League Division One clubs move forward into Elite Tier Two.
But the FAW still recommends clubs to meet criteria requirements by the end of the current season – and they must still apply for Tier Two by the end of next month.
And there’s a sweetener of £3,000 for clubs to implement ground improvements by next April ahead of commencement of Tier Two in 2018/19.
“We see getting a Tier Two Licence as something else to tick off a list towards getting an FAW Domestic Licence,” said Penybont chairman Emlyn Phillips.
“But plans have gone in to Bridgend council to extend our current grandstand to 500 seats for a Domestic Licence.’’
However, the Tier Two plan received a cool reception during this year’s Welsh League Annual General Meeting back in June.
Many member clubs felt 250-seater grandstands weren’t necessary, and the timescale was too short.