Anxious wait for clubs FAW due to make announcement

THE Welsh Football Association are due to make an announcement this week on whether there’ll be any promotion and relegation attached to the curtailed 2019/20 season, writes Tony Poole.

Last month FAW delegates met remotely to discuss issues from Tiers 1 to 4, and their recommendations are going to the FAW Board this week to make the ultimate decision.

At the top, it would involve Carmarthen Town and Airbus UK Broughton being relegated from the J D Cymru Premiership and replaced for season 2020/21 by the Championship duo of Haverfordwest County and Flint Town United.

South Wales FA Secretary Mark Adams has also staged a meeting with Area Association officials (below Tier 4) to thrash out their decision on the thorny issue of any ups and downs associated with the curtailed 2019/20 campaign.

This will be viewed closely by Highadmit South Wales Alliance champions Pencoed Athletic, who have just commenced work on the construction of a new ground at Woodlands Park in Hendre.

And in South Wales Alliance Division Two, winners Maesteg Park are hoping to secure a second successive promotion while third-placed Vale United are also looking to climb into Division One next winter.

On the other side of the coin, Cornelly United – who finished bottom of Division One – could be relegated while Llangynwyd Rangers are sweating it out towards the bottom of Division Two.

But with Division Two last season playing three clubs short of a stipulated 16, hopefully the Llan Siro boys will live to fight another day at this level.

And at parks level, Mid Glamorgan Provisions Bridgend & District League champions Betws, are hoping the SWFA go ahead with play-off matches to secure a place next winter in South Wales Alliance Division Two.

Meanwhile, following the FAW decision to curtail the 2019/20 season, the Bridgend-Port Talbot Junior Football League have declared champions.

They congratulated all clubs on getting the league off the ground and for the way it was operated during the inaugural season.

There was, however, general disappointment that a combination of a wet winter and the coronavirus pandemic led to so much football being lost.

And looking ahead, the hope now is that next season will only get better.

As per FAW guidelines, the champion clubs with runners-up in brackets read: U12 Bryntirion Ath (Cwmavon Blues), U13 Bridgend Town (Penyfai), U14 Bryntirion Ath (Pencoed Ath), U15 Margam Village (Penyfai), U16 Goytre Utd (Maesteg Park).