Town bosses set their sights on a quick return to the top flight
CARMARTHEN Town have set their sights on a quick return to the JD Cymru Premier after their relegation was confirmed last week.
The Old Gold’s long stay in the top flight of Welsh club football – a run that dates back to 1996 – came to an end following a Football Association of Wales announcement.
It was decided that Carmarthen and Airbus would be relegated on a pointsper-game basis.
Flint Town and Haverfordwest County will take their places in the top flight after their promotion was confirmed at an FAW meeting.
The season officially ended last month after it was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And Carmarthen’s preparations for life in JD Cymru South are already at an advanced stage.
Club director Jeff Thomas said: “While disappointed at the decision of the FAW, we have not dwelt upon it and have immediately set upon the task of restoring our place in the Cymru Premier.”
Former Swansea City star Kristian O’Leary will continue as manager with Craig Hanford as coach.
A new appointment to the backroom team is Sean Cresser (circled), who takes on the role of assistant manager. The Town product has played for the club at all levels, starting in the under-12s, and is currently the club’s academy director.
He has also had a spell in charge at Haverfordwest.
He said: “I feel privileged to be working as part of the management team at my home club.
“I’m looking forward to the tough challenge that lies ahead in Cymru South and continuing to improve the existing links between the academy and first team.”
In addition, nine of last term’s squad have already committed to Carmarthen next season, including all-time top scorer Liam Thomas and experienced goalkeeper Lee Idzi.
The others are Declan Carroll, Elliot Scotcher, Jordan Vickers, Adam Robbins, Noah Daley, Jay Woodhead and Greg Walters.
Negotiations are continuing with others, while new signings include Tom Dyson, a former Swans trainee from Pembrokeshire, and Antonio Facciuto, an experienced left-back who has played for both Haverfordwest and Llanelli.
O’Leary said: “The loyalty of so many players speaks volumes for them and the club.
“They, like myself, were confident of avoiding relegation had the seven remaining matches been played, but now we will have to work hard to re-establish ourselves, and we will.
“More signings are expected, including the most promising players from our academy set-up.
“I want to build a team, not buy one.” In a statement, the FAW said: “Following careful consideration of all options that were available to them, the FAW board of directors decided that promotion and relegation should be implemented in line with the existing pyramid regulations, based on the final standings in each league/division having applied the unweighted points-per-game method and subject to club licensing/ ground criteria requirements for the national leagues. “The decision was consistent with the recommendation from the FAW national leagues board.”
Airbus and Carmarthen are replaced by sides who failed to win their respective divisions but whose rivals were not successful in attaining a FAW Tier One licence that is needed to play in Welsh football’s top division.
Flint finished behind Prestatyn in
Cymru North.
And despite finishing second behind Swansea University in Cymru South, Haverfordwest are back in the Cymru Premier after four years.