LICENCING SNUB HAS SEASIDERS BEACHED
PRESTATYN Town’s hopes of a return to the top flight of Welsh football appear in tatters after the club were refused a domestic licence by the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
Before the coronavirus shutdown, the Seasiders needed just nine points from their remaining six games to be crowned champions of JD Cymru North.
But the Bastion Gardens outfit were handed a blow this week after being denied the required Tier 1 licence to compete in the JD Cymru Premier next season.
It is due to the club’s failure to obtain planning permission for a new TV gantry by the March 31 deadline and despite fulfilling all other requirements.
Prestatyn have 10 days to appeal the decision of the FAW’S First Instance Body – and will do so.
Should they fail, it would mean no club is promoted from the North division, given the fact nearest challengers Flint Town United have also been refused a licence while third placed Colwyn Bay withdrew their application.
All domestic football in Wales remains suspended until April 30 at the earliest but that will almost certainly be extended.
Unlike the English Pyramid system, no decisions have yet been made on leagues at any level and the FAW say all options are still being considered in order to complete the season.
On the gut-wrenching prospect of missing out on promotion, Prestatyn club secretary Martin Jones said: “It would be absolutely devastating. We were hoping the Welsh FA would see that there are mitigating circumstances but, unfortunately, things have combined to delay us.
“We’re very disappointed that it hasn’t gone our way, but we know the rules and we’ll have to abide by them.”
Prestatyn are now working tirelessly to fulfil the requirements, but it isn’t straightforward.
Jones continued: “We are going to appeal but obviously the problem at the moment is the planning committee aren’t meeting, so we’re hoping that they do actually have a virtual meeting or something.
“One of the general managers at the club, Tony O’Reilly, is pulling out all the stops to try and find a way of getting this over the line.
“If we can show the Welsh FA that we’ve done everything in our power to have the planning permission in place by March 31, as per the regulations, then I’m hoping they would be sympathetic to our point of view.
“Having said that, there is absolutely no criticism from us of the Welsh FA, they have been nothing but supportive and fair with us.”
Meanwhile there are also a handful of other clubs now sweating on domestic licence appeals.
Current JD Cymru South leaders Swansea University are another side who have been refused and, should their appeal fail Haverfordwest County, currently second, would go up instead – provided they finish in the top two. The Bluebirds have been granted a Tier 1 licence.
Briton Ferry Llansawel’s application was refused, while Cambrian & Clydach and Llanelli Town’s were withdrawn respectively.
Airbus UK Broughton and Cefn Druids are now facing relegation from the JD Cymru Premier after both clubs’ applications were denied while Newtown, despite gaining their domestic licence, have been refused a UEFA licence.
The latter is a prerequisite for clubs wanting to compete in Europe but the Robins are confident of gaining it on appeal.