Unforgettable seasons No 6: Nomads claim their first Welsh Premier title (2019-20)

Connah’s Quay Nomads became just the third North Wales club in history to win the Welsh Premier League title last season.

Andy Morrison’s side ended The New Saints hopes of a ninth successive championship by finishing top of the table in a shortened campaign.

After 26 rounds of a scheduled 32, Nomads were declared champions in unprecedented circumstances on an unweighted points per game method.

Both the Quay and TNS had six fixtures left to play when the season was halted due to coronavirus. Nomads were four points clear at that stage.

The Deesiders had grown increasingly stronger since former Manchester City captain Morrison took over as manager in November 2015.

They had won the Welsh Cup, League Cup, reached the final of the Irn Bru (Scottish Challenge) Cup and produced some great results in Europe.

But the big one – the national league title – had eluded them….until now.

Nomads made an average start, drawing their first three games, but ended up going unbeaten in their opening 16 matches.

By the end of 22-game phase one they had lost twice – surprisingly at Cefn Druids and not so unexpectedly away to Saints.

Entering the final set of 10 matches in phase two, TNS led Nomads by four points, but Scott Ruscoe’s side then failed to win any of their first four fixtures, while Quay gathered three wins and a draw.

That left Nomads four points in front when the rest of the season was cancelled.

Unhappy TNS claimed they had been denied a fair chance to win the title on sporting merit and took the Football Association of Wales to the High Court.

However, Saints lost the case and Nomads were confirmed as champions.

Considering the form of both teams in phase two before the curtailment, there looked to be a more than fair possibility that Nomads would have gone on to win the title anyway.

How the 2019-20 Welsh Premier title was won

Phase One

1 – Aug 17, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Jamie Insall) Cardiff Met 1
2 – Aug 23, 2019
Caernarfon Town 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 0
3 – Aug 26, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Callum Morris) Carmarthen Town 1
4 – Aug 30, 2019
Bala Town 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Michael Wilde)
5 – Sep 10, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Priestley Farquharson) Cefn Druids 0
6 – Sep 13, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 (Callum Morris, Ryan Wignall, Michael Bakare, Declan Poole) Aberystwyth Town 1
7 – Sep 20, 2019
Newtown 1 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Michael Bakare)
8 – Sep 29, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 3 (Jamie Insall 2, Callum Morris pen) Penybont 1
9 – Oct 5, 2019
Carmarthen Town 1 Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 (Michael Bakare 2)
10 – Oct 15, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 (Michael Wilde, Declan Poole, Jamie Insall 2) Caernarfon Town 2
11 – Oct 19, 2019
Cardiff Met 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Own Goal)
12 – Oct 25, 2019
Aberystwyth Town 1 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Jamie Insall)
13 – Nov 1, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Michael Wilde) The New Saints 1
14 – Nov 9, 2019
Barry Town United 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 (Michael Wilde 2, Jamie Insall 2)
15 – Nov 15, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 3 (Michael Wilde, Jamie Insall, Michael Bakare) Newtown 1
16 – Nov 30, 2019
Penybont 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 0

After 16 games

Won 9 Drawn 7 Lost 0 GF 28 GA 11 Points 34

17 – Dec 13, 2019
Cefn Druids 2 Connah’s Quay Nomads 0
18 – Dec 20, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 (Michael Bakare 2) Bala Town 1
19 – Dec 26, 2019
Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 (Jamie Insall, John Disney) Airbus 1
20 – Dec 30, 2019
Airbus 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 (Jamie Insall 2, 1 pen, Danny Holmes, Priestley Farquharson)
21 – Jan 11, 2020
Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 (Jamie Insall, Declan Poole) Barry Town 0
22 – Jan 18, 2020
The New Saints 2 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Michael Wilde)

End of Phase One – 22 matches

Won 13 Drawn 7 Lost 2 GF 39 GA 17 Points 46

Phase Two

23 – Feb 8, 2020
Barry Town United 0 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Michael Wilde)
24 – Feb 14, 2020
Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 (George Horan 2, Craig Curran, Michael Bakare) Caernarfon Town 0
25 – Feb 21, 2020
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 (Craig Curran) The New Saints 0
26 – Mar 6, 2020
Bala Town 2 Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 (Michael Wilde, Jamie Insall)

Season curtailed early due to coronavirus pandemic

Final league record

Played 26 Won 16 Drawn 8 Lost 2 GF 47 GA 19 Points 56

(Nomads win 2019-20 Welsh Premier title on unweighted points-per-game method)

GOALS (47)

14 – Jamie Insall
9 – Michael Wilde
8 – Michael Bakare
3 – Callum Morris, Declan Poole
2 – Priestley Farquharson, George Horan, Craig Curran
1 – Ryan Wignall, John Disney, Danny Holmes, 1 Own Goal