Football

Four Cymru North clubs apply for licence to compete at Tier 1 level

Buckley Town (stripes) have applied for a Tier 1 licence. Here they are in action against Llandudno Albion in the Welsh Cup last weekend. Picture: TREVOR JONES

Four Cymru North clubs have applied for a Tier 1 licence required to compete in the top level Cymru Premier League.

The four Tier 2 clubs from the north aiming higher are – Colwyn Bay, Buckley Town, Cefn Druids and Llandudno.

Twenty-five clubs in total have applied for the FAW Tier 1 Licence for the 2023/24 season.

All 12 JD Cymru Premier clubs have put themselves forward, along with the four aforementioned from JD Cymru North and nine from JD Cymru South.

The Club Licensing system aims to assist the continual improvement and development of football clubs at the top level within Wales.

APPLICANTS

JD Cymru Premier (Tier 1)

Aberystwyth Town
Airbus UK Broughton
Bala Town
Caernarfon Town
Cardiff Met University
Connah’s Quay Nomads
Flint Town United
Haverfordwest County
Penybont
Pontypridd United
Newtown
The New Saints

JD Cymru North (Tier 2)

Buckley Town
Cefn Druids
Colwyn Bay
Llandudno

JD Cymru South (Tier 2)

Ammanford
Barry Town United
Briton Ferry Llansawel
Cambrian & Clydach BGC
Carmarthen Town
Goytre United
Llanelli Town
Llantwit Major
Taffs Well

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Clubs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 had until 30 September to submit their applications for a Tier 1 Licence.
During November and December, site visits to their stadia will be arranged and club audits will be completed, including the assessment of their licensing documentation.
By 1 March 2023, any ground sharing agreements must be submitted in accordance with the FAW Pyramid Regulations.
All club licensing documentation must be finalised and submitted to the FAW by 31 March 2023.

DECISIONS

Clubs are assessed on the following criteria:

Sporting
Football Social Responsibility
Infrastructure
Legal
Personnel
Financial

An independent First Instance Body (FIB), consisting of experts with relevant experience, will sit on 6 April 2023 to assess the applicants against the criteria detailed above. The decisions of the FIB will be communicated to the applicants on the same day.

For those clubs who have failed to attain the Tier 1 Licence, the FIB will provide written reasons for their failure and the club(s) will be invited to submit an appeal by 16 April 2023.

An independent Appeals Body, also consisting of experts, will sit to consider the appeals on 20 April 2023.

Decisions will be communicated to the appellants on the same day. The decision of the Appeals Body is final.