Will the North Wales Coast FA launch its own women’s league next season?

It is believed the North Wales Coast FA plans to launch a women’s football league of its own next season.

Currently, clubs affiliated to the coast compete in the North Wales Women’s League, which is run chiefly by the North East Wales FA.

At the start of this season, the NWWFL was split geographically into East and West regions.

The East comprises: Flint Town United, Denbigh Town, Kinmel Bay, Northop Hall, Bellevue of Wrexham and mid-Wales based teams Berriew and Welshpool Town.

Meanwhile, the West is made up of: Pwllheli, Llangefni Town, Amlwch Town, Caernarfon Town, Llanystumdwy and Trearddur Bay.

Before the season started, the 14 clubs then involved were offered the option of remaining as one league, or splitting into two divisions of seven.

After lengthy discussions, clubs ended up with the two-division system.

CPD Merched Tref Caernarfon withdrew very early in the season, cutting the West section to just six teams.

Those in favour of keeping the NWWFL as one league felt dividing into two groups would mean a major reduction in the fixture list, and the end of meetings with some sides in opposing regions who offered them more competitive games.

Flint Town United have totally dominated the East division, winning all 11 games to date and cruising to the title, while Pwllheli have been almost untouchable in claiming the West championship, compiling nine straight victories with one fixture left.

Shock results have been virtually non-existent, although Caernarfon Town did raise eyebrows last weekend when beating a Llangefni Town outfit which had previously only lost to Pwllheli.

To counter the league fixture shortages this season, the NEWFA introduced the Betty Pickering Cup, comprising mixed groups of East and West clubs with quarter-finals, semis and a final to follow the group stages.

The league has also arranged for the champions of East and West to play off at the end of the season to determine the overall North Wales League champions.

The successful team will earn a place in the Tier 2 Genero Adran North – provided they meet the required criteria. Only Flint and Llangefni have applied for a Tier 2 licence from the current crop of 13 NWWFL clubs, but anyone can apply, including anyone who may be relegated from the Adran North.

Getting all games played has worked out quite well this season, with everything at an advanced stage in mid-March despite lots of postponements caused mainly by the unpredictable weather.

It is believed the North Wales Coast Football Association were far from happy with the arrangements decided upon at the start of this season.

Grassroots North Wales understand the Coast plan to start their own separate league next season.

However, talk of what might change in North Wales women’s football in the season ahead usually comes up every summer.

Negotiations often run far from smoothly and final decisions are left late. The only difference this year is it appears the NWCFA are planning early.

Nothing is set in stone, though, and no doubt this saga will run and run in the months ahead.