SPECIAL FEATURE: Celebrating our 2023-24 Cymru North champions – Holywell Town
Congratulations Holywell Town – 2023-24 JD Cymru North league champions.
Despite the club’s illustrious history, this is the biggest league title they have ever won.
Twice runners-up in the CN and its predecessor the Cymru Alliance, the Wellmen were also founder members of the national League of Wales in 1992-93 and spent a total of six seasons at that level, achieving a highest placing of fifth.
However, lifting the Tier 2 crown in 2023-24 is the Flintshire club’s most prestigious feat.
Unfortunately, Holywell cannot be promoted to the Cymru Premier League as they failed to achieve the mandatory Tier 1 Licence status.
Cymru North runners-up Flint Town United, who have gained the top-flight licence, will go up instead.
It is harsh on Holywell and their outstanding manager Johnny Hasedlin.
Both deserve a go at the Cymru Premier, where the top six standard would be higher than they have been used to, but the success of Caernarfon Town, Prestatyn Town and Llandudno in recent years suggests the Wellmen could hold their own.
There was a time when teams were promoted based on ability and results. Not any more. Now it’s all about having the best ground facilities to meet the FAW demands..
Regardless of people’s feelings on the subject, things will not change now.
The top three sides in the Cymru North this season were very close in standard – Holywell, Flint and Airbus UK Broughton were all in title contention virtually right to the conclusion.
In the end, Holywell were the best team as they attained the most points – simple as.
It’s a great pity that another club with a grass pitch will not be joining the Cymru Premier yet.
HOW WAS THE TITLE WON ?
Going into Wednesday night’s home game against already-relegated bottom side Llanidloes Town, Holywell needed just a point for the title.
The Wellmen were expected to win comfortably and so they did – 4-0 the final score.
Defender Myles Hart’s first goal of the season from a Beau Cornish assist broke the deadlock on 35 minutes.
Holywell’s joint top-scorer in the league, Jake Cooke, made it 2-0 before the break with his 17th Cymru North goal of the campaign, Ryan Edwards the supplier.
Half time, 2-0, and the champagne very much ready to flow.
Jamie Breese’s 17th league goal since joining in January made it three on 57, Ryan Edwards again with the assist, and Julian Williams added a fourth in stoppage time.
KEY SIGNING IN JANUARY
So often a key moment in the season swings the balance and Holywell’s signing of Jamie Breese in January was a pivotal factor in their success.
Breese went on to net 17 goals in 16 appearances. only failing to score in three games.
The former Caernarfon Town and Newtown man, 32, made a massive impact in attack and has to rank as one of the league’s players of the season.
CONSISTENCY
In 2022-23, Holywell finished second in the Cymru North, four points behind champions Colwyn Bay.
Both sides had remarkable campaigns. After losing two of their first three matches, the Wellmen went on to record a stunning 25 league victories in a row – a feat matched by the Bay in the most two of two-horse races.
This season, Holywell were on the money from the very start. They lost just once in 30 matches throughout the campaign, finishing off with a run of 18 games undefeated, 17 of them wins.
Holywell’s stats in 2022-23 and 2023-24 are quite similar, the key factor being Haseldin’s heroes lost three games last season and just the one this. In both seasons, they recorded 26 wins out of 30 starts.
As always, Holywell defending was exemplary. They were the meanest team in the league by far, conceding just 17 goals.
Johnny Haseldin has a habit of recruiting great goalkeepers and in the experienced Shaun Pearson he brought in one of the best as replacement for Keighan Jones.
Tyler French also did a fine job as deputy keeper when needed.
2023-24 CYMRU NORTH STATS
League record
Played 30 Won 26 Drawn 3 Lost 1 Goals For 79 Goals Against 17 Points 81 Position: Champions
Match-to-Match
24 April 2024
Holywell Town 4 (Myles Hart, Jake Cooke, Jamie Breese, Julian Williams) Llanidloes Town 0
19 April 2024
Porthmadog 0 Holywell Town 3 (Danny Andrews, Jamie Breese pen, Ilan ap Gareth)
13 April 2024
Guilsfield 0 Holywell Town 2 (Jamie Breese, Danny Andrews)
6 April 2024
Ruthin Town 1 Holywell Town 1 (Danny Sullivan)
29 March 2024
Llandudno 0 Holywell Town 4 (Gareth Evans, Beau Cornish, Julian Williams 2)
19 March 2024
Holywell Town 4 (Jamie Breese 3, Morgan Murray) Prestatyn Town 0
16 March 2024
Holywell Town 3 (Jamie Breese, Gareth Evans, Beau Cornish) Denbigh Town 0
9 March 2024
Mold Alexandra 1 Holywell Town 3 (Jamie Breese 2 penalties, Jake Cooke)
5 March 2024
Holywell Town 3 (Danny Andrews, Jamie Breese. Morgan Murray) Buckley Town 0
27 February 2024
Holywell Town 4 (Jake Cooke, Gareth Evans 2, Jamie Breese) Guilsfield 2
10 February 2024
Holywell Town 1 (Jamie Breese) Flint Town United 0
3 February 2024
Caersws 1 Holywell Town 2 (Jamie Breese pen, Mike Pearson)
27 January 2024
Holywell Town 4 (Mike Pearson, Jamie Breese pen, Jake Cooke, Sam Jones) Gresford Athletic 1
20 January 2024
Holywell Town 2 (Mark Winslade. Jamie Breese) Bangor 1876 1
12 January 2024
Gresford Athletic 0 Holywell Town 5 (Jake Cooke 3, Danny Sullivan, Morgan Murray)
6 January 2024
Chirk AAA 0 Holywell Town 2 (Jamie Breese 2)
26 December 2023
Buckley Town 1 Holywell Town 2 (Jake Cooke, Morgan Murray)
19 December 2023
Holywell Town 1 (Julian Williams) Ruthin Town 0
16 December 2023
Holywell Town 1 (Gareth Evans) Airbus UK Broughton 2
11 November 2023
Llanidloes Town 0 Holywell Town 2 (Jake Cooke, Danny Sullivan pen)
4 November 2023
Airbus UK Broughton 1 Holywell Town 1 (Zebb Edwards)
28 October 2023
Holywell Town 2 (Mark Winslade, Jake Cooke) Chirk AAA 1
6 October 2023
Bangor 1876 1 Holywell Town 4 (Jake Cooke, Danny Andrews, Julian Williams, Zebb Edwards pen)
30 September 2023
Holywell Town 3 (Aidan Graham 2, Zebb Edwards pen) Caersws 1
23 September 2023
Flint Town United 1 Holywell Town 1 (Jake Cooke)
8 September 2023
Prestatyn Town 0 Holywell Town 4 (Jake Cooke, Luke Wiltshire, Zebb Edwards 2)
28 August 2023
Holywell Town 3 (Tom Bibby, Jake Cooke, Danny Sullivan) Mold Alexandra 0
18 August 2023
Denbigh Town 1 Holywell Town 5 (Zebb Edwards pen, Jake Cooke 2, Brady McGilloway, Danny Andrews)
12 August 2023
Holywell Town 2 (Dave Forbes pen, Jake Cooke) Llandudno 1
29 July 2023
Holywell Town 1 (Aidan Graham) Porthmadog 0
GOALS (79 – LEAGUE ONLY)
17 – Jake Cooke, Jamie Breese
6 – Zebb Edwards
5 – Julian Williams, Gareth Evans, Danny Andrews
4 – Danny Sullivan, Morgan Murray
3 – Aidan Graham
2 – Beau Cornish, Mark Winslade, Mike Pearson
1 – Dave Forbes. Brady McGilloway, Myles Hart. Tom Bibby, Ilan Ap Gareth, Luke Wiltshire. Sam Jones
