Caernarfon Town are the highest-placed North Wales club in the JD Cymru Premier for the first time this century.
The Canaries clinched fourth spot with today’s 2-1 home victory over Cardiff Met University to guarantee a home tie against Barry Town United in the play-off quarter-finals to reach Europe.
Town have this season – their 20th in total as a Cymru Premier club – equalled their best-ever top-flight finish of fourth which they also achieved in 1996-97, 2018-19 and 2021-22.
However, they had not previously been North Wales’ highest-positioned national league club since 1998-99, when they were fifth, and they managed the same feat in 1996-97 (4th).
Connah’s Quay Nomads and Bala Town had between them flown the North Walian flag highest in the table over recent seasons.
Since returning to the Cymru Premier in 2018-19 after a nine-season absence, Caernarfon have attained top six status in six out of seven league campaigns.
For a club with more modest resources – but a much bigger fan base – than many of their rivals, Town have certainly punched above their weight in their current Cymru Premier tenure.
Their overall record in the Tier 1 league since 1995-96 is now:
Played 670 Won 217 Drawn 154 Lost 299
(with thanks to the faw.cymru website)
Following the conclusion of the regular JD Cymru Premier season, the European play-off quarter-finals have been confirmed.
The play-offs begin on Saturday 26 April, when fourth-place Caernarfon Town host seventh-place Barry Town United (KO 12:15), live on Sgorio. Later in the afternoon, fifth-place Cardiff Met host sixth-place Bala Town (KO 14:30).
The structure of the play-off semi-finals (10-12 May) and final (17-19 May) will then be decided by the outcome of the JD Welsh Cup final on Sunday 4 May.
If The New Saints win the JD Welsh Cup, league runners-up Penybont will qualify automatically for European competition. If Connah’s Quay Nomads win the Welsh Cup, Penybont will compete in the play-offs.
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