About turn: CPD Gronant are back!

CPD Gronant is back!

The Flintshire-based village club have secured a late acceptance into the North East Wales Football League for 2025-26.

They will compete in Division 3 – Tier 6 of the Welsh football pyramid.

At the end of last season, Gronant resigned from the North East Wales League after finishing bottom of the Premier Division.

The club wanted to play under the North Wales Coast Football Association banner to reduce travelling distances for matches, but were refused as it is not quite based within the Denbighshire boundary.

The NWCFA said it would accept Gronant if they changed their name so it did not reflect they are situated in Flintshire.

Initially, Gronant renamed themselves Dunes FC, but later had a change of mind and decided to discontinue instead.

However, the ambitious club continued the battle for acceptance by referring their case to independent arbitration.

Gronant reported this week they had been successful after their suggested remedy to the issue was approved.

The club said it will continue to run its senior team in the North East Wales League, but added it now has the right to enter all its sides below senior level into North Wales Coast FA competitions next season.

CPD Gronant said in a later statement: “The club has now opened dialogue with the Leagues, and we look forward to moving forward and drawing a line under this process.

“Over the course of the week, we will also be in a position to share more about our future plans, focused on more teams, greater participation, growth, and grassroots development. the values we have always strived to build upon.”

CPD GRONANT – BRIEF HISTORY

Formerly known as Llanelwy Athletic, the club was crowned undefeated Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League Division One champions in their debut campaign of 2018-19, but finished next-to-bottom of the Premier the season after, which was shortened due to Covid.
In 2021-22, still as Llanelwy, they competed in the new North Wales Coast East League Division One, finishing up fourth.
The club changed associations to the North East Wales FA for 2022-23, saying the move was forced upon them over the right to use the name Gronant. The village of Gronant is located just outside the NWCFA attachment area.
As CPD Gronant, the club won the Two Counties Cup in 2022-23 and in 2023-24 finished runners-up in the Championship to gain promotion to the Premier.
However, last season did not go well and the team temporarily disbanded, but will now make a quick return.