Things looked gloomy for North Wales women’s football 5 years ago – now the picture’s brighter
Question………..
What would have happened on the North Wales women’s football scene had the pandemic not struck, 2019-20 had been completed properly and the scrapped 2020-21 season gone ahead ?
It was only five years ago, yet the domestic picture for the female game has completely changed since 20-21 was cancelled due to Covid, like all football was in Wales below Tier 1.
The 2019-20 football season had already been cut short after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, and assessed it as having become a pandemic on 11 March.
The final balls for that season in Wales were kicked on the weekend of March 7-8.
It has already been a disastrous campaign for North Wales women’s football.
In December 2019, Llandudno, the last remaining northern side in the national Welsh Premier, resigned, citing a difficulty in recruiting and retaining players.
So many games that season in the North Wales League got called off due to the weather, it is doubtful the campaign would have finished on time, even had Covid-19 not struck.
Llanfair United finished top of Division One after completing just five games in six months, while Amlwch Town ended up Division Two champions at the expense of Connah’s Quay Nomads on the P-P-G method.
One of the few highpoints was first-timers Nomads reaching the Welsh Cup semi-finals, having knocked out Welsh Premier Port Talbot. The Deesiders’ semi-final against Swansea City was never played due to the curtailment.
With no northern teams in the top-flight Welsh Premier for 2020-21, Llandudno had joined the North Wales League, which was to comprise three divisions.
This was the league’s scheduled composition for the season which never happened.
North Wales Women’s League divisions line-up 2020-21
Premier Division
Airbus
Amlwch Town
Bethel
Connah’s Quay Nomads
CPD Y Rhyl 1879
Llandudno
Llanfair United
Championship East League
Corwen
Denbigh Town
Holywell Town
Northop Hall
Welshpool Town
Wrexham
Championship West League
Bangor 1876
Caernarfon Town
Llanystumdwy
NFA
Penrhyn Bay
Pwllheli
Five years on, the following teams from the above no longer exist: Amlwch Town, Bethel (became CPDM Y Felinheli), CPD Y Rhyl 1879, Corwen, Holywell Town, Penrhyn Bay.
Thankfully, the 2021-22 season delivered an FAW restructure of women’s football and a concept which has given North Wales a new lease of life – the Adran Leagues.
The second-tier Adran North has presented the best North Wales teams with a chance to progress to the top level Adran Premier.
Unfortunately, twice Tier 2 champions Llandudno have not made it to the promised land, the first time not applying for promotion and the second losing in the Adran North-South play-off, the same fate which befell last season’s North title winners Connah’s Quay Nomads.
There has been better news. After being crowned North champions in 2022-23, Wrexham AFC Women won the promotion play-off and are now in their third season in Tier 1 as Gogledd Cymru’s sole flag-bearers.
Having finished rock bottom of North Wales Division One in 2019-20, the Red Dragons’ fortunes changed vastly when Hollywood paymasters Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhinney took over Wrexham AFC armed with considerable resources.
The actors’ riches have helped the men’s team achieve three successive promotions to the Football League Championship, while the women, many of whom became semi-professional, are now a super-force in the female game too.
The North Wales League has regularly changed in name, size, geographic structure and administration since 2020-21. It remains to be seen how the latest version works out.
However, we have seen the likes of exciting and ambitious newcomers Flint Town United, Llangefni Town and Kinmel Bay emerge in the past four years, which can only be a positive.
Overall, things sure look a lot better for women’s football in North Wales in 2025 than they did in gloomy 2020.