Decided – where FC Mountain will compete this season

FC Mountain will play their football in the Tier 4 North Wales Coast East League Premier Division this season.

That represents a two-level drop for the club, who escaped losing their Cymru North status last term after finishing above bottom spot, but based on an ‘elective relegation’ decision from the FAW now go down two leagues.

The formerly named Flint Mountain were struggling to meet the requirements of competing in the Cymru North and had discussed with the FAW the possibility of lowering one level to reduce travelling and costs.

However, the FAW decided the club’s approach was an ‘elective relegation’ request and also hit them with a £7,500 fine on top of a two-tier downgrade.

The club appealed, and at an FAW hearing this week, the fine was reduced with 50 percent of the final sum suspended.

FC Mountain chairman Jay Welsh did not wish to disclose the amount of the final bill facing the club.

He said the club now wants to move on and concentrate on rebuilding in Tier 4.

However, he did reiterate he was unhappy with the way the FAW dealt with the relegation issue, saying: “We will go on record as saying the dealings with the FAW have left a bitter taste in our mouths and it will be a long time before we trust their claim that they have the club’s best interests at heart when dealing with them in future matters.”

Last week, FC Mountain appointed a new head coach – UEFA B Licence holder Paride Muci, previous boss of French club Quimper Italia and in Italy, Serie D’s US Castrovillari Calcio, .

Muci has been brought to Mountain by technical sporting director Max Leghissa, former director of football at Bangor City.

FC Mountain have been placed in North Wales Coast East as their home ground is Bastion Gardens, Prestatyn, which they share with Tier 3 club Prestatyn Town.