Colwyn bay meet FAW in bid to join welsh pyramid system

[Father Dougal]

They find out on 29 march whether they will be entered in tier 2 or 3.

Personally for the bigger picture i hope its tier 2. Thats a tough league in itself and colwyn bay will struggle in their current form.

Re merthyr- there are strong arguments both ways but i think its more than likely they will end up in wales. They will certainly be having a close look at how colwyn bay get on.

Merthyr are a tidy club and could seek to get champions league football every season.

[Cyncoed Slumdog]

1920's 3rd South for about 7/8 seasons. Also Aberdare Athletic for about 5 seasons.. [though arguably I suppose the bottom half of 3rd south could be compared with the 4th division.] Both Merthyr and Aberdare achieved final league placings above half way..

Well done - I've read their history and you beat me to this. It's incredible to think of Merthyr - and Aberdare! - in the Football League playing Bristol City, Reading etc. on an equal footing for the best part of a decade.

[SgorioFruit]

Imagine if Newport had followed your advice. Crowds of 300, no lucrative tie against Man City but, hey, Llandudno away on S4C. FFS.

absolutely bang on

[Duggie]

Tier 2 in Wales is being restructured this summer, so I can see them being snuck in as part of that.

[Father Dougal]

Tier 2 in Wales is being restructured this summer, so I can see them being snuck in as part of that.

Agree. They will have a lot of work to do on and especially off the pitch if they want to join the premier.

Talking of big towns- penybont will be in the welsh premier next season- they have a tidy set up there, be good to see them grow.

[MOZZER2]

how is it being restructured ?

noticed quite a few barry players in the Wales C side that was announced to face England this week father . pity the game is away would have popped along

[Divine Wright]

absolutely bang on

I’d argue that County are at a different level to Merthyr. Would they be better off waiting 5/10/20 years for an FA cup tie against Man City or winning the Welsh Cup or League and potentially playing some of Europe’s biggest sides. I’d even go as far as sying that they’d hve a better chance of playing Man City in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League than they would playing them in the FA cup.

Regarding crowds, if Merthyr were playing at the top of the Welsh league I think they’d get decent crowds. Probably as big as they’d have in the conference..or similiar. There would also, potentially, be more “grandstand” events with Welsh Cup and League games plus European fixtures. These would surely attract better crowds than Havant and Waterloo or Torquay.

That said, if Merthyr fans would prefer to stay in the English set-up I get it and it is not the place of fans from other sides to prescribe anything for Merthyr T. I’d just argue that the Welsh setup would offer more short term (and probably long-term) benefits, both financial and sporting.

[Duggie]

Penybont still have 1/3 of their season to go, but they are in a good positionn

[JennyWren]

I’d argue that County are at a different level to Merthyr. Would they be better off waiting 5/10/20 years for an FA cup tie against Man City or winning the Welsh Cup or League and potentially playing some of Europe’s biggest sides. I’d even go as far as sying that they’d hve a better chance of playing Man City in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League than they would playing them in the FA cup.

Regarding crowds, if Merthyr were playing at the top of the Welsh league I think they’d get decent crowds. Probably as big as they’d have in the conference..or similiar. There would also, potentially, be more “grandstand” events with Welsh Cup and League games plus European fixtures. These would surely attract better crowds than Havant and Waterloo or Torquay.

That said, if Merthyr fans would prefer to stay in the English set-up I get it and it is not the place of fans from other sides to prescribe anything for Merthyr T. I’d just argue that the Welsh setup would offer more short term (and probably long-term) benefits, both financial and sporting.

Newport were in tier 9, Eric advocates anyone below the conference joining the Welsh league. If Newport took that advice 20 years ago, then they'd be playing Cefn Druids in from if 400 at Spytty Park with no hope that things get better.

[Father Dougal]

Imagine if Newport had followed your advice. Crowds of 300, no lucrative tie against Man City but, hey, Llandudno away on S4C. FFS.

Re crowds- Merthyr average 395 this season.

Thats lower than clubs like Caernarfon and barry. Average attendance of the welsh league is normally 350ish.

With a higher away support (barry would certainly take a couple of hundred to Merthyr) it is likely Merthyrs crowds would go up in welsh system.

[Father Dougal]

And Colwyn bay average 220 this season.

Its good for welsh football they are asking to join but it's quite funny people see them as being a big welsh club simply because they were in the English system rather than welsh.