Welsh Premier

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Welsh Premier

Same here, though I guess games against Ponty, Penybont and Cardiff Met are less enticing to them than Hayes, Hendon and Tiverton.

Sporting wise where is the ambition in staying in the English league system? The one FA Cup run in 20 odd years they enjoyed last season?

They're a trust Football Club and it's their supporters decision, as it should be. Having gone to school with some of their loyal supporters, I'm going to have to say they're generally thick as fuuck. Not all, just the majority.

I actually think they'd generate more interest and bigger crowds if they played in the Welsh league. Their friendly with Barry attracted 700 which is bigger bigger than their average attendance for league matches last season.

[Majorblue]

Re: Welsh Premier

[/B]
What sort of crowds are expected at those games MB - home and away?

Genuinely no idea.

For Cymru South the average gate is around 150 - 200 rising to 500 if Barry or Llanelli were the opponents.
I guess that kind of figure for the two home games .

There was talk of a plane being chartered for Copenhagen for both players and supporters so maybe a hundred or so in total.

Although Enfield is far easier to get too I would guess the delights of an industrial estate in Middlesex has not quite got the pull of Carlsberg central, so maybe a coach load.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Welsh Premier

Out of interest, what would it take financially to compete at the top of the Cymru Prem?

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Welsh Premier

Out of interest, what would it take financially to compete at the top of the Cymru Prem?

Fuuck if I know

Here you are...

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03828764/filing-history

...work that out and let me know.

[JamesWales]

Re: Welsh Premier

Out of interest, what would it take financially to compete at the top of the Cymru Prem?

Not sure but I know qualifying for Europe makes a huge difference

[alan_corneli]

Re: Welsh Premier

That said we are in Europe this year and drawn in a group with Enfield and a team from Copenhagen.

Just been reading up on the Fenix Trophy, it's the third season of the official UEFA tournament but the first with a Welsh club involved.

Watched Bridgend Town (now Penybont) in a competition with Italian clubs in the early 80's after they'd won the Southern League title.

[Wozza16]

Re: Welsh Premier

I can't imagine it would cost a great deal to compete at the top end as long as you're getting a european spot then you're getting at least in the region of £250,000 once a year, especially if the club has a "big" Welsh prem fan base of 1000+ a game during the league season.

A consortium of 4-5 wealthy business people or ex players could easily sustain a fairly big club, just imagine a group of the Welsh players did similar as they've done with Merthyr.

I think some of the top 4-6 clubs need to bite the bullet and turn FT. I wonder how close the clubs are to being able to doing that, surely a couple aren't far off cashflow wise? A 20 man squad is around £500,000 per year if on £2k a month. If clubs could just make the 3rd round of qualifying fairly consistently they would be getting that much from Europe alone which would surely be easier if FT and not PT.

Qualifying for the UEFA conference league group stage which the league winner (TNS) should be close to doing with the fall back of starting in the Champions League get €3,000,000!

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Welsh Premier

Just been reading up on the Fenix Trophy, it's the third season of the official UEFA tournament but the first with a Welsh club involved.

Watched Bridgend Town (now Penybont) in a competition with Italian clubs in the early 80's after they'd won the Southern League title.

Merthyr Town played Pontedera in the same Anglo Italian Cup.

They lost 6-1.

Coach for Pontedera was a certain Marcello Lippi.

[alan_corneli]

Re: Welsh Premier

Merthyr Town played Pontedera in the same Anglo Italian Cup.

They lost 6-1.

Coach for Pontedera was a certain Marcello Lippi.

I remember even bigger nights at Merthyr - beating Atalanta 2-1.

[City123]

Re: Welsh Premier

I can't imagine it would cost a great deal to compete at the top end as long as you're getting a european spot then you're getting at least in the region of £250,000 once a year, especially if the club has a "big" Welsh prem fan base of 1000+ a game during the league season.

A consortium of 4-5 wealthy business people or ex players could easily sustain a fairly big club, just imagine a group of the Welsh players did similar as they've done with Merthyr.

I think some of the top 4-6 clubs need to bite the bullet and turn FT. I wonder how close the clubs are to being able to doing that, surely a couple aren't far off cashflow wise? A 20 man squad is around £500,000 per year if on £2k a month. If clubs could just make the 3rd round of qualifying fairly consistently they would be getting that much from Europe alone which would surely be easier if FT and not PT.

Qualifying for the UEFA conference league group stage which the league winner (TNS) should be close to doing with the fall back of starting in the Champions League get €3,000,000!

Connah's Quay went full time and couldn't sustain it, had to go back to part time

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Welsh Premier

I remember even bigger nights at Merthyr - beating Atalanta 2-1.

I attended that game. Great night for the club and town in general.

I spent the first 15 minutes staring at the Atalanta Ultras mind.

Glenn Stromberg starring for Atalanta.

[alan_corneli]

Re: Welsh Premier

I think the Cymru Premier should change to a summer season. Most of the Welsh clubs seem to play teams in qualifying who are part way through their season, but have hardly played any meaningful friendlies in preparation. I know this has been suggested previously but I think it's the only way forward if Welsh sides are going to get further in European competitions. Ireland switched some years ago and Shamrock Rovers qualified for the group stages of the Europa Conference League last season. Now it looks like a team from the Faroe Islands with get to the group stages this season

[ABLUEBIRD]

Re: Welsh Premier

I am a director at Aberystwyth Town FC so know a lot about the WPL and wage bills.
I know that two clubs that finished in the bottom half of the league last season pay between £8000-£10000 per week on wages for players so are looking around £475000 per season plus then you have managers/coaches wages to pay.
I’m big mates with TNS chairman Mike H and due to their success and qualifying for Europe every year they are nearly self funding these days due to the money gained from playing in Champ lge qualification rounds.
I believe Merthyr would benefit from playing in WPL and certainly make more money if they finish in the top 3.