2020–21 Cymru Premier
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 12 September 2020 – 29 May 2021 |
| Champions | Connah's Quay Nomads |
| Relegated | No relegation |
| Champions League | Connah's Quay Nomads |
| Europa Conference League | The New Saints Bala Town Newtown |
| Matches played | 192 |
| Goals scored | 600 (3.13 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Chris Venables (24 goals) |
| Biggest home win | The New Saints 10–0 Flint Town (3 October 2020) |
| Biggest away win | Cefn Druids 0–7 Newtown (30 April 2021) |
| Highest scoring | The New Saints 10–0 Flint Town (3 October 2020) |
← 2019–20 2021–22 →
All statistics correct as of 26 September. | |
The 2020–21 Cymru Premier (Welsh: Uwch Gynghrair Cymru 2020–21) (known as the JD Cymru Premier for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th season of the Cymru Premier (formally known as the Welsh Premier League), the highest football league within Wales since its establishment in 1992. Connah's Quay Nomads were the defending champions. Teams played each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league split into two groups after phase 1 matches were completed. COVID-19 restrictions were put in place by the FAW. Starting Monday 10 August 2020, clubs could train in groups of 15 and contact training was allowed at all-levels of football. However, competitive and exhibition matches were not allowed to take place at this time.[1] On 21 August 2020, The Football Association of Wales received confirmation that the JD Cymru Premier has been granted elite athletic status by the Welsh Government, meaning that the 2020–21 season could commence on 11 September 2020.[2]
Teams
Twelve teams competed in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season, and one team each promoted from the second tier, the Cymru North and Cymru South. The two bottom placed teams from the 2019–20 season, Airbus UK Broughton and Carmarthen Town, were relegated to the Cymru North and the Cymru South respectively for the 2020–21 season.[3] Flint Town United, runners-up of the Cymru North were promoted to the league due to champions Prestatyn Town's failure to secure a Tier 1 license.[4] Similarly, Haverfordwest County, runners-up of the Cymru South, were also promoted due to champions Swansea University's failure to secure a Tier 1 license.
Stadia and locations
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberystwyth Town | Aberystwyth | Park Avenue | 5,000 |
| Bala Town | Bala | Maes Tegid | 3,000 |
| Barry Town United | Barry | Jenner Park Stadium | 3,500 |
| Caernarfon Town | Caernarfon | The Oval | 3,000 |
| Cardiff Metropolitan University | Cyncoed | Cyncoed Campus | 1,620 |
| Cefn Druids | Rhosymedre | The Rock | 3,000 |
| Connah's Quay Nomads | Connah's Quay | Deeside Stadium | 1,500 |
| Flint Town United | Flint | Cae-y-Castell | 1,000 |
| Haverfordwest County | Haverfordwest | Bridge Meadow Stadium | 2,100 |
| Newtown | Newtown | Latham Park | 5,000 |
| Penybont | Bridgend | Bryntirion Park | 3,000 |
| The New Saints | File:Flag of England.svg Oswestry | Park Hall | 2,034 |
Personnel and kits
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League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification[lower-alpha 1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connah's Quay Nomads (C) | 32 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 70 | 20 | +50 | 79 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | The New Saints | 32 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 84 | 17 | +67 | 77 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Bala Town | 32 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 67 | 42 | +25 | 60 | |
| 4 | Penybont | 32 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 42 | 40 | +2 | 46 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League play-offs |
| 5 | Barry Town United | 32 | 13 | 4 | 15 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 43 | |
| 6 | Caernarfon Town | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 43 | 67 | −24 | 37 | |
| 7 | Newtown (O) | 32 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 57 | 53 | +4 | 42 | Qualification for the Europa Conference League play-offs |
| 8 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 47 | 46 | +1 | 40 | |
| 9 | Haverfordwest County | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 38 | 56 | −18 | 37 | |
| 10 | Aberystwyth Town | 32 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 47 | 53 | −6 | 33 | |
| 11 | Flint Town United | 32 | 10 | 2 | 20 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 32 | |
| 12 | Cefn Druids | 32 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 25 | 95 | −70 | 16 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Goals scored; 5) Matches won.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners
Notes:
- ↑ Teams play each other twice (22 matches), before the league splits into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last 10 matches. Due to the cancellation of Cymru North and South seasons, there is no promotion or relegation.
Results
12 September 2020 - 31 May 2021
Matches 1–22
- On 17 August 2020 the FAW announced that all official domestic match balls will be sponsored by Macron[6]
- Welsh television channel S4C will broadcast certain matches[7]
Matches 23–32
Top six |
Bottom six
|
UEFA Europa Conference League play-offs
Teams that finished in positions fourth to seventh at the end of the regular season participated in play-offs to determine the third participant to enter the Europa Conference League first qualifying round.
Semi-finals
| Barry Town | 1–3 | Caernarfon Town |
|---|---|---|
| Edwards File:Soccerball shade.svg 44' (o.g.) | Report | Hayes File:Soccerball shade.svg 41', 50' Bickerstaff File:Soccerball shade.svg 90+5' |
| Penybont | 0–1 | Newtown |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Breese File:Soccerball shade.svg 86' |
Final
Season statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[8] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Chris Venables | Bala Town | 24 |
| 2 | File:Flag of England.svg Michael Wilde | Connah's Quay Nomads | 18 |
| 3 | File:Flag of New Zealand.svg Greg Draper | The New Saints | 14 |
| 4 | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Will Evans | Bala Town | 13 |
| File:Flag of England.svg Ollie Hulbert | Cardiff Met | ||
| File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Eliot Evans |
Monthly awards
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Club | Player | Club | |
| October | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Scott Ruscoe | The New Saints | File:Flag of England.svg Chris Venables | Bala Town |
| November | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Scott Ruscoe | The New Saints | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Will Evans | Bala Town |
| December | File:Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Morrison | Connah's Quay | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Lewis Harling | Penybont |
| March | File:Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Morrison | Connah's Quay | File:Flag of England.svg George Horan | Connah's Quay |
| April | File:Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Morrison | Connah's Quay | File:Flag of England.svg Michael Wilde | Connah's Quay |
Annual awards
| Award | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Manager of the Season | File:Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Morrison[9] | Connah's Quay Nomads |
| Player of the Season | File:Flag of England.svg Michael Wilde[10] | Connah's Quay Nomads |
| Young Player of the Season | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Mael Davies[11] | Penybont |
| Goal of the Season | File:Flag of England.svg Sameron Dool[12] | Connah's Quay Nomads |
| Save of the Season | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Connor Roberts[13] | Aberystwyth Town |
| Team of the Season[14] | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | File:Flag of England.svg Oliver Byrne (Connah's Quay Nomads) | |||||||||||
| Defenders | File:Flag of England.svg John Disney (Connah's Quay Nomads) | File:Flag of England.svg Ryan Astles (The New Saints) | File:Flag of England.svg George Horan (Connah's Quay Nomads) | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Kane Owen (Penybont) | ||||||||
| Midfielders | File:Flag of England.svg Callum Morris (Connah's Quay Nomads) | File:Flag of England.svg Ryan Brobbel (The New Saints) | File:Flag of Poland.svg Adrian Cieślewicz (The New Saints) | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Danny Davies (Connah's Quay Nomads) | ||||||||
| Forwards | File:Flag of England.svg Chris Venables (Bala Town) | File:Flag of England.svg Michael Wilde (Connah's Quay Nomads) | ||||||||||
References
- ↑ Jones, Jordan (2020-08-03). "Welsh clubs move closer to normality as contact training permitted". Y Clwb Pêl-droed - Your home for Welsh football. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
- ↑ "FAW / Start date for JD Cymru Premier". www.faw.cymru. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
- ↑ Jones, Jordan (16 June 2020). "Airbus UK and Carmarthen relegated, Flint and Haverfordwest up". Clwb Pel Droed.
- ↑ "Flint Town United return to top tier of Welsh football for first time since 1998". Deeside.com. 16 June 2020.
- ↑ Jones, Jordan (2019-05-16). "Penybont recruit four new players for upcoming Welsh Premier League season". YClwb Pêl-Droed. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
- ↑ "Macron Announced as Official Ball Supplier :: Cymru Football". www.cymrufootball.wales. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
- ↑ "S4C Announce Opening Live Fixtures :: Cymru Football". www.cymrufootball.wales. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
- ↑ "Top Scorers - Welsh Premier League - Football". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
- ↑ "Connah's Quay Nomads: Andy Morrison and Michael Wilde win Cymru Premier awards". BBC. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ↑ "Connah's Quay Nomads: Andy Morrison and Michael Wilde win Cymru Premier awards". BBC. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ↑ "Foden wins Hublot Young Player of the Season award". Premier League. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ↑ "Gôl y Tymor 2020/21 Goal of the Season". Sgorio. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ↑ "Connor Roberts | Arbediad y Tymor 2020/21 Save of the Season". Sgorio. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ↑ "JD Cymru Premier 2020/21 Team of the Season". Cymru Leagues. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.