2010–11 Welsh Premier League Explained

Competition:Welsh Premier League
Season:2010–11
Winners:Bangor City
Relegated:Haverfordwest County
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Bangor City
Continentalcup2:Europa League
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:The New Saints
Llanelli AFC
Neath
League Topscorer:Rhys Griffiths (25)
Biggest Home Win:Bangor City 8–1 Port Talbot Town
The New Saints 7–0 Carmarthen Town
Biggest Away Win:Haverfordwest County 0–4 Llanelli AFC
Neath 0–4 Llanelli AFC
Highest Scoring:Bangor City 8–1 Port Talbot Town
Matches:186
Total Goals:639
Prevseason:2009–10
Nextseason:2011–12

The 2010–11 Welsh Premier League was the 19th season of the Welsh Premier League since its establishment in 1992 as the League of Wales. It was reduced to a size of 12 teams from this season following a unanimous decision by the Premier League clubs in June 2009.[1] The league season began on 13 August 2010[2] and ended on 30 April 2011.[3] The New Saints were the defending champions, but lost their crown to Bangor City.

Teams

Rhyl were denied the domestic licence for competing in this season's Welsh Premier League and were therefore relegated to the second tier. Welsh Premier League aspirants Llangefni Town (Cymru Alliance) and Afan Lido (Welsh Football League First Division) were also denied licences meaning that no team from the second tier was promoted. Since these three teams failed to obtain licences, the best three teams originally to be relegated, with all three obtaining their licences, were spared from relegation (Bala Town, Haverfordwest County and Newtown).[4] Rhyl became the third Championship winning side to be relegated after Barry Town and Cwmbran Town. Rhyl had had the highest home attendances in the league for the last seven seasons.

Team summaries

TeamGroundCapacity
Aberystwyth TownPark Avenue5,500
Airbus UK BroughtonThe Airfield2,100
Bala TownMaes Tegid3,000
Bangor CityFarrar Road Stadium1,500
Carmarthen TownRichmond Park3,000
Haverfordwest CountyBridge Meadow Stadium2,000
Llanelli AFCStebonheath Park3,700
NeathThe Gnoll7,000
Newtown AFCLatham Park5,000
Port Talbot TownVictoria Road2,500
Prestatyn TownBastion Road2,500
The New SaintsPark Hall2,000

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointment
Newtown Darren RyanStepped down4 August 2010[5] Andy Cale7 August 2010[6]
Haverfordwest County Derek BrazilSacked15 November 2010[7] Gavin Chesterfield26 November 2010[8]
Haverfordwest County Gavin ChesterfieldResigned28 February 2011[9] Derek Brazil28 February 2011[10]

Results

Teams played each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league split into two groups - the top six and the bottom six.Clubs in these groups played each other twice again to bring the total fixture count to 32.This meant a decrease in fixtures from 34 games to 32 from the previous season.

Matches 23–32

Top sixBottom six

UEFA Europa League play-offs

As Llanelli AFC had already been assured of a Europa League spot by virtue of playing in the 2010–11 Welsh Cup Final against Champions-League qualified Bangor City, third-placed Neath and fifth- through eighth-placed sides Port Talbot Town, Prestatyn Town, Aberystwyth Town and Airbus UK Broughton competed in the inaugural play-offs for the second 2011–12 UEFA Europa League spot available via league placement.[11] The winners of this play-off would go on to enter the Europa League in the first qualifying round.

Quarterfinal

Aberystwyth Town and Airbus UK Broughton, as worst-placed teams of the play-off participants, had to compete an extra match in order to reduce the teams for the semi-finals to four. The winners of this match would face Neath in the semi-final.

Semifinals

The semi-finals were held simultaneously on 15 May. Aberystwyth Town, having beaten Airbus, faced third-placed Neath in the first, while fifth-placed Prestatyn faced off against sixth-placed Port Talbot in the other.

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Final

The final was held at Neath's Gnoll, as they had finished higher than Prestatyn in the league and had therefore 'earned' home advantage. Neath won the game 3-2 and will play in the Europa League next season as a result.

Top goalscorers

Including matches played on 18 February 2011; Source: Soccerway

RankScorerTeamGoals
1 Jamie ReedBangor City17
Rhys GriffithsLlanelli AFC17
3 Matty WilliamsThe New Saints16
4 Lee TrundleNeath15
5 Alan BullBangor City12
Lee HuntPrestatyn Town12
7 Alex DarlingtonThe New Saints11
Richie PartridgeThe New Saints11
9 Andy MoranAirbus UK Broughton10
Dave MorleyBangor City10

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Clubs accept reduced Premier League. 13 June 2009. BBC online. 24 July 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090617045641/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_of_wales/8097299.stm. 17 June 2009 . live.
  2. Web site: Wales - Premier League fixtures and results. Soccerway.
  3. Web site: Post-split fixture list released. Welsh Premier League official website. 8 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20161003144432/http://welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/3066-post-split-fixture-list-released#. 3 October 2016. dead.
  4. Web site: Shock as Rhyl fail in licence bid . 19 May 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120406115114/http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/2157-shock-as-rhyl-fail-in-licence-bid . 6 April 2012 . dead.
  5. News: Ryan walks out on the robins . welsh-premier.com . 5 August 2010 . 5 August 2010 .
  6. News: Cale confirmed as Newtown manager . welsh-premier.com . 7 August 2010 . 7 August 2010 .
  7. News: Haverfordwest sack Brazil . s4c.co.uk . 15 November 2010 . 15 November 2010.
  8. News: Gavin Chesterfield takes over at Haverfordwest . walesonline.co.uk . 27 November 2010 . 27 November 2010.
  9. News: Chesterfield's reign lasted three months . welsh-premier.com . 1 March 2011 . 1 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718025142/http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/news/3142-chesterfields-reign-lasted-three-months# . 18 July 2011 . dead.
  10. News: Brazil makes shock return to Haverfordwest . welsh-premier.com . 1 March 2011 . 1 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718025107/http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/news/3141-brazil-makes-shock-return-to-haverfordwest# . 18 July 2011 . dead.
  11. Web site: Reds book Europa League return ticket. Welsh Premier League. 1 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120906104320/http://www.welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/3442-reds-book-europa-league-return-ticket#. 6 September 2012. dead.