Ahead of an exciting format change in 2026/27, the final 12-team JD Cymru Premier is about to kick off – with plenty of twists and turns expected over the next nine months.
Reigning champions The New Saints are tipped to lead the way again as they hunt a fifth consecutive title – and 18th in total – despite a disappointing early exit from European competition this summer.
It has been a busy summer for Craig Harrison in the transfer market, with striker Ben Wilson arriving from Airdrieonians for a club record fee. After some frustrating performances in Europe, the Northern Irishman finally found the net in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend. At the other end of the pitch, Nathan Shepperd has arrived from QPR to replace Connor Roberts in goal.
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Dominic Corness, Jack Nadin and Harvey Godsmark-Ford have made the move from the academies of Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City respectively, while Kade Craig and Jacob Owen bolster a defence that has lost Ash Baker and Josh Pask. Ken Charles’ arrival in attack has seen Zack Clarke return to Caernarfon Town on loan.
Penybont were TNS’ closest challengers last year – beating the Saints twice in league fixtures – and led the table until New Year’s Eve. James Crole finished as joint top scorer in the division with 16 goals and Bont have done well to keep him this summer amid interest from the EFL.
Goalkeeper Adam Pryzbek, midfielder Lewis Harling and forward Keyon Reffell are the only regulars from last season to have departed, while it is a coup for Rhys Griffiths to bring back Nathan Wood on a permanent deal following his release by Newport County.
Among the other new arrivals, Bridgend native Ash Baker brings title-winning experience from TNS, Noah Daley has scored 57 goals in the JD Cymru South over the last three seasons and teenage goalkeeper Luke Armstrong is highly-rated on loan from Cardiff City.
Completing the trio of clubs in European action this summer were Haverfordwest County, who finished third last season before victory over Caernarfon Town in the play-off final. Tony Pennock’s side also had the best defence in the division, conceding just 26 goals in 32 games.
However, that has resulted in a raid of the Bluebirds’ backline this summer. Lee Jenkins became the latest JD Cymru Premier star to move to Newport County, while Luke Tabone and Jacob Owen have also departed alongside goalkeeper Zac Jones.
Surprisingly, there have been very few incomings at Ogi Bridge Meadow so far – the only arrivals have been goalkeeper Luc Rees from Barry Town United and midfielder Elliott Scotcher who returns from Aberystwyth Town.
Aiming to lick their wounds from that play-off final defeat are Caernarfon Town, who finished fourth last term but will play at Llandudno’s Go Goodwins Stadium this season while The Oval is being redeveloped.
The Cofis have lost last season’s JD Cymru Premier Young Player of the Season Louis Lloyd who has headed to the Scottish Championship with St. Johnstone, while Matty Hill and Joe Faux have also departed.
However, Zack Clarke, Sion Bradley and Josh Lock are back at the club on loan from TNS, while signing Connor Roberts in goal – fresh from a Cymru call-up – is a coup after the shot-stopper initially planned to retire. Iwan Lewis, Osebi Abadaki, Kyle Harrison and Dom Smith also bring plenty of JD Cymru Premier experience and former Cymru U18 international Connor Evans scored four minutes into his debut in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend.
Following a disappointing eighth-place finish last season, a new era begins at Connah’s Quay Nomads as former captain John Disney – who made over 300 appearances for the club as a player – takes the reigns. He made the dream start to life in the dugout with a 9-0 win over Ruthin Town in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend.
The likes of Sam Durrant, Olly Wright and Sam Durrant, all brought in by former boss Billy Paynter in January, have departed, with Disney recruiting former Newtown duo Jason Oswell and Zeli Ismail alongside players such as Ben Kershaw, Eddie Servuts and Marco Fregapane from the English non-league system.
Losing goalkeeper George Ratcliffe to Barry Town United is a blow, but Cymru U19’s Kit Margetson on loan from Swansea City is a solid replacement. It is also a boost to see Harry Franklin back at the club after the forward spent a year with Crusaders in the Northern Irish Premiership. The 2024/25 JD Cymru Premier Player of the Season Rhys Hughes is likely to star again in midfield.
The Nomads will head to newly-promoted Colwyn Bay on the opening day, as Disney comes up against his former teammate Michael Wilde. The Seagulls secured the JD Cymru North title last season, losing just one league game along the way, and will now aim to improve on their only previous campaign in the top-flight in 2023/24 when they were relegated.
Wilde has revamped his squad over the summer, with Craig Lindfield, Tom Creamer, Lloyd Marsh-Hughes and Cai Owen among the names to depart despite playing key roles in earning promotion.
The number of new arrivals has reached double figures, with the majority all boasting significant JD Cymru Premier experience. Former Haverfordwest and Connah’s Quay striker Jordan Davies is the standout signing after a season in Scotland, with the likes of Nathan Peate, Aaron Williams, Aeron Edwards, George Hughes and Matty Hill all aiming to ensure Bay are nowhere near the drop zone this time around.
The other newly-promoted side are Llanelli Town, who ended a six-year absence from the top-flight by winning the JD Cymru South title last season – losing only two league games all year.
Liam Eason joined in January and his 11 goals in 12 games helped secure top spot, while winning the division’s Player of the Season award, but he has departed this summer alongside Cam Strinati, Alex Giardelli, Taylor Jones, Kurtis Rees and Henry Jones.
Alex Bonthron – who won the JD Cymru South golden boot in 2023/24 – has been brought in as Eason’s replacement and scored on his debut in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend. Fellow new arrivals Rio Booth, Jordan Vickers and Tristan Jenkins have also impressed in the second tier in recent years, while Mike Lewis, Harrison Bright and Josh Yorwerth all add top-flight experience to Lee John’s squad.
It will be strange not to see Colin Caton in the Bala Town dugout this season, after he called time on his 22-year reign as manager in June. His long-term assistant Steve Fisher has stepped up to take the job, aided by another familiar face in Ryan Valentine.
It has also been all change in the squad after last season’s sixth-place finish and play-off quarter-final defeat, with Osebi Abadaki, Nathan Peate, Aeron Edwards and Louis Robles among the key departures.
Most of the recruitment has come from within the English non-league system, with the likes of Will Bell and Dominic McGiveron joining. Former Aberystwyth Town forward John Owen reinforces the JD Cymru Premier experience in the squad, while ‘Egyptian King’ Hussein Mehasseb has returned – both players scored in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend.
Cardiff Met secured a top six finish for the third consecutive year last season, which may suggest why there has been little squad churn at Cyncoed Campus this summer.
Jack Veale and Tom Vincent have been the only major departures, while Liam Walsh and Fumpa Mwandwe add further top-flight knowhow to Ryan Jenkins’ squad that continues to include stalwarts such as Adam Roscrow and Eliot Evans – the latter clocked 10 years at the club this summer.
There has also been a youthful injection into the team with the arrivals of Jasper Payne and Harri John, formerly of Briton Ferry Llansawel and Haverfordwest County respectively. The only concern in the capital is that Met have not won an away league game since last September.
Barry Town United finished top of the Play-Off Conference last season but will now target a place in the top six for the first time since promotion back to the JD Cymru Premier two years ago.
Club legend Kayne Mclaggon called time on his eight-year spell at Jenner Park this summer which, along with Sam Snaith’s departure, leaves Ollie Hulbert leading the attack again after he scored 15 goals last season. Goalkeeping duo Liam Armstrong and Luc Rees have also gone, along with Josh Yorwerth, Harrison Bright and Aiden Lewis.
Barry have been one of the quieter clubs in the transfer market this summer, but George Ratcliffe’s return is a strong signing in goal – backed up by former Cardiff City youngster Joe Thomas. Two-time JD Cymru Premier winner Keston Davies bolsters the defence, while new teenage midfielder Dan Barton is a former Cymru U19 international.
After being involved in the relegation battle for much of the campaign, Flint Town United finished last season with four consecutive wins and ultimately finished 16 points above the drop zone in ninth place.
Lee Fowler will hope to continue that momentum into the new campaign and he has kept the majority of his squad together, except for defender Izaack Lambert and midfielder Luke Mariette. It also looks like highly-rated young centre-back Isaac Lee is on his way out amid interest from several EFL clubs.
Joe Faux, Cameron Ferguson, Jack Thorn and Ben Woollam have all been recruited from across the JD Cymru Premier, while former Stockport County and Chorley striker Darren Ferguson has also made the switch and scored on his debut in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend.
Despite losing their first six matches of their debut JD Cymru Premier season, Briton Ferry Llansawel eventually stayed up by six points after turning their form around and adapting to the top-flight – including with a win over champions TNS.
Manager Andy Dyer has admitted that survival is the primary goal again but this time he must do it without last season’s top scorer Luke Bowen, who has departed to Trefelin alongside Tyler Brock. Promising youngsters Jasper Payne and Caleb Demery have also gone, the latter earning a dream move to Swansea City.
New arrivals Jonathan Evans, Sam Snaith and Dan Jefferies all add plenty of JD Cymru Premier experience, while former Cymru U17 prospect Marley Bishop-Wisdom is back in Welsh football after four years in the English non-league system.
