After last season’s title race and promotion battle went down to the final day of the campaign, expect plenty more drama in the Novira Cymru South this time around.
It was a season to forget for Llanelli Town in the Novira Cymru Premier in 2025/26, with the Reds winning just three league games all season to suffer relegation back to the second tier after they won the Novira Cymru South title the previous year.
Terry Boyle took on his first managerial role in 15 years when he replaced Lee John in the Stebonheath dugout in January and the 67-year-old has remained in charge as Llanelli aim to bounce back to the top-flight at the first attempt.
It has been all change in the squad though, with the likes of Sean Cronin, Jamie Baker, Joe Hopkins, Joe Lloyd and Danny Williams all departing. However, popular full-back Miles John is back at the club after two years away, while fellow new arrivals Calum Salter (20 years old), Keane Whitmore (19) and Jack Cooper (20) are all exciting prospects.
2026/27 Novira Cymru South fixtures
Caerau Ely missed out on promotion to the top-flight on the final day of last season, finishing fourth, and they are expected to challenge at the summit of the table once again.
Olly Redhead will be a miss this season after the midfielder, who scored nine goals last season and was selected for the UEFA Regions’ Cup Play-Offs, moved back to London after finishing his university degree. Former captain Jack Ashford and full-back Conor McNamara have also exited.
In their place, Dean Wheeler has raided Newport City for Owen Bancroft, Lathan Garrett and Harvey Sing, while the experienced Lewis Harling – formerly of Penybont and Carmarthen – adds plenty of knowhow in midfield.
Aberystwyth Town finished sixth in their first ever campaign in the second tier in 2025/26, but they will hope to push for promotion in Craig Williams’ first full season in charge.
Williams, who was appointed last December and won five of his first seven games at the helm before the Seasiders’ form tailed off, has set about making the squad his own over the summer. The likes of Desean Martin, Rackeem Reid, Zach Mackenzie and Kane Auld have all departed after joining 12 months ago. Popular figure Jonathan Evans has returned to the Novira Cymru Premier with Ammanford.
Liam Walsh and Aaron Williams are the standout arrivals from top-flight sides Cardiff Met and Colwyn Bay respectively, while Aber has also pinched some of the best talent from fellow mid-Wales clubs. Tom Evans and Dan Owen are in from Penrhyncoch, goalkeeper Luke Evans joins from Guilsfield, and Harry Cottam and Dillon Browne arrive from Caersws.
Mark Aizlewood’s long-standing association with Carmarthen Town came to an end this summer, with the former Wales defender replaced in the dugout by his assistant Rhodri Thomas.
After finishing fifth last season, the Old Gold will hope to push on further up the table and end their seven-year exile from the top-flight, but they must do so without the experience of Lewis Harling and Liam Reed who have joined Caerau Ely and Caerphilly Athletic respectively. Defender Morgan Weaver has stepped up to the top-flight with Penybont, while Noah Osborne and Toby Jones have also exited.
Sam Parsons is back at the LHP Stadium following a year in the Novira Cymru Premier with Llanelli Town, while Ryan Bevan also brings top-flight experience from Briton Ferry. Dion Phillips and Rhys Jenkins move south after starring for Penrhyncoch in the Novira Cymru North.
There has also been a change in the dugout at Newport City, where Sam Houldsworth has moved to Director of Football after a decade as manager and been replaced by former Newport County and Barry Town United star Robbie Willmott.
Willmott will be tasked with improving upon last season’s 10th-place finish, with potentially a promotion push on the agenda. He must do so without a number of last season’s key players however, with the likes of Lathan Garrett, Richard Noyes, Owen Bancroft and Clayton Farrah all departing.
Rio Booth, James Parry and Connor Smith all arrive having played in the Novira Cymru Premier last season, while Mallachi Graham and Ellis Quarterly make the step up from third tier side Goytre.
Caerphilly Athletic were playing tier four football only two years ago but will now make their Novira Cymru South debut following back-to-back promotions under Ian Butterworth.
The As won the Ardal South East title by one point last season, but have lost 34-goal striker Iwan John who has made an eye-catching move to Merthyr Town. It leaves the attacking burden with Drew Perrett and Fin Skiverton, both 21 years old, alongside new signing Izaac Follon from Caerau Ely.
Liam Reed and Tom Walbeoff add much-needed second tier knowhow from Carmarthen Town and Llantwit Major respectively, while captain Troy Greening’s experience will also be vital – the midfielder played in Europe with Barry Town United in 2019.
Pure Swansea won the Novira Cymru South under their previous guise of Swansea University in 2020 and they are now back in the second tier after a three-year absence, following their Ardal South West title last season.
Casey Coughlin starred with 21 goals last term, including nine in the last seven matches to seal top spot by two points, and has stayed put to help lead the charge again. In fact, the only major departures have been winger Lewis Brooks and 49-year-old forward Lee Trundle.
Kyle Copp arrives after scoring 25 goals on the way to helping Pontardawe Town to promotion to the second tier last season, while Bradley Gibbings and Danny Williams come in fresh from campaigns in the top-flight with Llanelli Town. Noah Osborne is back at the club following a season with Carmarthen Town.
The final club to secure their spot in this season’s Novira Cymru South were Pontardawe Town, who triumphed 2-0 over Cwmbran Town in the Ardal South Play-Off at the end of May to end their two-year stay in the third tier.
Pontardawe won nine of their last 10 league matches to finish second in the Ardal South West, but manager Christian Evans departed soon after the Play-Off win and has been replaced in the dugout by veteran defender Steve Berry. Losing star striker Kyle Copp, who scored 25 league goals last term, is also a blow.
Former Swansea City and Wrexham full-back Daniel Alfei is perhaps the most notable arrival after leaving Trefelin 12 months ago, while Liam Samuel will aim to plug the gap upfront after scoring nine goals for Evans & Williams in the third tier last season. 18-year-olds Scott Williams and Isaac Dudding arrive to complete a very young goalkeeper union alongside 19-year-old Nat Osborne.
The newly-promoted clubs will aim to follow the example set by Cardiff Draconians, who finished seventh in their debut campaign in the Novira Cymru South last season.
Several eye-catching displays have seen star midfielder Marinho Manga move to top-flight Penybont, while other departures include forward Sam Roberts and defenders Dan Lewis and Jack Cooper. Crucially though, attacking duo Dan Bowen and Sam Cawley have stayed put.
Rhys McCarthy and Myles Corson are back with the Dracs after spells away, while former Afan Lido defender Carlos Indjai – who manager Nana Baah said he had been ‘chasing for over eight years’ – brings plenty of experience. Teenagers Declan Rowsell and Cameron Egan will hope to kick on in the capital after departing Newport County’s academy.
Treowen Stars also enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the second tier, finishing ninth in the Novira Cymru South table and reaching the Welsh Blood Service League Cup final.
Only three teams in the division scored more goals than Ben Murphy’s side last season, but only relegated Cwmbran Celtic conceded more, so Bush Park is perhaps the best place to head for entertainment.
Goalkeeper Cameron Clarke has departed this summer and been replaced by Shaun Gardiner, while Elliott Humphries, Lewis Green and Jordan Needs have also exited. Wingers Ryan Wheeler and Lloyd Oliver are in from Goytre, but the standout arrival is former Cambrian United and Llanelli Town forward Tom Hillman.
Afan Lido struggled for much of last season but won six of their final nine league games of the campaign – after winning only three of their first 21 – to finish 12th under Lee Surman, who replaced Garry Taylor as manager in October.
Surman clocked up nearly 450 top-flight appearances as a player, while he is supported by assistant boss Lee John – who was no doubt influential in bringing Llanelli Town trio Sean Cronin, Jamie Baker and Alex Giardelli to the club this summer. Rio Dyer has also arrived after making 22 Novira Cymru Premier appearances for Briton Ferry last term.
Baker and Cronin in particular will be key in replacing the experience of brothers John and Jackson Hall who have headed the other way to Llanelli, while Brad Flay, Terry Obeng, Cory Woods and Carlos Indjai have also departed.
Pontypridd United’s 11th-place finish last term was their lowest ranking in seven years and they will hope to push on up the table in Matthew Driscoll’s first full campaign in charge – he replaced Mark Dunford in December.
Three of Ponty’s summer signings so far have come from Newport City – James Bloom, Clayton Farrah and Richard Notes – while the other, Kofi Rowe, started last season with the Steelmen so completes the reunion in Treforest.
The only departures have been winger Curtis Hutson and 18-year-old midfielder Jack Jones, so consistency should stand the Dragons in good stead following last summer’s squad overhaul.
Ynyshir Albions finished second from bottom in the Novira Cymru South last season, but survived relegation in the second tier for the first time thanks to only one team – Cwmbran Celtic – going down.
20-year-old Calum Salter was the Buns’ top scorer with seven league goals last term but has departed for Llanelli Town, so Ynyshir will hope a familiar recruitment model serves them well again.
Salter was signed from Cambrian United’s development team 12 months ago and now Ollie Withers, Cole Baker, Adam Cartwright, Lucas Johns, Kai Crossley and Theo Vale have all arrived via the same route from the Buns’ Rhondda neighbours.
Trethomas Bluebirds finished second in the Novira Cymru South in 2024/25 but after seeing the majority of their squad depart last summer, new boss Paul Evans rebuilt the side and achieved a 13th-place finish.
It has been a much calmer transfer window this time around, with the only major departures being Jack Shaw’s move to top-flight Barry Town United and goalkeeper Aaron Jones making the switch to Afan Lido.
The headline arrival is Cardiff City cult hero Michael Chopra, with the 42-year-old currently living in Amsterdam but committing to feature in selected matches. Levi Rees – who scored 28 goals in 25 games during Trethomas’ promotion from the third tier in 2023/24 – is back at the club after two years away.
Entertainment is never far away with Llantwit Major, who have amassed a cult following of Boca Juniors fans thanks to their shared kit design. Karl Lewis’ side finished eighth last season, but may have been frustrated that was not higher after picking up just one point from their final five matches.
It has been a summer of returning heroes at Windmill Lane, with popular goalkeeper Jack Lansdown out of retirement, defender Kris Evans signing on a permanent deal after last season’s loan spell and striker Adam Roscrow – with over 50 top-flight goals and a spell in the EFL on his CV – back at his hometown club for the first time in 13 years.
Roscrow will provide support for Jack Bevan, who hit 15 goals last season to place fifth in the division’s scoring charts. Fellow forward Kofi Rowe has departed however, while Shaun Gardiner and Tom Walbeoff have also exited.
With just one league win to their name so far in 2026, Baglan Dragons will hope a new season provides a clean slate for their fortunes following a 14th-place finish last term.
The Dragons’ biggest issue last season was finding the net – three players finished as the team’s top scorers with just five goals and one of those, Nathan Logan, has departed this summer. Goalkeeper Mathew Stanton will also be a miss after he confirmed his retirement, while defender Connah Troy and winger Roman Legavec have departed too.
Toby Jones will be the man entrusted with easing the goalscoring burden after arriving from Carmarthen Town, while Cameron Clarke is the new man between the sticks. Full-back Iestyn Williams joins to link up with brother Osian Cameron and Cameron McKnight has made the switch from Goytre.
