There have been some incredible stories from the domestic game throughout 2024 with The New Saints making history in Europe by qualifying for the league phase of the UEFA Conference League while Cardiff City completed the domestic treble.
Significant decisions off the field have also paved the way for a new and exciting future as the strategic vision for the JD Cymru Premier was launched with confirmation that the top-flight will soon expand to 16 clubs, while the Genero Adran Premier continues to go from strength-to-strength with more clubs moving to semi-professional status.
The progress and development of the domestic game is testament to the ambitions of the clubs involved and this year has set a new standard across a number of different aspects. The journey now continues as we head towards a new era that will be supported by significant investment and designed to increase sponsorship, attendances and media coverage. Here’s a look back at some of the key moments of from the last 12 months.
JD Cymru Leagues
The New Saints claimed the 2023/24 JD Cymru Premier title in spectacular style as Craig Harrison’s side remained undefeated throughout the league campaign, winning 30 of their 32 games and scoring 117 goals in the process. The Saints finished the season with a 33-point lead over runners-up Connah’s Quay Nomads as Harrison unsurprisingly claimed the Manager of the Season award. However, they head into Christmas second in the table, but just a point behind leaders Penybont.
Sion Bradley made headlines with his performances for Caernarfon Town as they qualified for the UEFA Conference League, and a move to full-time football with The New Saints was his reward for lifting the Player of the Year prize. Meanwhile, Flint Town United and Briton Ferry Llansawel gained promotion from the JD Cymru North and South respectively, replacing Colwyn Bay and Pontypridd United, but both teams currently sit in the wrong half of the table.
Airbus UK Broughton and Colwyn Bay are both showing their credentials for a return to the domestic top-flight as they push each other for the JD Cymru North title, with champions Holywell Town on their tails, while a host of clubs remain in contention for honours in the JD Cymru South. Newly-promoted Trethomas Bluebirds have impressed this season and currently lead the way, while Pontypridd United and Llanelli Town are both targeting promotion.
It was an important year for JD Cymru Premier off the field as the new strategic vision for the next six years was launched in April, based on eight strategic pillars with significant investment into the domestic top-flight. In addition, it was announced in September that the JD Cymru Premier will increase to 16 clubs from the 2026/27 season. “It was important that a structure could be identified that allows our clubs to flourish,” explained Jack Sharp, FAW Head of Domestic Leagues.
Genero Adran Leagues
Cardiff City retained the Genero Adran Premier title with a nine point advantage over rivals Swansea City with Iain Derbyshire and Seren Watkins claiming the Manager and Player of the Year awards to make it a hugely successful campaign for the club from the capital. However, the season would also mark the end of an era with the retirement of club captain Siobhan Walsh. Briton Ferry Llansawel claimed promotion to the top-flight with a 4-0 play-off victory over Llandudno.
The New Saints are the surprise leaders of the Genero Adran Premier heading into 2025, while former champions Cardiff Met sit bottom of the table with Aberystwyth Town, with both teams looking for their first win of the season. The Saints’ early success has been supported by their decision to become the latest club in the league to adopt semi-professional status, further raising the standard of a league that continues to improve each and every season.
Silverware winners
Connah’s Quay Nomads caused a shock in April as they denied The New Saints from completing an undefeated domestic treble with a 2-1 victory in the JD Welsh Cup Final at Rodney Parade. Under former manager Neil Gibson, the side claimed the trophy for the second time in their history through goals from Harry Franklin and a fine strike from Josh Williams. Incredibly, the Nomads and the Saints are the only two clubs from the JD Cymru Premier left in the last eight of the competition this time around.
Cardiff City completed a domestic treble as goals from Rhianne Oakley and Emma Beynon sealed a 2-0 win over Wrexham in front of over 1,700 fans at Rodney Parade to lift the Bute Energy Welsh Cup. Both teams are still in contention as they prepare for the quarter-finals that will take place in February next year. Prior to that, Cardiff City claimed a convincing 5-1 win over Swansea City to lift the Genero Adran Trophy in April. However, they will not retain the prize having been eliminated by The New Saints in the last eight.
The New Saints started 2024 with silverware as Craig Harrison’s side won the Nathaniel MG Cup with a 5-1 win over Swansea City at Jenner Park. Ryan Brobbel, Josh Pask and Brad Young were all on target before Adrian Cieślewicz added two goals in added time. The Saints will now have the chance to defend the trophy at the end of February when they take on Aberystwyth Town in the final.
There was also an opportunity for The New Saints to claim silverware in Scotland as they reached the SPFL Trust Trophy Final in March but suffered a 2-1 defeat against Airdrieonians. Meanwhile, Mold Alexandra claimed the Welsh Blood Service League Cup with a 4-2 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel back in April.
Success for Briton Ferry Llansawel was delivered in the FAW Youth Cup as a hat-trick from Caleb Demery set the tone for a 6-2 win over Barry Town United at Latham Park in April to claim the trophy for the first time. The side are still in the competition heading into the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Newport City won a nine-goal thriller 5-4 against Penrhyncoch to lift the Dragon Signs Amateur Trophy, and Cardiff Wanderers defeated Kinmel Bay 4-0 to lift the Bute Energy U16’s Cup.
European success
It was a defining year for the domestic game in European competition as The New Saints made history by becoming the first club to qualify for what is now the league phase of the UEFA Conference League. A 4-1 aggregate victory over FK Dečić of Montenegro in the Champions League meant that Craig Harrison’s side were guaranteed at least a place in the Conference League play-offs. Lithuania outfit FK Panevėžys were then defeated 3-0 at that stage as the Saints claimed their place in the league phase.
“Our aim is to continue to qualify for the league phase,” explained Chief Operating Officer Ian Williams. “And once you get into that position, it starts to snowball into bigger and better things.” The Saints opened their campaign away to Italian giants Fiorentina and came away with a respectable 2-0 defeat, but made headlines with a 2-0 win over Astana of Kazakhstan. However, further narrow defeats to Shamrock Rovers, Djurgården, Panathinaikos and Celje brought the campaign to an end.
Although the record will show one win and five defeats during the league phase, those stats do not tell the full story. The New Saints didn’t concede more than two goals in a game until the 3-2 reverse against Celje on the final day when they needed to win and twice took the lead. In fact, Harrison’s side were still in contention for a play-off place heading into that last match, a situation that few would have predicted at the start.
What The New Saints have done for the profile and reputation of the JD Cymru Premier and the domestic game in Wales as a whole this season cannot be underestimated. With all six games shown live on TNT Sports with a separate highlights package on S4C Sgorio that same evening, the awareness of the club and the league has reached a new level, and the praise for their performances has been more than deserved.
“It took 20 years to get to where we are,” said Harrison ahead of the final match. “This can’t be once in a 20 year cycle. From a realistic point of view, if we’re going to make headway for our country and our coefficient, it needs to happen every two or three years. To get to this stage every third year would be a huge development for Welsh football.”
Caernarfon Town qualified for European football for the first time through the play-offs and made the most of the experience by defeating Irish side Crusaders on penalties in the Conference League, but Polish outfit Legia Warsaw proved to be too strong in the next round. Meanwhile, Bala Town and Connah’s Quay Nomads were both eliminated in the opening round of the Conference League, going down to Estonian side Paide Linnameeskond and NK Bravo of Slovenia respectively.
Cardiff City failed to make it through the opening round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League as a 7-0 defeat to Dutch side FC Twente was followed by an improved performance against FK Ljuboten of North Macedonia, but a 2-0 reverse brought their campaign to an early close. Elsewhere, Pro Futsal Cymru finished bottom of their group in the UEFA Futsal Champions League, suffering defeats to clubs from Switzerland, Bulgaria and San Marino back in August.
The New Saints would also compete in the UEFA Youth League this season, the first Welsh club to enter the competition. However, their campaign came to a swift end as they were beaten 7-2 on aggregate by Lithuanian side FK Žalgiris. “You get to test yourself against other players and other clubs and see exactly what that standard is like,” explained TNS U19 head coach Simon Spender. “This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to actually go and play football in a different country.”
International glory
Sion Bradley was named JD Cymru Premier Player of the Year in 2023/24, and made his mark on the international stage as he scored a superb goal to give Mark Jones’ Cymru C team a memorable 1-0 win over England C at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli in March. “It probably stands right at the top of the greatest moments in my career,” said Bradley after the match. “There’s not a prouder feeling in the world than putting on this red jersey, and especially when we did what we’ve done tonight.”
“We worked our socks off,” said Jones after the match. “We talk about individual battles. If you win eleven individual battles on the field, you’re going to win, and that’s what happened. Whenever you’re managing Wales, it’s always a pleasure and an honour. This win is definitely up there in my time managing this team, and I’m so happy for all my boys.”
