Cymru Premier
Uwch Gynghrair Cymru
Season2020–21
Dates12 September 2020 – 29 May 2021
ChampionsConnah's Quay Nomads
RelegatedNo relegation
Champions LeagueConnah's Quay Nomads
Europa Conference LeagueThe New Saints
Bala Town
Newtown
Matches played192
Goals scored600 (3.13 per match)
Top goalscorerChris Venables
(24 goals)
Biggest home winThe New Saints 10–0 Flint Town
(3 October 2020)
Biggest away winCefn Druids 0–7 Newtown
(30 April 2021)
Highest scoringThe New Saints 10–0 Flint Town
(3 October 2020)
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 TownAberystwyth Park Avenue5,000
Bala TownBala Maes Tegid3,000
Barry Town UnitedBarry Jenner Park Stadium3,500
Caernarfon TownCaernarfon The Oval3,000
Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityCyncoed Cyncoed Campus1,620
Cefn DruidsRhosymedre The Rock3,000
Connah's Quay NomadsConnah's Quay Deeside Stadium1,500
Flint Town UnitedFlint Cae-y-Castell1,000
Haverfordwest CountyHaverfordwest Bridge Meadow Stadium2,100
NewtownNewtown Latham Park5,000
PenybontBridgend Bryntirion Park3,000
The New SaintsEngland Oswestry Park Hall2,034

Personnel and kits

Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Front shirt sponsor
Aberystwyth Town Wales Gavin Allen Wales Marc Williams Acerbis Aberystwyth University
Bala Town England Colin Caton Wales Chris Venables Macron Aykroyd's
Barry Town United Wales Gavin Chesterfield Wales Jordan Cotterill Macron RIM Motors
Caernarfon Town Wales Huw Griffiths England Gareth Edwards Surridge Sports Gofal Bro Cyf, Parc Gwêl y Fenai
Cardiff Metropolitan University Wales Christian Edwards England Bradley Woolridge Errea Cardiff Metropolitan University
Cefn Druids Wales Jason Starkey (caretaker) England Michael Jones Errea Wrexham Lager
Connah's Quay Nomads Scotland Andy Morrison England George Horan Nike Mind
Flint Town United Wales Neil Gibson England Richie Faulkes Macron Essity
Haverfordwest County Wales Wayne Jones Wales Sean Pemberton Joma West Wales Properties
Newtown Scotland Chris Hughes Wales Craig T. Williams Errea Control Techniques
Penybont Wales Rhys Griffiths Wales Rhys Wilson[5] Macron Nathaniel House of Cars
The New Saints Australia Anthony Limbrick England Paul Harrison Legea SiFi Networks

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
Source: Cymru Premier table
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:
  1. ↑ 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

Home \ Away ABE BAL BAR CAE CMU CDR CQN FTU HAV NTW PYB TNS
Aberystwyth Town — 1–2 1–2 1–2 2–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 2–2
Bala Town 5–2 — 4–0 1–2 4–1 2–1 1–3 5–0 1–2 3–1 4–1 1–1
Barry Town United 1–0 6–2 — 3–1 1–0 4–1 0–0 6–3 2–1 0–0 0–1 0–3
Caernarfon Town 2–2 1–1 2–0 — 3–2 1–2 1–2 2–1 1–4 1–1 1–1 0–4
Cardiff Metropolitan University 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–3 — 0–0 1–2 2–1 0–0 2–1 0–1 0–1
Cefn Druids 0–4 1–3 0–1 1–2 1–1 — 0–5 1–2 4–1 2–4 0–2 0–4
Connah's Quay Nomads 2–0 1–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 — 2–0 2–0 2–1 1–0 2–0
Flint Town United 3–0 1–2 0–1 0–2 0–1 1–2 0–1 — 0–2 1–0 0–1 0–6
Haverfordwest County 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–4 0–3 — 2–2 0–4 2–1
Newtown 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–3 4–1 4–1 1–5 3–2 0–3 — 2–0 0–4
Penybont 1–1 1–5 1–0 6–0 1–0 1–1 0–0 1–2 2–0 2–1 — 0–4
The New Saints 4–1 0–0 2–1 4–1 2–0 5–0 1–0 10–0 3–2 2–0 2–1 —
Source: Cymru Premier
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
  • 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

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 Town1–3Caernarfon Town
Edwards 44' (o.g.) Report Hayes 41', 50'
Bickerstaff 90+5'
Referee: Simon Lee Evans
Penybont0–1Newtown
Report Breese 86'
The SDM Glass Stadium, Bridgend
Referee: Iwan Arwel Griffith

Final

Caernarfon Town3–5Newtown
Kenny 18'
D. Thomas 59', 74'		 Report Rushton 39' (pen.)
Mwandwe 45'
Davies 80', 82'
Breese 86'
Referee: Huw Jones

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals[8]
1 Wales Chris Venables Bala Town 24
2 England Michael Wilde Connah's Quay Nomads 18
3 New Zealand Greg Draper The New Saints 14
4 Wales Will Evans Bala Town 13
England Ollie Hulbert Cardiff Met
Wales Eliot Evans

Monthly awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
October Wales Scott Ruscoe The New Saints England Chris Venables Bala Town
November Wales Scott Ruscoe The New Saints Wales Will Evans Bala Town
December Scotland Andy Morrison Connah's Quay Wales Lewis Harling Penybont
March Scotland Andy Morrison Connah's Quay England George Horan Connah's Quay
April Scotland Andy Morrison Connah's Quay England Michael Wilde Connah's Quay

Annual awards

Award Winner Club
Manager of the Season Scotland Andy Morrison[9] Connah's Quay Nomads
Player of the Season England Michael Wilde[10] Connah's Quay Nomads
Young Player of the Season Wales Mael Davies[11] Penybont
Goal of the Season England Sameron Dool[12] Connah's Quay Nomads
Save of the Season Wales Connor Roberts[13] Aberystwyth Town
Team of the Season[14]
Goalkeeper England Oliver Byrne (Connah's Quay Nomads)
Defenders England John Disney (Connah's Quay Nomads) England Ryan Astles (The New Saints) England George Horan (Connah's Quay Nomads) Wales Kane Owen (Penybont)
Midfielders England Callum Morris (Connah's Quay Nomads) England Ryan Brobbel (The New Saints) Poland Adrian Cieślewicz (The New Saints) Wales Danny Davies (Connah's Quay Nomads)
Forwards England Chris Venables (Bala Town) England Michael Wilde (Connah's Quay Nomads)

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ "FAW / Start date for JD Cymru Premier". www.faw.cymru. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  3. ↑ Jones, Jordan (16 June 2020). "Airbus UK and Carmarthen relegated, Flint and Haverfordwest up". Clwb Pel Droed.
  4. ↑ "Flint Town United return to top tier of Welsh football for first time since 1998". Deeside.com. 16 June 2020.
  5. ↑ Jones, Jordan (2019-05-16). "Penybont recruit four new players for upcoming Welsh Premier League season". YClwb Pêl-Droed. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  6. ↑ "Macron Announced as Official Ball Supplier :: Cymru Football". www.cymrufootball.wales. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "S4C Announce Opening Live Fixtures :: Cymru Football". www.cymrufootball.wales. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Top Scorers - Welsh Premier League - Football". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  9. ↑ "Connah's Quay Nomads: Andy Morrison and Michael Wilde win Cymru Premier awards". BBC. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Connah's Quay Nomads: Andy Morrison and Michael Wilde win Cymru Premier awards". BBC. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "Foden wins Hublot Young Player of the Season award". Premier League. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "Gôl y Tymor 2020/21 Goal of the Season". Sgorio. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "Connor Roberts | Arbediad y Tymor 2020/21 Save of the Season". Sgorio. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "JD Cymru Premier 2020/21 Team of the Season". Cymru Leagues. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
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