Football: Welsh Alliance down to 17 clubs for next season

Jun 24 2009

THE Welsh Alliance will run with 17 clubs again next season, although the management committee had made provision to increase the strength to 18.

Sunday’s annual general meeting of delegates at Pwllheli confirmed the comings and goings that involved four clubs.

Leaving were last season’s champions, Bethesda Athletic, on their promotion to the Cymru Alliance and former champions Rhyl Reserves, who had declared their intention to resign weeks before.

Confirmed as replacements were Llandyrnog United, stepping down from the Cymru Alliance, and Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs, as the Gwynedd League’s title winners, with no nominees from the Clwyd League.

Last season’s Welsh Alliance’s bottom pair, Amlwch Town and Nantlle Vale, were spared the drop.

At the awards’ presentation stage, the main trophies went to title kings Bethesda, whose Chris O’Neal was hailed as the league’s top manager and shooting star Richard Owen as the top scorer, with 47 goals.

Other awards: player-of- the-season (joint) Matthew Hughes, Nantlle Vale, and Ben Jones, Amlwch Town; best secretary Steve Roberts, Holywell Town; best match programme Llandudno Junction; best referee Ian Roberts, Llanfairpwll; best assistant referee Chris Dogan, Bangor; fair play award Llanberis, for going through the season without any dismissals at all.