League fixtures suspended over Rhyl Ladies football row

Fixtures in a women's football league have been suspended by the Football Association for Wales following a dispute over the inclusion of a team from Rhyl, Denbighshire.

Rhyl Ladies FC wants to enter a development side into the North Wales Women's Football League (NWWFL).

But the league objects on the grounds that the club already has a team in the Welsh Women's Premier League.

It says if that team was demoted, both teams could end up in the same league.

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Following a series of appeals, the club won its case for the development side to be included last year, but so far the NWWFL has not admitted it to the fixtures list.

Now the FAW has suspended fixtures for all 12 teams in the league until the row is resolved.

An FAW spokesman confirmed: "All fixtures in the North Wales Women's League are off until the league adheres to the rules and regulations of the Football Association of Wales.

"The FAW and North Wales Coast Football Association support Rhyl, who have won appeals and are eligible to begin their fixtures with immediate effect.

"There will be no league fixtures until this situation is resolved."

Tom Jamieson, manager of Rhyl Ladies, said his players were frustrated and just want to play in a league.

"I am disappointed it has come to this, "he said.

"The girls are angry and disappointed but they have stuck together. They are still keen - we had 16 turn up to training last night."

Mr Jamieson said he hoped a meeting could be held soon between all the parties to reach a solution.

Bill Darwin, chairman of NWWFL, said its concerns centre around the proper place for reserve teams to play.

"It's the wrong structure, "he said.

"The Rhyl Ladies team is third from bottom in the Premier League. What do we do if they come down?

"We asked the North Wales Coast FA this and they said throw them out! We don't want to do that.

"It's about a reserve team playing in the wrong place. Once you have let one reserve team in it soon becomes a reserve team league."

Mr Darwin added they would like to find a way of moving forward, saying a development league for the whole of Wales could be one solution.