Flint Town United and Haverfordwest County set for Cymru Premier return

Flint will renew a rivalry with Connah's Quay, the newly crowned Cymru Premier champions.

The Cymru Premier returns for a new season on Saturday, after the 2019-20 campaign was halted prematurely in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Connah's Quay Nomads begin the season as champions while two of the league's founder members return following promotion.

Both Flint Town United and Haverfordwest County finished second in the second tier Cymru North and Cymru South respectively.

But with the champions of both divisions - Prestatyn in the North and Swansea University in the South - not meeting FAW Licensing criteria, Flint and Haverfordwest were promoted instead.

Flint host Newtown on the opening day, but Haverfordwest's opener was delayed after scheduled visitors Cefn Druids were guilty of a Covid-19 protocol breach, leading to a postponement.

Flint building for the future

Connah's Quay Nomads were not the only Flintshire club to have cause to celebrate over the summer, as football slowly emerged from the post Covid-19 lockdown.

While Nomads were confirmed as Cymru Premier champions for the first time, neighbours Flint Town United were promoted to Welsh football's top-flight.

The Silkmen are back in the Cymru Premier after a 22-year absence.

"It's been a long time and a long process for the fans and the people of the football club," manager Niall McGuinness said.

"But finally we've managed to achieve it and everyone's looking forward to it.

"It's going to be really competitive. In terms of managers there are some good tacticians, so from a personal point of view there will be some battles in that aspect I'm looking forward to.

"And just the level of quality - it's a step above, hence the reason why we've brought in some key signings in the summer so we can cope with that.

"We're confident as a group. Hopefully we can build something for the future and the first step is to sustain ourselves within the league."

McGuinness has no issue about being promoted despite finishing second to Prestatyn, who led the Cymru North throughout the season until it prematurely came to a halt in March.

"Any manager will say you want to win the league," McGuinness said.

"But in most given leagues if you finish second or in the top three, most teams should be guaranteed a play-off.

"We've finished runners-up two years consistently and we're a club that's done it as a building process and haven't just thrown everything at it like other clubs.

"We've made sure we've got things in place and the rewards have paid off."

Although only 29, this will not be McGuinness' first taste of management in the Cymru Premier.

He was 24 when he was appointed manager of hometown club Rhyl in 2016 and says the experience will hold him in good stead during the forthcoming season.

"It was a massive challenge when I took it but I didn't want to shy away from it and I don't think an ambitious manager would," he said of his time at the Belle Vue.

"There was a fine line between consistency levels we didn't quite get right but it was a good experience.

"But there's no two ways about it that the squad I'm working with this time around is head and shoulders above the squad I was working with last time around."

Experienced defender Wes Baynes from Aberystwyth Town and former Caernarfon Town and Wales Under-21 player Nathan Craig are among Flint's summer recruits.

Promotion for Flint also ensures they renew an old rivalry with neighbours and newly crowned champions Connah's Quay Nomads.

"For the local community of Flintshire it will be great, it's a big derby for them," McGuinness said.

Haverfordwest's Bridge Meadow will host Cefn Druids on the opening dy of the new season.

County aim to consolidate

Haverfordwest County's highest ever finish in the Cymru Premier was third spot in 2004, which secured a place in Europe.

But after a four year absence, manager Wayne Jones would be happy to finish this season in 10th place - avoiding relegation.

"It's going to be a challenge, it's going to be difficult," Jones told BBC Sport Wales.

"But it's one we are just going to go and enjoy and try and establish ourselves and consolidate.

"Consolidation to stay in the league is our main priority. If we can finish 10th this season we've done our work.

"It's a case of us staying there now and building over the course of the next few years to re-establish ourselves as one of the main teams of the national league.

"We have a new chairman, new investors and there are plans in place."

County - like fellow promoted side Flint - were among the founder members of the League of Wales in 1992, where they remained until relegation in 2011.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Gajda is among Haverfordwest's new signings

Under former player Jones they secured a return to the top-flight in 2015 but only survived for one season.

Jones has added to his squad over the summer, including re-signing Danny Williams on an initial six month loan from Cardiff City.

"Danny will be influential for us, he's a very talented boy," said Jones, who was reappointed manager in 2018 after a spell as assistant boss at Aberystwyth Town.

"He was hampered a bit by injuries last year and the opportunity came for us to get him on loan.

"He was happy to come back and Cardiff were more than happy for us to provide him with games and he can reboot his career with them then.

"We've brought Kieran Lewis in from Merthyr Town, who's had good Welsh Premier League experience with Carmarthen.

"Corey Shephard and Cameron Keetch are what I would class as the better players from the Cymru South along with goalkeeper Wojciech Gajda, who we've signed from Poland.

"We tried to recruit down the spine of the team along with some very decent players we had from last season.

"We're a fairly young, enthusiastic side and hopefully some of these will hit the ground running and will catch the eye in the Cymru Premier."