Welsh Cup: New Saints boss Craig Harrison critical of 'comical' final choice
- Published
Craig Harrison at Nantporth in 2018 when he was announced as Bangor City boss
New Saints manager Craig Harrison has criticised the decision to stage this year's Welsh Cup final at Bangor's Nantporth.
Saints, newly crowned Cymru Premier champions for a 15th time, will face Bala Town in the final on 30 April.
The Oswestry-based club won the Welsh Cup in 2022 with victory over Penybont at Cardiff City Stadium.
"It's comical really, really is comical," Harrison told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
Last year's final at Cardiff City attracted a crowd of just over 2,400 - the highest attendance since the 1996 final.
Nantporth has hosted the Welsh Cup final on two previous occasions.
It staged its first Welsh Cup final only a few months after opening in 2012, with New Saints beating Cefn Druids 2-0.
It last hosted the final in 2017 when Bala Town won the Cup for the first time with a 2-1 victory over Saints, the last game of Harrison's first spell at the club before he joined Hartlepool.
Following a period without tenants after the demise of Bangor City in 2021, Nantporth has this season hosted Bangor 1876 Women's team home games as well as Cymru North outfit Llandudno.
"They set the standard last year with Cardiff City and that's not just because we are in the final," added Harrison.
"It's hard to get to a cup final so they should be rewarded by playing it in a fantastic stadium like Cardiff City.
"So for me it is a bit of a joke to go backwards to Nantporth, where maybe seven/eight years ago it was in good condition.
"But we all know what's happened - we've got second tier playing there, girls playing there, ladies playing there, a bus company playing there.
"It's pretty comical in my eyes. but it is what it is. It gives us something to concentrate on now we have won the league with five games to go
"Everyone is going to be working hard to try and get in the team for the cup final."
Saints retained the Cymru Premier with a 0-0 draw at Connah's Quay and will complete the domestic double for the seventh time if they beat Bala in the Welsh Cup final.