This article reflects my personal views and experiences as a director and media officer at Holywell Town. It is intended as a constructive contribution to the conversation around the new Cymru Premier.
The expanded Novira Cymru Premier has brought 16 teams together in Wales’s top tier, creating a league with more visibility, more big occasions and more attention than ever before.
Friday night football is now a major part of the fixture list, every game is available to watch live, and new developments including VAR Lite are helping move the domestic game forward.
But what has it been like coming from Tier 2 into the top level of Welsh football? This is a personal view of the early months and the challenges, as well as the opportunities, that come with them.
Holywell Town
I should say from the outset that I am a director and media officer at Holywell Town. We finished third in the Cymru North last season and earned our place in the new league format, two years after missing out on promotion through licensing despite winning the league.
Stepping up to Tier 1
Moving into Tier 1 has been a huge undertaking, particularly given the timescales involved and the need to get so much right so quickly.
The demands on volunteers are greater than ever as clubs adapt to the standards of the top tier and operate in a more professional environment. Every match is an opportunity to generate income, bring people through the gates and build the club, while also needing careful planning to make sure costs are managed properly.
Matchdays are much busier. There are more processes to follow, more people to accommodate and more responsibility on those working behind the scenes. The standards are rightly high, and clubs must be mindful that failures to meet competition requirements can carry financial consequences.
There is also a change in mindset. We have gone from being one of the leading teams in the second tier to a side whose first aim is to establish itself and stay in the league. That takes patience and a recognition that progress will look different at this level.
What has been positive
There is something genuinely exciting about being part of a bigger Cymru Premier. The league has more visibility, more scrutiny and a greater sense that Welsh football is trying to move forward.
For Holywell, it has already brought big occasions to Halkyn Road. We had 1,001 supporters for the game against Connah’s Quay and 610 against Caernarfon. Both are encouraging figures and show there is real interest in seeing the club compete at this level.
Personally, I had expected a little more for the Caernarfon game, particularly given the occasion and the travelling support they can bring. But 610 is still a strong crowd, and it is important to recognise that.
The next challenge is maintaining that interest when the nights get colder and wetter. Early season excitement and better weather can help crowds, but building a regular audience throughout autumn and winter is what really matters.
We want to create a club the town can be proud of and feel part of. Not simply a team people watch every other week, but a proper pillar of the community that people want to support, contribute to and call their own.
Friday night games
Friday night football can create a brilliant occasion, especially at home. It gives clubs the chance to build an atmosphere and make a real event of the fixture.
There are practical considerations when long distance travel is involved. So far, we have travelled to South Wales twice, including one Friday night fixture. Our trip to Cambrian saw us leave at midday and arrive back at Halkyn Road at around 2.30am.
Despite the journey, the game had a decent atmosphere, with more than 550 people in attendance. Around 15 Holywell supporters either made their own way there or travelled on the coach.
We have coaches planned for every away game, which means supporters have the option to travel with us if they want to. However, early departures can mean taking time off work, just as players and staff have to, and that will not always be possible.
Many people had suggested North versus North and South versus South fixtures for Friday nights, which could reduce some of the longest journeys for supporters, players and staff. The decision was made to mix the regions instead, with the aim of creating a more varied fixture programme.
This remains a subject of discussion among clubs and supporters. In my view, the key is finding the right balance between creating big Friday night occasions and recognising the practical reality of people travelling across the country after work, or taking annual leave to support their team.
There is also an important player welfare consideration that the league should continue to keep under review. Players who drive themselves can face several hours on the road before a game, then the same again after playing 90 minutes. Reducing unnecessary travel time around matches, where possible, would be a positive step.
One idea worth considering in the future would be a league travel partner. A partnership with a coach company, hotel chain or similar business could help subsidise travel and make overnight stays more realistic when clubs face the longest journeys.
That could benefit players, staff and supporters, while also giving a commercial partner regular visibility across the league. It is the kind of practical support that could help make the national nature of the Cymru Premier more sustainable for everyone involved.
TV coverage
The live coverage is one of the most significant steps forward for the league. Every game being available to watch gives the Cymru Premier greater exposure and makes it easier for supporters who cannot travel to follow their club.
At the time of writing, the streaming platform provides a straightforward one camera broadcast, without official commentary or replays. There is an opportunity for clubs to provide commentary, although that comes at a cost and relies on finding someone reliable to take it on. Some clubs have done that very well, with Caernarfon a good example.
Like many clubs, we have opened the clubhouse for away matches to give supporters somewhere to watch together and create a shared match experience. So far, that has worked well. Fans can also watch from home, and it will be interesting to see viewing figures as the season develops.
There is still scope for the streaming experience to grow. Commentary and replays would add a lot for viewers, particularly those paying to watch and trying to follow key moments from a distance. It is the first year of the system, and there is a good foundation to build on.
VAR
VAR Lite is another major development and shows a willingness to bring the league closer to the modern game.
Personally, I am not a massive fan of VAR. At this stage, I see it as a negative because it can interrupt the flow of games and, for supporters in the ground, it is not always clear what is being checked or why.
That said, I recognise that the system is new and will improve with time. The aim of getting important decisions right is understandable, and clearer communication around checks and decisions would help supporters stay connected to the game.
It is still bedding in, and the experience will naturally vary between venues while the system develops. Better visible information for supporters would improve the experience further, particularly when there is no clear indication of what is being reviewed.
Looking ahead
It is easy to focus on the things that are difficult when results are not going your way, but that is not what this is intended to be.
The league had to change. Welsh football cannot stand still, and the ambition behind a bigger, more visible Cymru Premier is one I support. I do not agree with every decision or every detail, but I am putting real effort into getting behind it because I want it to work for Holywell Town and for the wider game in Wales.
One particularly positive step has been the creation of working groups. General managers and other key club contacts have a WhatsApp group where people can ask questions, share advice and help each other deal with the day to day realities of the league.
The same applies to the media officer group. It gives clubs a direct way to raise practical issues, share ideas and solve problems together. Having people at other clubs who understand exactly what you are dealing with is genuinely valuable.
The people I have dealt with at the FAW have always listened, and I have grown to highly respect a number of them. There is clearly a lot of work happening behind the scenes.
At the same time, I believe there is an opportunity for stronger and more regular communication between clubs and the governing body. Clubs, particularly those adapting to Tier 1 for the first time, are dealing with these changes every week. Regular opportunities to share experiences, raise practical questions and feed back on what is working would be valuable.
That is not about revisiting every decision. It is about making sure the people delivering the league week in, week out have a clear route to contribute as it develops.
If that dialogue continues to grow, the Cymru Premier has a real opportunity to become something the whole Welsh football community can be proud of.