A GROUP of cross-party Senedd members have teamed up to condemn the restructuring of the Welsh Premier Women’s League, meaning three teams have been relegated - despite not finishing the season in relegation position.

The Football Association of Wales announced a restructure of women's football last week, reducing the number of teams in the top division from nine to eight, with an open application held to choose them.

As a result, three teams – Abergavenny Women FC, Cascade Ladies YC and Briton Ferry Llansawel Ladies FC - have been relegated to the second division - despite none of them finishing last season in a relegation position.

Meanwhile, Aberystwyth Town – which did finish in the relegation spot – will remain in the top tier, and will be joined by Barry Town United, which did not finish in the promotion spot, and The New Saints who were previously disbanded and are now looking for players.

Now Conservative South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones and Plaid Cymru's Delyth Jewell, who also represents the region, along with Labour's Caerphilly MS Hefin David, have teamed up to call on the Welsh Government's deputy minister for arts and sport, Dawn Bowden, to provide a statement on the issue.

They pointed to the fact that the Welsh Government provides public funding to grassroots sport in Wales and that Sport Wales also supports the development of football. They said that as a result, the Welsh Government was duty bound to hold the FAW to account on their restructuring decision, which lacked transparency.

We previously reported the frustration of Abergavenny Women FC following the decision - and their dismay at the lack of transparency from the FAW with the scoring matrix for the decision being refused for release.

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Caerphilly’s Cascade Ladies YC were also frustrated at the decision to relegate them.

Mr David said: “I’ve met with Cascade Ladies YC at their state-of-the-art pitch and it is very difficult to understand why they have been so unfairly relegated. I will continue to challenge the FA Wales on this and will work with my colleagues in other parties.”

Responding for the Welsh Government, Lesley Griffiths said she would “commit the deputy minister to make a statement” once she had received a full briefing from officials and added “you only have to look on social media to see how much upset and distress this (reorganisation) has caused.”

The three MSs have added their names to a joint cross-party statement, which has also been signed by Monmouth's Conservative MS Peter Fox and Plaid Cymru member for South Wales East Peredur Owen Griffiths, as well as Labour's Aberavon MS David Rees, Plaid MSs for South Wales West Sioned Williams and Luke Fletcher (both Plaid Cymru MSs for South Wales West), Tory South Wales West MS Tom Giffard, and Lib Dem Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds.

It said: “We support women’s club football in Wales and the Wales women’s national football team, as important elements of the Welsh sporting identity. We recognise the role that football clubs play in their respective local communities, from grassroots level upward.

“We are deeply concerned with the way in which the Football Association of Wales made and subsequently communicated its recent decision to restructure the Welsh Premier Women’s League for the 2021-22 season.

“We believe that any such decisions should be based on sporting merit and made in a fair, open and transparent way with the reasoning made clear to clubs at the earliest opportunity. As such, we call on the FAW to ensure full transparency and to reverse their decision with regards to teams relegated from the WPWL.”

In a comment issued last week, the FAW's head of women’s football Lowri Roberts, said: “It’s been inspiring to see the level of work clubs have put into their application. We’ve seen a real shift in mindset from the clubs in how they are developing elite environments for players and how they are building for a sustainable future.

“Through implementing an open application process for entry into the new leagues, a club’s place was not solely down to sporting merit but also robust club structures. It has made clubs review their entire structure, playing pathways and the provision they provide players. As a result, all clubs will be collectively striving to continuously improve standards in a competitive environment.”

And Andrew Howard, FAW head of competitions, added: “Throughout this process we have seen clubs securing significant investment into their women’s programmes and strong commitments in terms of resources being made available within the clubs, from appointing full time staff to long term partnership agreements.

"Clubs should be very proud of what they have achieved off the field over the last year and we look forward to this exciting new chapter for women’s domestic football in Wales.”

Here is the list of teams in the new structure:

Tier 1

  • Aberystwyth Town
  • Barry Town United
  • Cardiff City
  • Cardiff Met University
  • Pontypridd Town
  • Port Talbot Town
  • Swansea City
  • The New Saints

Tier 2 North

  • Airbus UK Broughton
  • Bethel
  • Connah’s Quay Nomads
  • Denbigh Town
  • Llandudno
  • Llanfair United
  • Pwllheli
  • Wrexham

Tier 2 South

  • Abergavenny
  • Briton Ferry Llansawel
  • Caldicot Town
  • Cardiff Bluebelles
  • Cascade YC
  • Merthyr Town
  • Talycopa
  • Swansea University