FAW announces the end of Welsh football season

After last week announcing there would be at least no football until June 12th, the FAW yesterday released a statement saying all leagues at semi professional and amateur level would be curtailed with immediate effect.

But whilst decisions on officially crowning champions, and potential promotions and relegations, will be made ‘in due course’ - league winners in our county have been provisionally sorted out.

It’s Hakin United who have regained the Division 1 title having taken 36 points from their 13 games, at an average of 2.76 per match. Previous winners Monkton Swifts were second on 2.61, with Goodwick United third on 2.45.

At the other end, it’s rock bottom Saundersfoot Sport (0.06) and St Clears (0.25) who wait to see if they are relegated.

“I didn’t think about winning it this way,” admitted Hakin boss Scott Davies, after what has been his inaugural season as first team coach.

“But I don’t think anyone will argue that we didn’t deserve it."

Davies did concede the news caught him off guard.

"We as coaches and players were all of the opinion that this season should have been finished when safe, no matter when that was and we always agreed safety was paramount. We, like the other clubs weren’t expecting that decision last night.

"But nonetheless are delighted to be awarded champions as I’m sure any other club in our position would be. We have worked hard for seven months so it is nice to get a reward for the effort all players, coaches and committee members have put in.

"I do genuinely feel for other clubs who haven’t been so lucky with the outcome of last night but we look forward to seeing everyone again and getting back playing safely."

In Division 2, St Ishmaels (2.2) finish top and Hundleton (2.07) join them in waiting to see if they are upgraded to the top flight. Lawrenny (0.72) and Johnston (0.8) are the sides who may be heading in the other direction.

In Division 3 it’s a simple task to declare Monkton Swifts 2nds (3) winners having taken a maximum 48 points from 16 games. Milford Athletic (2.12) maintain second place but the biggest benefactors of this development are Pendine (2), who had only played six league games and jump from 10th from third.

Letterston (who were on minus 2 points) and Pembroke Boro (0.55) make up the bottom two.

In Division 4, Broad Haven 2nds (2.71) take the title by a whisker from Tenby (2.64). After 14 games each, just a solitary point had separated the two teams at the top. St Clears 2nds (0.68) and Solva 2nds (0.70) wait on relegation.

And in Division 5, Carew 3rds (2) narrowly take the title from Hundleton 2nds (1.86). The pair were on the same number of points but The Rooks had played a game less and were ahead on goal difference – meaning in all five divisions it is the current leaders set to be awarded the title.

Cup competitions curtailed:

Telegraph Sport understands that the cup competitions will not be played to completion. Goodwick United had reached the West Wales Cup semi final and were also in the Senior Cup final – awaiting the winners of Monkton Swifts and Carew. Other divisional cups had also reached the last four stage.

Bluebirds beaten to the title but now wait on promotion:

This development may prove a harsh one for Haverfordwest County. When football was halted, Wayne Jones’ side were set for a thrilling climax to their JD Cymru South title battle – trailing Swansea University by a point with both having five games to play.

That point has now proved defining, with the students (2.24) pipping the Bluebirds (2.20) to the league crown.

There is still hope however, that the club could be playing Cymru Premier Football next season given they have the required licence to go up – while Swansea University don’t.

Jones was dignified when speaking to Telegraph Sport last night: “We’re awaiting a decision on promotion.

“But congratulations to Swansea University who lift the title and deserve to at this point given they are top of the tree. Unfortunately, due to obvious reasons, we couldn’t finish the season off, but that’s understandable.

“We must await our fate on promotion but we’re ready whatever it may be.”

Telegraph Sport comment:

There was no perfect ending to this.

Had the season been null and voided, then those on the brink of titles would have felt short changed. And trying to finish this campaign when safe to do so would almost certainly have been at the expense of the next one.

As it happens, there will now be teams left aggrieved given there was still plenty of points to play for. And that goes for all leagues, not just Pembrokeshire or the JD Cymru South.

But why we’ve had to play this waiting game is anybody’s guess. Many will instinctively point the figure at the Pembrokeshire Football League but that’s futile - they are at the mercy of the FAW over this and the dithering has been has senseless as it has frustrating.

Players have had to deal with a series of unrealistic dates for a potential restart and now at the end of May, have been told what has been blindingly obvious all along. That re-starting anytime soon is not feasible.

But even now some teams are none the wiser on where they’ll be next season. The hold-up may be to do with licence applications and appeals from Welsh League clubs - but having had the time to formulate a concrete conclusion to all this, drip feeding out decisions just continues the ambiguity.

It’s not been an easy situation to deal with, but the way the FAW have handled it has been less than flawless.

Onto the next....

In an ideal world, we are all ready to go again late August and Pembrokeshire League Secretary Brian Hawkins has said officers will be preparing accordingly.

But we are not in an ideal world right now.

Developments in the next two months will be critical and the possibility of the 2020/21 season being severely disrupted cannot yet be ruled out. All eyes will be on the Premier League next month but even if that return to action proves successful, the complex quarantine and testing system being applied will be light years above what grassroots football will have at its disposal.

The beautiful game will be back. Just when exactly that is at local level though, is almost impossible to foresee right now.