| Pesda aim to put spanner in the works |
| Tuesday 18 May 2010 |
 BETHESDA Athletic are leading a revolt of Cymru Alliance clubs aimed at scuppering the FAW's plans for a 12-club Welsh Premier league next season. The north Wales outfit, who face relegation back into the Welsh Alliance despite finishing ninth in their first Cymru Alliance season, have already canvassed the majority of their fellow clubs. They intend to organise a vote at the league's AGM in June against accepting the six Premier clubs due to be relegated into the Cymru Alliance - Caersws, Cefn Druids, Connah's Quay, Porthmadog, Rhyl and Welshpool. Athletic manager Chris O'Neal, who has masterminded the club's rise into the second tier of Welsh football, claims that the majority of Cymru Alliance clubs support Bethesda's move. "We will first call a meeting of clubs to discuss our strategy and then hope to meet with the league's management committee," he told welsh-premier.com. "There is already majority support from the clubs we have contacted and our aim would be to collectively finance legal representation to block the relegation of the six clubs into our league. "Furthermore, we will hold the league accountable under Rule 8, which states that only the bottom three teams with the least number of points may be relegated from the league. "The rule has never been changed to take account of the new circumstances since the FAW decided to reduce the size of the Welsh Premier." With the Alliance also due to be shrunk in size to 16 clubs, existing members Holyhead, Bethesda, Denbigh, Llangollen, Berriew, Mold, Lex, Llanfairpwll, Caernarfon and Gresford all face the chop. Rhayader Town, Rhos Aelwyd and Rhydymwyn are due to be promoted into the league. |