Pyramid concerns for regional game

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has proposed a new streamlined structure of six affiliated leagues, reduced from the current 11, from 2020-21.

It could mean the end of the Spar Mid Wales League in its current form with the senior level in Central Wales football likely to lose its third tier status.

The proposed radical shake-up of the Welsh pyramid will mean all third tier divisions across Wales will be affected while fourth tiers will lose their affiliated league status.

The new pyramid would continue to have the Welsh Premier at its head with the proposals confirming the league will continue with its 12 club format which has long divided supporters.

At level two the current Huws Gray Alliance and southern equivalent, the McWhirter Welsh League One, would be re-branded to the FAW Championship North and Mid and FAW Championship South and Mid with both operating with 16 clubs.

It is at level three the proposals would truly be felt with the FAW creating four regionalised leagues of 16 clubs to feed two the championship leagues at level two.

Should the new proposals be accepted it would mean just 108 affiliated clubs in Wales competing in seven leagues over three tiers.

While the FAW proposals have not specified the geographical split of the four regional third tiers it has been confirmed two would feed both the northern championship and southern championship.

This would represent a concern to Central Wales clubs who face being absorbed into northern or southern regional leagues while a majority face losing their affiliated league status altogether.

Clubs would also lose access to FAW Trust Welsh Ground Improvement (WGI) funding under its current regulations which only allocates its funding to affiliated league clubs with such grant aid unavailable at recreation level.

Spar Mid Wales League clubs have been called to ensure themselves represented at a specially convened meeting at Llanidloes Golf Club on Monday, November 27.