Llanelli Town and Caernarfon Town. are back in the top flight. They have earned promotion to the JD Welsh Premier League for 2018-19. Terry Phillips took an in-depth look at the Canaries earlier this week and today focuses on the Reds.
Andy Hill and his Reds team have delivered the dream for Llanelli Town AFC.
The boys from Stebonheath Park are back in the JD Welsh Premier League after a remarkable run over the last four years.
Manager Hill, a centre-forward who spent a decade playing for Neath and scored the goals which clinched European qualification, says: “Winning the Welsh League was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a manager.
“That has always been my number one target and to achieve that now sounds amazing.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone involved in the club, the club is buzzing and there is loads of energy and drive and the club can’t wait for the next chapter.”
Llanelli have followed the lead from Barry Town United, Merthyr Town, Caernarfon Town and more in Wales. They are all clubs who have faced financial meltdown, stabilised the situation and are now making progress again.
Barry, Caernarfon and Llanelli will be rivals at Welsh Premier level next season.
Chairman David Craddock, who steps down this summer, has played a huge part in helping Llanelli back to the top flight.
Only five years ago Llanelli were preparing to play Carmarthen League football after the old club went into liquidation, but they were eventually placed in Welsh League Division Three and, crucially, Craddock took charge of the club.
He has been at the helm for five years, which is exactly how long he said he would stay in post, and Llanelli have risen from Nathaniel Car Sales Welsh League Division Three to the JD Welsh Premier.
They have won three titles along the way and completed a trophy double in 2016-17 when they were crowned Division Two champions and won the League Cup.
The Reds are aiming for another double this season, having already won Division One. Manager Hill and his team play Trefelin BGC FC in the League Cup final at Garden Village on Friday evening.
Craddock, nicknamed ‘DC’, and Hill have developed a strong community-based philosophy, encouraging locally born players to stay close. Llanelli’s youth Academy is crucial to the club’s future.
“It is highly satisfactory having been crowned champions,” says Craddock, who has led an astonishing recovery.
“We set our stall out to play in the Carmarthenshire League five years ago. Due to maybe luck or determination by us all and Barry Town’s lawsuit against the FAW, we found ourselves in Welsh League Division Three. The rest is history.”
Craddock used his own finances and time to help the football club grow and embrace the community.
They go into Welsh Premier League football in the black – there are no long-term outstanding debts.
“We need potential investors to come forward,” says Craddock. “After five years I am stepping down as chairman. We need to fill that role and bring in new directors.”
Llanelli and Caernarfon, who are Huws Gray Alliance champions in North Wales, have both earned promotion to the Welsh Premier.
They replace relegated duo Prestatyn Town and Bangor City, who finished runners-up in the top flight, but were refused a tier one licence and will play Alliance football in 2018-19.