Football
THE format for the new Welsh Premier League Super 12s has finally been decided and welcomed by Prestatyn Town.
At the league's annual meeting in Llandudno, Prestatyn and the 11 other competing clubs voted in favour of a new 32 game season that will see the league split in the closing stages.
In a model based on the system used by the Dutch Eredivisie league and similar to the Scottish Premier League’s format, all the sides will meet twice in the first 22 games of the campaign. The league will then divide into the top six and bottom six, with the sides meeting the others in their section twice more before a play-off will decide the final Europa League spot.
A previous idea for the clubs to all meet four times had been fiercely opposed by Prestatyn chairman Tony Thackeray, who believes the new number of games will work far better.
He said: “I think this system will work well. In the first year we will have to see how it goes but I believe it will be good.
“Our players are not full-time and it would have been asking too much for them to play 44 games."
The proposed revival of the FAW Premier Cup has been put on hold after Cardiff City reportedly opted not to participate, while changes have been made for the Loosemores League Cup. A straight knockout format is being created on a two-legged basis upto the final.
In other news, popular forward Jon Fisher-Cooke has joined the lengthy list of players to commit his future to the Seasiders for the next campaign despite rumours linking him with a move to neighbours Rhyl.
Prestatyn return to action on July 7 with a pre-season friendly trip to Rhydymwyn (kick off 7pm).