WITH the new football season only a matter of weeks away, sports reporter Dean Jones gives his predictions for the major leagues throughout the region.

JD Welsh Premier League

Champions: The New Saints of Oswestry Town

With nearest challengers Bangor City demoted to the Huws Gray Alliance, TNS’ monopoly of the top flight is going to continue for the foreseeable future.

Scott Ruscoe has continued the tradition of Craig Harrison and after some early jitters last term, they recovered well and once again emerged as comfortable winners of the title.

Until a side challenges their full-time status by becoming professional themselves, then this is a trend that will continue long into the future.

Runners-up: Bala Town

The Lakesiders managed to secure European qualification last season and manager Colin Caton has made some significant improvements to improve the club’s fortunes this time around.

The acquisition of former Football League striker Andy Mangan is set to boost a strong-looking squad, and although they may not get close to reaching the summit, second place is a realistic ambition for the club and one they have a good chance of attaining.

Team to watch: Caernarfon Town

All eyes will be on the Canaries as they make a welcome return to the WPL, and manager Sean Eardley has kept faith with the majority of the squad that secured promotion last season.

New faces Ben Maher, Ross Stephens, Cai Jones and Sion Bradley have all signed on at The Oval, where they will join a talented line-up that boats plenty of players more than capable of plying their trade at the top of the Welsh pyramid.

There will be some teething problems, which tends to be the case with newly promoted side, but there is a growing confidence within the club that they are going to be more than a match for other top-flight sides, and their loyal fan base will be a huge boost to dwindling attendances throughout the league.

Huws Gray Alliance

Champions: Rhyl

The Lilywhites have made wholesale changes to their playing and backroom staff throughout an unprecedented summer of transfer activity, and this could bring with it a championship and a return back to the WPL.

Bangor City will rightly be the favourites after significant investment, but most of the Lilies squad has played together before and this togetherness has the chance to be the telling factor in what is expected to be another hugely competitive second tier campaign.

In Rory Crowther they have the best shot stopper in the league, with the likes of Kristian Pierce, James Murphy, Reece Fairhurst and Mike Pritchard also looking to become fan favourites with the devoted Lilywhites faithful.

Runners-up: Bangor City

Citizens’ boss Craig Harrison has made some eye-catching signings throughout the pre-season, and they are going to be right in the thick of things throughout the campaign given the amount of quality littered within their squad.

Most of the squad that finished second in the WPL have moved on following relegation, but in Les Davies and Marc Williams they have arguably the most formidable front-line in the league that promises to strike fear into opposing defences across the region.

They will have a big bullseye on their back given the investment made and their reputation within the domestic game, and if they cope with the pressure and adjust to the rigours of the HGA then they won’t be far away.

Team to watch: Flint Town United

The Huws Gray Cup winners have made some impressive acquisitions that are sure to improve on what was a disappointing season by the Silkmen’s standards last term.

Manager Niall McGuinness has lofty ambitions in what is his first full campaign at the helm, and with the likes of Jack Lewis, Tom Kemp, Sam Hart, Mike Williams and Jack Higgins they have a solid foundation from which to build and have a successful season.

Welsh Alliance Division One

Champions: Llangefni Town

Chris Roberts’ side have been knocking on the door over the last two seasons before finding one club too good, so the onus will be on them to prove that they can deal with the run-in sufficiently this time around and go one-step further.

The signing of prolific forward Alan Mark Owen joins a powerful squad that has plenty of experience of succeeding at this level, and with Conwy Borough now gone to the HGA it leaves them with a huge opportunity they must grasp with both hands if the club is to progress going forward.

Runners-up: Llandudno Albion

New Albion boss Darren Jones is keen to continue the incredible strides made by the club in recent seasons, and having kept the majority of the squad around another fine season looks likely that could put them in the hunt for some silverware.

Lee Ellis’ arrival from Llandudno Junction is sure to provide an injection of goals, with Peter Jones another new signing who has plenty of experience of playing at a higher level and he is another to keep an eye on.

Team to watch: Prestatyn Sports

Mark Hughes and John Hargreaves’ men have enjoyed a meteoric rise through the Welsh pyramid to get them to the third tier for the first time in their history, but this will be the biggest challenge they have faced since their inception.

Their home form is going to be crucial to any success that comes their way, and striker Ian Griffiths will be relied on heavily to provide the necessary firepower needed to establish themselves within the division.

Welsh Alliance Division Two:

Champions: Glan Conwy

Perhaps Glan were victims of having no real postponement problems last season as they fell short of their promotion target, but with Prestatyn Sports and Bodedern Athletic no longer a part of the league it has opened up nicely for them to make a real go of things this time around.

The acquisition of Jordan Phillips from Mochdre Sports is a massive shot in the arm for the ambitious club, whilst the experience of defender Mark Orme is sure to come in handy during the business end of their gruelling fixture list.

Runners-up: Holyhead Town

Recent seasons have been hugely successful for newly promoted clubs in Division Two, and the Harbourmen having nothing to fear entering the fourth tier after a standout campaign that saw them clinch the Gwynedd League crown.

Asa Thomas is a proven goalscorer who has plenty of experience at this level, and the management team has surrounded the striker with a talented group that are more than capable of challenging at the first time of asking.

Team to watch: Meliden

They were a bit hit and miss last season, but Meliden proved they are capable of beating anyone on their day and a strong end to the campaign can give them plenty of encouragement for the next challenge that lies ahead.

Much will depend on the form of prolific striker Matty Griffiths, who was comfortably the top scorer within the division last term and if remains consistent throughout then that should bring plenty of success.

Vale of Clwyd and Conwy Premier League:

Champions: Llandudno Amateurs

The Amateurs are a close-knit group with plenty of quality, and despite moving up from Division One they should not be daunted by what lies ahead of them.

Runners-up: Llansannan

Gari Evans has built a formidable squad and he has made a popular appointment to the backroom staff by making Tom Lewis his assistant, so hopes are high that Sannan can remain more consistent in the second half of the campaign this time around.

Team to watch: Llandudno Athletic

The other newly promoted side are also looking to stamp their authority on the league from the outset, and their outstanding display last season is sure to stand them in good stead.

Gwynedd League:

Champions: Bro Goronwy

Bro deserve enormous credit for taking Holyhead Town all the way to the wire last season, and anything like that sort of form this time will see them go one better and finish on the summit.

Runners-up: Gwalchmai

Improving Gwalch finished the season very strongly last season, and with the Harbourmen now out of the picture a title challenge is predicted as they look to return to the Welsh Alliance.

Team to watch: Glantraeth

Warren Gibbs has reformed the wildcard within the division, and there is no telling what Traeth can achieve providing the right players are signed and they hit the ground running from the off.