The 2018–19 Welsh Premier League was the 27th and final season of the Welsh Premier League, the highest football league within Wales since its establishment in 1992. The New Saints are the defending champions. The season fixtures were announced on 27 June 2018. The season began on 10 August 2018. Teams play each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league split into two groups at the end of January 2019 – the top six and the bottom six.
The season ended on 26 April 2019.
Teams
The bottom placed team from the previous season, Prestatyn Town, and Bangor City, were relegated to the Cymru Alliance for the 2018–19 season. Despite finishing 2nd the FAW Club Licensing Appeals Body decided to revoke Bangor City's Tier 1 and UEFA licence meaning that they would automatically drop down to the second level of Welsh football. This meant a reprieve for Carmarthen Town who had finished second bottom and would otherwise have been relegated.
Bangor and Prestatyn were replaced by Llanelli Town and Caernarfon Town, champions of the 2017–18 Welsh Football League Division One and 2017–18 Cymru Alliance respectively. Caernarfon Town are playing in the Welsh Premier League for the first time since the 2008–09 season, while Llanelli Town are a new side, replacing the original Llanelli AFC who were relegated at the end of the 2012–13 season and then wound up in the high court. The arrival of Barry Town United the previous season means that both of the former South Wales 'giants' are now back in the Welsh top-flight. In addition, Cardiff Met remain and Carmarthen Town were reprieved, so the balance of power is slowly shifting from what was for a while, an almost predominantly North Wales-based league.
Stadia and locations Team Location Stadium CapacityAberystwyth TownAberystwythPark Avenue5,000Bala TownBalaMaes Tegid3,000Barry Town UnitedBarryJenner Park3,500 Caernarfon Town Caernarfon The Oval3,000Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityCardiffCyncoed Campus1,620Carmarthen TownCarmarthenRichmond Park3,000Cefn DruidsWrexhamThe Rock3,000Connah's Quay NomadsConnah's QuayDeeside Stadium1,500LlandudnoLlandudnoPark MBi Maesdu1,013 Llanelli Town A.F.C.Llanelli Stebonheath Park3,700NewtownNewtownLatham Park5,000The New SaintsOswestryPark Hall2,000
Personnel and kits
Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Front shirt sponsor Aberystwyth Town Neville Powell/ Matthew Bishop Declan Walker Acerbis Cambrian Tyres Bala Town Colin Caton Chris Venables Macron Aykroyd's Barry Town United Gavin Chesterfield Jordan Cotterill Macron RIM Motors, LDS Motor FactorsCaernarfon Town Sean Eardley Nathan Craig Errea Gofal Bro Cyf., Parc Gwêl y FenaiCardiff Metropolitan University Christian Edwards Bradley Woolridge Errea Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityCarmarthen Town Neil Smothers Lee Surman Legea ATB Davies & Son, Castell Howell FoodsCefn Druids Huw Griffiths Neil Ashton Errea Wrexham LagerConnah's Quay Nomads Andy Morrison George Horan Macron Gap PersonnelLlandudno Iwan Williams Danny Hughes Adidas Bengal DynastyLlanelli Town Andy Hill Joe Clarke Macron Gravell's MotorsThe New Saints Scott Ruscoe Paul Harrison Legea RUK GroupNewtown Chris Hughes Jay Denny Errea Nidec Corporation
League table
Results Teams play each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league split into two groups – the top six and the bottom six.
Matches 1–22
Matches 23–32
Top six
Bottom six
UEFA Europa League play-offs
Teams that finish in positions third to seventh at the end of the regular season will participate in play-offs to determine the third participant for the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League, who will qualify for the preliminary round.
Semi-finals
Final
Season statistics MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubAugust Andy MorrisonConnah's Quay Nomads Henry JonesBala TownSeptember Gavin ChesterfieldBarry Town United Callum MorrisConnah's Quay NomadsOctober Scott RuscoeThe New Saints Robbie PattenBarry Town UnitedNovember Neville PowellAberystwyth Town Nathan CraigCaernarfon TownDecember
References
External links
League rules