League revamp gets the go-ahead

The change in format is a bid to improve Welsh football standards

The Principality Welsh Premier League is to undergo a major revamp which will come into place in season 2010/11.

The 18-club division will be replaced by a 10-team Premier Division and a 10-team second tier, including play-offs, promotion and relegation.

Officials believe the new structure will help improve the league's profile and attract bigger crowds to matches.

Only those clubs who have achieved a certain set of standards will be allowed to join the league.

A new licensing system will set and govern these standards which the FAW says will encourage Welsh clubs to develop their facilities and improve all aspects of the game across Wales.

Under the system all club stadia will be required to meet Uefa Cat 1 standards which means their grounds will need to have specific medical, press and drug-testing rooms and a set standard of toilet, seating and floodlight facilities.

Welsh Premier secretary John Deakin said: "It was felt that the league in its current form was stagnating and it needed a boost to get the quality up, make it more competitive and ultimately get more spectators watching the game.

606: DEBATE Is the Welsh Premier League revamp a good idea?

"The clubs who can't attain the licensing standard would form a second division which would keep them within the overall umbrella of the Welsh Premier League.

"It would also allow them time to improve their standards and get into a position where they could ultimately gain promotion.

"We believe that we can certainly get 10 clubs who can attain those standards if not more."

The decision to change the league's format was taken at meeting of the FAW on Sunday where the idea of switching to summer football was also aired.

Deakin, who was present at the meeting, said although the idea was not officially on the FAW's agenda it had been brought up by a number of clubs.

He said that although no official vote had been taken on the issue a number of clubs, including Llanelli, Rhyl and The New Saints, had spoken in favour of a potential change in the sporting season.

As a result, all the clubs were asked to take soundings from their members and report back on the issue at the FAW's upcoming AGM in June.