In the so-called Big Five leagues in European football, two of them are mainly dominated by one team. Paris Saint-Germain in France, and Bayern Munich in Germany.
The other three also see some domination, with Spain comprised by the two Madrid clubs and Barcelona. Juventus dominated Italy for a period, while in England, only two clubs have won the league in the last eight seasons.
Former Bayern Munich goalkeeper and German international, Oliver Kahn, spoke to German magazine ‘Kicker’ about the competitive nature of the Bundesliga.
He said that the league was a lot more competitive when he played and made it clear that there is nothing honest ‘about a 30 or 40 million euro squad competing against a 300 million euro’ Bayern Munich team.
Wales faces similar issues, which could be argued are more severe, with the competition in the league.
In the news released to fans about the new structure, the Welsh FA showcased their ‘four-point plan’, and one of those points was to improve the competitive nature of the division.
The New Saints, better known as TNS, have been that force in the JD Cymru Premier.
The club won their first league title in 2000, and in 2003, the club merged with Oswestry Town. Since then, there has been significant investment in the club, allowing them to go from strength to strength.
Since the 2004-05 campaign, TNS have won the league title 16 times and the JD Welsh cup nine times.
Sam Wood is a member of the media and communications department at TNS and has worked at the club for eight years. He’s proud to work at “one of the most successful and professionally run teams in Welsh football.”
Mr Wood believes the club has grown significantly in his time at the club.
He said: “TNS are in a strong position on and off the pitch. Our infrastructure, academy and European performances place us in a great position.”
The club were unsuccessful in their European campaign this season, but last season, TNS became the first Welsh team to reach the group stage of a European competition.
Ahead of the new season, the academy retained their FAW academy category A status, which has helped develop several players, including current TNS player Ben Clark.
The club also announced improvements to their stadium back in 2023, and they continue to look to improve pitches and training facilities at the club.
Although these changes are helping the club grow into a stronger side, Mr Wood is excited about the change that could lie ahead.
“The Cymru Premier is in a transitional phase. There is growing ambition in the league, and we welcome the challenge. For it to grow, the overall standard must continue to grow.”
Their most recent challengers to the title were Connah’s Quay Nomads, who pipped them to the title during COVID.
In the 2024/25 campaign, TNS won the league by a staggering 14 points, ahead of Penybont, who have been on a steady climb themselves since their promotion in 2019.
Nomads, Penybont and Haverfordwest County will be major competitors next season, with a few others possibly causing a surprise.
The European Challenge
Although qualifying for Europe last year provided TNS with significant money to continue building their facilities and squad, this could have a knock-on effect financially for the rest of the league as well, and Mr Wood agrees.
“European competition is vital not just for us but for the wider reputation of the Cymru Premier.”
The qualification meant the country’s national coefficient improved, as they currently sit in 53rd out of 55 nations.
This season’s poor run for all clubs involved has stagnated the climb, but the increase in revenue and the showcase of the league on the European stage is great for Welsh football.
We have already seen some of the impact of this advancement this summer with the transfer. TNS broke their transfer record on Ben Wilson from Airdrieonians in Scotland.
Penybont broke theirs, signing Ollie Young from Pontypridd Town, and Caernarfon Town broke theirs, spending £25,000 on Dominic Smith from Newtown.
“Last season’s run was a testament to what Welsh clubs are capable of. It also gave our players’ invaluable experience and helped us attract more attention from commercial partners.”
The club took on some big teams in their Conference League run, where they were hosts to Djurgarden, Astana and Panathinaikos, while they travelled to face Shamrock Rovers, Celje and the 2023 Conference League finalists, Fiorentina.
The club have also confirmed several sponsorship deals within the last couple of years, which have helped the club progress.
Ahead of the new season, the club signed a sponsorship deal with Recycling UK Group as their main sponsor. In 2024/25, the club signed a deal with Beer Trading & Kompass Wines as the official beer supplier.
In 2023/24, deals were signed with Macron to be the club’s kit supplier and with John Lennon Airport, as a new partner, and they even had a miniature aeroplane bring the ball onto the pitch in the first Champions League qualifying match this season.
We are yet to see the effects this could have on other Cymru Premier teams, as well as the league in general; however, the league’s sponsorship with JD is set to expire at the end of the 2025/26 season.
With the league’s new, exciting vision set in place, as well as TNS’s success in Europe last season, the league will be hoping to get a sponsor on board to help elevate the league even further.
Manufactured Competition
Many TNS fans might claim that the ultimate move for the changes in the league is to simply stop their reign of success.
In the plan that the league set out, along with the reformat, it seems like they are looking to add a more competitive edge to the league as one of the key pillars.
However, there have already been some people who have made their differences clear. Flint Town Manager Lee Fowler felt that possibly moving the league to Friday nights is anti-competitive, while at Nomads, Chris Redfern is looking to get as many beneficial commercial opportunities as possible to allow the team to compete, which is a difficult task at this stage.
Mr Wood feels that the club will have to modify how the club works to meet the new criteria in the league, but he believes the club can still succeed.
He said: “We’ve reviewed all our football operations to ensure we stay ahead of the curve. Change always brings challenges, but TNS has consistently been able to adapt while maintaining our standards.”
The club have shown that intent this summer with several signs as they look to improve their first team squad. The club has also put emphasis on maintaining their academy’s success in producing players who are regulars in the Welsh Premier, which they will continue to work on to see even greater benefits.
“Our long-term vision has always been about sustained excellence, both domestically and in Europe. The changes to the league look to improve the overall quality, which aligns with our aims to push Welsh football forward. It encourages us to innovate, invest in youth and broaden our community engagement.”
Over the summer, TNS academy took on several academies from EFL teams, as well as Premier League side Everton’s academy. They see this as an opportunity to open the youngster up to new, testing experiences.
TNS don’t just dominate the league at the senior level but are also very successful at the youth level. TNS Academy Manager, Kieran Lee-Birch, spoke to the club’s media during their pre-season.
He said they needed games where the teams would ‘test us defensively’ but also some where ‘we have more of the ball’.
In pre-season, the clubs will want to test themselves in these different environments; however, it seems more like a test to be ready to make the jump to the first team, with the club already having a handful of players at 20 and younger in their first team squad.
As for work in the community, the club have opened up several polls for fans to answer, to help the club and the Welsh FA have an idea of how to best implement some changes coming to the league.
Several training camps have been set up by the TNS foundation for children in the area, and a new membership scheme has been introduced to get benefits from the club to help the club’s fanbase grow.
Keeping The Standards
The club have made it clear on their long-term projects of keeping the fanbase in constant contact with the club, and the continued effort to build up the academy, but what about short-term goals?
The club will want to continue to win the league, despite wanting it to also become more competitive, to help raise the bar of Welsh football.
The club also dream of becoming the first Welsh team to reach the Champions League or Europa League proper; however, qualifying for European football again would be a huge success.
Mr Wood believes the club is doing everything it possibly can to maintain its illustrious reputation in Welsh football.
He said: “Whether it’s data-led performance analysis, coaching development or commercial growth, we’re always looking for the next edge. Producing Welsh talent is the core of who we are as we aim to not only be leaders, but to raise the benchmark year after year.”
The continuation of TNS playing in Europe will be huge for them and the league in general. Although it wasn’t possible this year, the club will be hoping for a successful domestic campaign before getting into the right position for next season’s European qualifiers.
There is a belief that the expansion of the league, along with new commercial deals that could be structured with clubs in the league, can really help not just TNS’s push for regular European football, but also support other clubs to help them reach the European league phase for the first time.
Mr Wood believes that getting more clubs into European football can be a massive help for the league.
He said: “A more competitive, better-marketed league makes for a more compelling product. If the changes are supported with strategic promotion and better digital engagement, the commercial value for clubs will grow.
“We’re already engaging with partners on the back of our European exposure, and we’re optimistic about the league’s wider exposure.”
TNS know that they are currently the team to beat. They have the best players, the best facilities and the most money, and at the moment, these three elements are improving season upon season.
There are some slight concerns that the shift of the league might multiply the issues the league has in competitiveness, where the clubs at the top will see a significant benefit from the get-go.
Mr Wood agrees that some issues could definitely come to light, which could be more favourable to TNS, but he thinks every club needs that support.
He said: “If clubs can’t meet the new demands, it could create a wider gap between the top and bottom of the table.
“It’s crucial the FAW supports all clubs through the transition to preserve the competitiveness and community feel of the league.”
Interviews with Dan Davies and Lee Fowler have shown some of these issues from a fan perspective and from a club perspective, which will require more money for fans and clubs to travel to more games, and there are some issues of players not being able to play for clubs if the league does switch to Friday Nights, which has been rumoured from time to time.
Mr Wood believes that TNS have the responsibility to not only improve the league for themselves, but also to help support the other clubs in the league.
He said, “We see ourselves as ambassadors not just for TNS but for the league as a whole. Whether it’s how we represent the league in Europe or how we engage with the media, we understand it reflects on the JD Cymru Premier.”
The club need to make sure that this continues, and that support is offered for other clubs in the league, to make the league look better to people who they want to come and support Welsh league clubs, that currently don’t.
With the club looking to get more exposure on Welsh football, the digital presence is believed to be ‘valuable’ to the club.
One aspect the club are looking to raise is their overseas sponsorship deals. They see this as a way to engage with a larger fanbase from outside Wales, which in turn, will mean more eyes are on the product.
None Left Behind
There are some elements of the change that, on the surface, support the ideas of the league becoming more competitive, with TNS having greater threats to continue their monopoly of winning the league title.
However, there are several issues that might present themselves once the changes go ahead, which might allow TNS’s reign of dominance to not only continue, but advance into becoming even greater.
Mr Wood agrees that if all the clubs in the league can find a fair balance with the new structure, it will be successful.
He said: “The changes are good for the long-term development of Welsh football, if they are implemented thoughtfully and inclusively.
“The key will be ensuring that all clubs are supported so no one is left behind. If that balance is struck, Welsh football can move into a new and exciting era.”
For some TNS fans, the idea of them not winning the league every year may leave behind a sour taste, but when you diver deeper into the issues around Welsh football, perhaps it’s not such a bad thing after all.
One thing is for certain, though. With all this taking place and the importance this has on the future of Welsh football, TNS will be at the heart of it all.
Cover Photo – “Forfar Athletic v The New Saints” by yellow book is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Daniel Moffat 
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