2012–13 Welsh Premier League

Welsh Premier League
Season 2012–13
Champions The New Saints
Relegated Llanelli
Champions League The New Saints
Europa League Airbus UK Broughton
Bala Town
Prestatyn Town
(via domestic cup)
Matches played 192
Goals scored 677 (3.53 per match)
Top goalscorer Michael Wilde
(25 goals)
Biggest home win Bangor City 7–1 Aberystwyth
The New Saints 6–0 Bangor City
Biggest away win Newtown 1–7 Airbus UK
Highest scoring Connah's Quay 6–4 Afan Lido
Highest attendance 846[1]
Bangor City 2–1 Connah's Quay
Lowest attendance 76[2]
Afan Lido 2–1 Connah's Quay

The 2012–13 Welsh Premier League, known as the Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the 21st season of the Welsh Premier League, the highest football league within Wales since its establishment in 1992. The season began on 17 August 2012.[3]

The New Saints successfully defended their title.

Teams

Following a decision by UEFA not to allow Neath F.C a license to compete both domestically and in continental competitions, it was ruled that they would be relegated no matter where in the league they finished.[4] Bottom club Newtown were spared relegation.

Gap Connah's Quay finished first in the 2011–12 Cymru Alliance to return to the Welsh Premier League after a two-year absence.

Stadia and locations

Team Stadium Capacity
Aberystwyth Town Park Avenue 5,500
Afan Lido Marston Stadium 4,200
Airbus UK Broughton The Airfield 2,100
Bala Town Maes Tegid 3,000
Bangor City Nantporth 3,000
Carmarthen Town Richmond Park 3,000
Gap Connah's Quay Deeside Stadium 1,500
Llanelli AFC Stebonheath Park 3,700
Newtown AFC Latham Park 5,000
Port Talbot Town Victoria Road 2,500
Prestatyn Town Bastion Road 2,500
The New Saints Park Hall 3,000


League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 The New Saints (C) 32 24 4 4 86 22+64 76 2013–14 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round
2 Airbus UK Broughton 32 17 3 12 76 42+34 54 2013–14 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round
3 Bangor City 32 14 9 9 65 53+12 51 Qualification to UEFA Europa League play-offs
4 Port Talbot Town 32 13 8 11 51 52−1 47
5 Prestatyn Town 32 11 7 14 62 79−17 40 2013–14 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round 2
6 Carmarthen Town 32 10 7 15 36 50−14 37 Qualification to UEFA Europa League play-offs
7 Bala Town (O) 32 17 5 10 62 41+21 56 Qualification to UEFA Europa League play-offs
8 Gap Connah's Quay 32 12 5 15 62 69−7 401
9 Newtown 32 10 7 15 44 54−10 37
10 Aberystwyth Town 32 9 10 13 37 58−21 37
11 Llanelli (R) 32 10 6 16 41 68−27 36 Relegation to 2013–14 Cymru Alliance/Welsh Football League Division One
12 Afan Lido 32 8 3 21 43 79−36 27

Source: Welsh Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
1 Gap Connah's Quay deducted one point for fielding ineligible player.
2 The winner of the 2012–13 Welsh Cup qualify for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Llanelli A.F.C.

On 22 April 2013, Llanelli A.F.C. were liquidated by HM Revenue and Customs at the High court in London with debts of £21,000; this did not affect the final league table as the club had already played all their league fixtures prior to the ruling.[5]

Results

Teams will play each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league is split into two groups at the end of January 2013 - the top six and the bottom six. Clubs in these groups will play each other twice again to bring the total fixture count to 32.

Matches 1–22

Home ╲ Away[1] ABE AFA AIRBALBANCARGCQLLANEWPTAPRETNS
Aberystwyth Town 4–2 1–0 1–1 0–0 1–0 3–0 0–2 0–2 0–5 4–1 1–4
Afan Lido 0–0 1–5 1–0 2–3 2–1 2–1 0–1 2–3 0–3 2–4 1–3
Airbus UK Broughton 5–1 3–1 1–0 2–3 1–2 2–2 1–1 2–1 5–0 5–0 2–1
Bala Town 3–2 3–2 0–2 2–1 3–0 3–6 1–2 4–4 2–0 1–2 2–2
Bangor City 7–1 4–1 2–0 5–0 2–2 2–1 1–2 3–0 2–2 3–3 0–1
Carmarthen Town 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 0–1 2–4 1–0 4–2 1–0 2–2 0–0
Gap Connah's Quay 1–2 6–4 4–1 0–1 2–6 1–1 3–1 2–1 2–0 3–3 1–3
Llanelli 0–0 3–2 2–4 1–4 2–2 4–2 1–6 0–3 0–1 2–2 0–6
Newtown 3–1 1–2 1–7 1–1 3–2 1–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–4 1–1
Port Talbot Town 2–4 6–1 4–4 2–1 1–1 2–1 6–1 1–2 1–0 1–0 1–3
Prestatyn Town 2–2 4–2 1–6 1–0 4–1 7–1 4–1 3–1 2–5 1–1 1–0
The New Saints 3–0 2–1 1–0 1–0 3–0 0–3 5–1 0–0 0–1 5–0 4–1

Source: Welsh Premier League
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 23–32

Top six

Home ╲ Away[1] AIR BAN CARPTAPRETNS
Airbus UK Broughton 2–0 2–0 2–0 4–1 1–2
Bangor City 2–0 2–0 3–3 3–3 1–4
Carmarthen Town 1–0 0–1 0–0 3–2 0–1
Port Talbot Town 1–0 1–1 1–0 4–1 0–3
Prestatyn Town 0–4 0–1 2–1 0–1 1–7
The New Saints 4–2 6–0 3–0 5–0 3–0

Source: Welsh Premier League
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Bottom six

Home ╲ Away[1] ABE AFA BALGCQLLANEW
Aberystwyth Town 4–3 1–3 1–1 2–1 0–0
Afan Lido 0–0 0–2 2–1 1–3 2–1
Bala Town 1–0 4–0 0–5 4–0 3–1
Gap Connah's Quay 1–1 3–0 1–0 4–2 0–2
Llanelli 4–3 0–2 1–5 0–1 0–1
Newtown 0–0 0–1 0–1 1–0 1–2

Source: Welsh Premier League
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

UEFA Europa League play-offs

Teams who finished in positions third through eighth at the end of the regular season will play-off to determine the second participant for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.

Quarter-finals

4 May 2013
14:30 BST
Bala Town 1 – 0 Gap Connah's Quay
Hunt  76' (pen.) Report
Maes Tegid, Bala
Attendance: 409
Referee: Mark Whitby

Semi-finals

11 May 2013
14:00 BST
Bangor City 2 – 4 Bala Town
Jones  57'
Hoy  79' 		Report S. Jones  29'
M. Jones  34'
Sheridan  43', 47'
Book People stadium, Bangor
Attendance: 457
Referee: Richard Harrington

11 May 2013
14:00 BST
Port Talbot Town 1 – 0 Carmarthen Town
Brooks  72' Report
Victoria Road, Port Talbot
Attendance: 410
Referee: Nick Pratt

Final

18 May 2013
15:00 BST
Port Talbot Town 0 – 1 Bala Town
Report Irving  89'
Victoria Road, Port Talbot
Attendance: 658
Referee: Mark Petch

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 England Michael Wilde The New Saints 25
2 England Chris Simm Bangor City 21
3 England Andy Parkinson Prestatyn Town 19
4 Wales Alex Darlington The New Saints 18
England Lee Hunt Bala Town 18
6 Wales Mark Jones Afan Lido / Aberystwyth Town 17
7 Wales David Brooks Port Talbot Town 16
8 England Martin Rose Llanelli 14
9 England Jamie Petrie Gap Connah's Quay 13
Wales Liam Thomas Carmarthen Town 13

References

  1. ↑ "Morley is spot on for Citizens". Welsh Premier League. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "Lido finally win after ten match losing streak". Welsh Premier League. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League Fixtures 2012/13". Football Association of Wales. 2012-06-29. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  4. ↑ "Club Licensing Appeals". Football Association of Wales. 2012-04-27. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  5. ↑ "Llanelli AFC wound up at London's High Court". Llanelli Star. 2013-04-22.

External links