Neath Athletic Plans Get Go-Ahead

Newly-formed Neath Athletic can go ahead with their planned merger thanks to events in the Cymru Alliance.

The new club - a merger of Neath and Skewen Athletic - should have started life in Welsh League Division Two, but the decision of Buckley Town not to withdraw their application to the Welsh Premier despite winning the league has provided a silver lining for the south Wales clubs

Skewen ended the campaign third from bottom in the relegation zone and any merged club is forced to take the place of the lowest-placed side.

However, with Buckley’s place in the Welsh Premier taken up by NEWI Cefn Druids, who should have been relegated only Port Talbot side Afan Lido were relegated from the top flight.

As a result, only Gwynfi United and Garw are relegated from Welsh League One, leaving the merged Neath outfit in the First Division.

Tony Melding, Neath Athletic secretary said: "The league management committee have given the merger the green light and we can now press ahead with our plans.

"It's our aim to build on the success of both Neath and Skewen - the facilities at Llandarcy Park are second to none."

The manager of the new club will be Andrew Dyer, with former Hull, Chesterfield and Scunthorpe player David D'Auria as his assistant.