The 2022–23 Cymru Premier () (known as the JD Cymru Premier for sponsorship reasons) was the 31st season of the Cymru Premier (formally known as the Welsh Premier League), the highest football league within Wales since its establishment in 1992.
The winners (The New Saints, their second consecutive league title win and fifteenth overall) qualified for the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. The runners-up (Connah's Quay Nomads), third-placed team (Penybont), and Europa Conference League play-off winners (Haverfordwest County) qualified for the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round. The bottom two teams (Airbus UK Broughton and Flint Town United) were relegated to the 2023–24 Cymru North.
Teams Twelve teams contested the league – the top ten teams from the previous season, and one team each promoted from the second tier leagues, the Cymru North and Cymru South. The New Saints entered the season as defending champions.
Airbus UK Broughton, winners of the 2021–22 Cymru North were promoted to the league. Due to 2021–22 Cymru South champions Llantwit Major's failure to achieve a tier one licence, runners-up Pontypridd Town were promoted in their place. In June 2022, Pontypridd Town changed their name to Pontypridd United.
The two bottom placed teams from the 2021–22 season, Cefn Druids and Barry Town United, were relegated to the Cymru North and the Cymru South respectively for the 2022–23 season.
Team changes
To Cymru Premier Promoted from the Cymru North Airbus UK Broughton
Promoted from the Cymru South Pontypridd Town
From Cymru Premier Relegated to the Cymru North Cefn Druids
Relegated to the Cymru South Barry Town United
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityAberystwyth Town Aberystwyth Park Avenue 5,000Airbus UK Broughton Broughton The Airfield 1,600Bala Town Bala Maes Tegid 3,000Caernarfon Town Caernarfon The Oval 3,000Cardiff Metropolitan University Cyncoed Cyncoed Campus 1,620Connah's Quay Nomads Connah's Quay Deeside Stadium 1,500Flint Town United Flint Cae-y-Castell 1,000Haverfordwest County Haverfordwest Bridge Meadow Stadium 2,100Newtown Newtown Latham Park 5,000Penybont Bridgend Bryntirion Park 3,000Pontypridd United Treforest USW Sports Park 1,000The New Saints Oswestry Park Hall 2,034
Personnel and kits Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Front shirt sponsor Aberystwyth Town Anthony Williams Jack Thorn Acerbis Aberystwyth University Airbus UK Broughton Jamie Reed Steve Tomassen Umbro Gardner Aerospace Bala Town Colin Caton Chris Venables Macron Aykroyd's Caernarfon Town Richard Davies Dion Donohue Errea Gofal Bro Cyf Cardiff Metropolitan University Christian Edwards Chris Baker Errea Cardiff Metropolitan University Connah's Quay Nomads Neil Gibson George Horan Nike Educate Group Flint Town United Lee Fowler James Owen Macron Essity Haverfordwest County Tony Pennock Dylan Rees Joma West Wales Properties Newtown Chris Hughes Craig Williams Errea Control Techniques Penybont Rhys Griffiths Kane Owen Macron Nathaniel Car Sales Pontypridd United Andrew Stokes Clayton Green Joma UPVCDIRECT.CO.UK The New Saints Craig Harrison Chris Marriott Legea SiFi Networks
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Jonathan JonesResigned9 May 2022 Andrew Stokes16 May 2022 Antonio Corbisiero12 May 2022 Anthony Williams28 May 2022 Nicky HayenSigned by Club NXT15 June 2022 Tony Pennock1 July 2022 Neil GibsonResigned16 June 2022 Lee Fowler17 June 2022 Christian Edwards30 June 2022 Ryan Jenkins29 June 2022 Anthony LimbrickSacked28 July 2022 Craig Harrison4 August 2022 Craig HarrisonSigned by The New Saints4 August 2022 Neil Gibson4 August 2022 Steve O'ShaughnessySacked24 September 202212th Jamie Reed19 October 2022 Ryan JenkinsResigned30 January 20234th Christian Edwards30 January 2023 Huw GriffithsSacked18 March 20238th Richard Davies24 April 2023 Jamie Reed13 April 202312th Mark Allen21 April 2023
League table
Results Matches 1–22
Matches 23–32
Top six
Bottom six
Europa Conference League play-offs Teams placed 3rd-7th enter one-off play-off matches for the third spot in the Europa Conference League first qualifying round. One of the spots is vacated if the Welsh Cup winners finish 7th or higher, with the 3rd-placed team qualifying automatically if the Welsh Cup winners finish in the top two. The higher-placed team gains home advantage.
Bala Town, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Haverfordwest County, Newtown, and Penybont qualified for the play-offs. Since the 2022–23 Welsh Cup winners, The New Saints, qualified for the Champions League first qualifying round based on league position, Penybont's play-off spot was vacated and they directly qualified for the Europa Conference League as the 3rd-placed team.
Semi-finals
Final
Season statistics
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals 1 Declan McManusThe New Saints 26 2 Aaron Williams Newtown14 Ryan Brobbel The New Saints 4 Ben ClarkThe New Saints 135 Ben AhmunPontypridd United12 Jordan DaviesHaverfordwest County
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Sam JonesCardiff Metropolitan UniversityAberystwyth Town0–4 (A)20 August 2022 Adrian CieślewiczThe New SaintsCardiff Metropolitan University0–7 (A)17 September 2022 George NewellBala TownAirbus UK Broughton0–6 (A)30 September 2022 Ben AhmunPontypridd UnitedAirbus UK Broughton0–4 (A)29 October 2022 Louis RoblesNewtownPontypridd United4–2 (H)16 December 2022 Ben ClarkThe New SaintsAirbus UK Broughton7–0 (H)26 December 2022 Ryan BrobbelThe New SaintsAirbus UK Broughton0–8 (A)31 December 2022 Declan McManusThe New SaintsFlint Town United1–8 (A)10 January 2023 Zack ClarkeFlint Town UnitedPontypridd United4–1 (H)21 January 2023 Ben AhmunPontypridd UnitedAirbus UK Broughton4–0 (H)11 February 2023 Lloyd Marsh-HughesCaernarfon TownAirbus UK Broughton4–0 (A)31 March 2023 Declan McManusThe New SaintsNewtown5–0 (A)1 April 2023
Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Attendances Team Highest Lowest Average Aberystwyth Town 1120 187 378 Airbus UK Broughton 374 147 232 Bala Town 505 179 236* Caernarfon Town 674 232 485 Cardiff Metropolitan University 401 103 192 Connah's Quay Nomads 436 166 262 Flint Town United 1050 172 339 Haverfordwest County 560 277 364* Newtown 514 171 297 Penybont 506 206 296* Pontypridd United 437 153 288 The New Saints 425 201 289*
Figures taken from FAW Cymru Football app and other club channels. Correct as of 24 April 2023. Excludes Europa Conference League playoff fixtures. *Denotes incomplete record, as missing attendance figures. Figures for Bala v TNS (14/4), Haverfordwest v Airbus (18/3), TNS v CQN (22/4) and Penybont v Cardiff Met (17/2), CQN (18/3) and Newtown (22/4) have not been publicly recorded.
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubAugustRyan JenkinsCardiff Metropolitan UniversitySam JonesCardiff Metropolitan UniversitySeptemberColin CatonBala TownDavid EdwardsBala TownOctoberNeil GibsonConnah's Quay NomadsAndy FirthConnah's Quay NomadsNovemberTony PennockHaverfordwest CountyZeli IsmailNewtownDecemberChris HughesNewtownRyan SearsNewtownJanuaryRhys GriffithsPenybontKostya GeorgievskyPenybontFebruaryAndrew StokesPontypridd UnitedMark CadwalladerAberystwyth TownMarchAndrew StokesPontypridd UnitedGeorge RatcliffePontypridd UnitedAprilTony PennockHaverfordwest CountyNiall FlintAberystwyth Town
References