Nathaniel MG Cup season curtailed after wait on reinstatement of elite status
Connah's Quay Nomads also won the Nathaniel MG Cup last season [Image: Matthew Lofthouse]
The 2020/21 edition of the Nathaniel MG Cup is to be cancelled, it is understood.
Round One fixtures were played in early December, but due to a rise in transmission of Coronavirus, ‘elite’ status was revoked for all clubs in Wales.
This season, Cardiff City and Newport County had entered the competition for the first time, however their involvement has been cut short with the unlikely possibility of the season resuming for clubs below the Cymru Premier.
Welsh football’s other top Cup competition, the Welsh Cup is due to start on April 20, though it is unclear whether it will be staged this year.
Despite the 2019/20 campaign being curtailed, Connah’s Quay Nomads beat the defunct STM Sports 3-0 in February 2020 and were the last winners of the Cup.
Welsh football bosses decided yesterday to move the proposed start date for the second tier to a week later on March 26, with it due to end on May 29.
Cymru North and South clubs will only start their league campaigns however if their ‘elite’ status is reinstated or the Alert Level in Wales is lowered in the next Welsh Government briefing.
Should the Alert Level not be lowered in the next Government review on March 12, it would cast the season for the 32 second tier clubs into serious doubt due to a shortened number of weeks to complete the truncated leagues.
Clubs will be expected to complete 15 league matches in the space of 10 weeks with a minimal pre-season, should they receive the go-ahead.
A majority of Tier Two clubs haven’t trained since November, but Airbus UK Broughton and Bangor City have competed in friendlies against Cymru Premier opposition in recent weeks.
As well as the revised date for restarting, Cymru Leagues chiefs also met to discuss rule changes to the season, clubs will now be permitted to make five substitutions during the match, which will help ‘player welfare’
