2011–12 Welsh Premier League
# 2011–12 Welsh Premier League

The 2011–12 Welsh Premier League season was the 20th season of the Welsh Premier League, the highest football league of Wales since its establishment in 1992. Bangor City were the defending champions, but lost their title to The New Saints in a meeting on the final game of the season.

## Teams

Haverfordwest County were relegated to the 2011–12 Football League Division One at the end of the 2010–11 season after finishing at the bottom of the table. The club thus ended a fourteen-year tenure in the league. They were replaced by 2010–11 Football League runners-up Afan Lido, who returned to the Premier League after six seasons.

Originally, Bala Town as 11th-placed team were going to be relegated as well; however, they were eventually spared as 2010–11 Cymru Alliance champions Connah's Quay Nomads were denied a Premier League licence.

### Stadia and location

| 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 |
| Llanelli AFC | Stebonheath Park | 3,700 |
| Neath | The Gnoll | 7,000 |
| Newtown AFC | Latham Park | 5,000 |
| Port Talbot Town | Victoria Road | 2,500 |
| Prestatyn Town | Bastion Road | 2,500 |
| The New Saints | Park Hall | 2,500 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | The New Saints (C) | 32 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 75 | 31 | +44 | 74 | Qualification for Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Bangor City | 32 | 22 | 3 | 7 | 72 | 45 | +27 | 69 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Neath (R) | 32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 60 | 36 | +24 | 62 | Relegated |
| 4 | Llanelli (O) | 32 | 18 | 5 | 9 | 63 | 36 | +27 | 59 | Qualification for Europa League play-offs |
| 5 | Bala Town | 32 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 49 | Qualification for Europa League play-offs |
| 6 | Prestatyn Town | 32 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 41 | 63 | −22 | 28 | Qualification for Europa League play-offs |
| 7 | Airbus UK Broughton | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 39 | Qualification for Europa League play-offs |
| 8 | Aberystwyth Town | 32 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 44 | 50 | −6 | 33 | Qualification for Europa League play-offs |
| 9 | Port Talbot Town | 32 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 33 | |
| 10 | Afan Lido | 32 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 40 | 55 | −15 | 32 | |
| 11 | Carmarthen Town | 32 | 10 | 2 | 20 | 33 | 67 | −34 | 32 | |
| 12 | Newtown | 32 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 44 | 82 | −38 | 23 | Spared from relegation |

* ↑ Neath were relegated on 27 April 2012, after failing in their Domestic and UEFA Competitions Licensing appeal, meaning they were relegated from the Welsh Premier League. Newtown would have been relegated otherwise.
* ↑ Aberystwyth Town deducted 1 point for fielding ineligible player
* ↑ Newtown deducted 3 points for fielding ineligible players.
* ↑ Haverfordwest County would have replaced Newtown AFC should they have finished second in a feeder league, and thus gaining promotion. A win for Taffs Well in a game Vs Caerau Ely meant this could not happen, sparing Newtown's relegation.

## Results

Teams played each other twice on a home and away basis, before the league was split into two groups at the end of round 22 – the top six and the bottom six. Clubs in these groups played each other twice again bringing the total fixture count to 32.

### Matches 1–22

| Home \ Away | ABE | AFA | AIR | BAL | BAN | CMR | LLA | NEA | NEW | PTA | PRE | TNS |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Aberystwyth Town | | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Afan Lido | 0–0 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 |
| Airbus UK Broughton | 1–1 | 3–1 | | 1–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Bala Town | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Bangor City | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 0–3 |
| Carmarthen Town | 2–1 | 2–5 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 0–3 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Llanelli | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | | 0–1 | 9–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 |
| Neath | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | | 5–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Newtown | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| Port Talbot Town | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Prestatyn Town | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–5 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 0–2 |
| The New Saints | 3–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | |

## UEFA Europa League play-offs

Teams who finished in positions fourth through eighth at the end of the season participated in a play-off to determine the second participant for the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League. As Neath failed to win their appeal against an FAW Domestic licence, Aberystwyth Town took their place (See Relegation Section)

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Rhys Griffiths | Llanelli AFC | 22 |
| 2 | Greg Draper | The New Saints | 21 |
| 3 | Les Davies | Bangor City | 15 |
| 4 | Ian Sheridan | Airbus UK/Bala Town | 14 |
| 4 | Lee Hunt | Bala Town | 14 |
| 5 | Luke Bowen | Neath Athletic | 13 |
