Nomads achieve dual Academi status

Connah’s Quay Nomads Academy are pleased to announce that our boys academy programme has maintained its Category A license for the 2025/26 season.

The club has been operating a Category A programme for the last two seasons and following recent audits from FAW and Amethyst Sports we are proud to announce for the third season we have achieved the highest academy status in Wales.

Academy and Technical Director Jay Catton commented;
“ This is an incredible achievement by all involved at the academy and football club. This highlights the amazing work that all have done not only to achieve this status back in 2023, but to maintain these standards and Category A status for next season also.

A huge thank you to FAW and Amethyst Sports who have been huge support to us in ensuring we maintain these standards and deliver the best possible training and games program to our young players. Special mention to Drew Sherman, Carwyn Edwards, Colin Staples, Terry Boyle and Damien McArdle.

There are a total of 150 business and sporting criteria elements to obtain a Category A license with key components including three nights a week training, sports science and analysis elements, full training and games curriculum.

We have been blessed with coaches who have given so much to the development of young players and in the club achieving this status again including Head of Mini Phase Jordan Parry with mini phase staff Craig Rodgers, Michael Cunningham, Carl Butler, Brad Commins, David Hamnett, Rhys Williams, Stephen Bayliss and Mia Parry. Our youth phase led by Leighton Sumner including Dom Auty, Mason Blackwell-Jones, Kevin Jones, Ross Jones and our senior phase led by Anthony Weaver which has included James Duff, Lee Bubb, Matthew Griffiths, Jason Bell and John Disney.

Along with this our incredible off field team including registrations and Match Day operations Mel Meredith, Della Bennett and Leo Sumner along with our goalkeeping department led by John Weaver and our Medical and Sports Science department including Matt Steel, Hayleigh Busby, Seb Richardson, Harry Griffiths, Kyle Taylor and Head of Analysis Anthony Gomez.

All deserve mention and recognition as all commit so much to the academy and other areas of the club, all playing pivotal role in club attaining Category A status. Huge well done and thank you to all involved”

Alongside this news, the club are delighted to announce following rigorous application process we have also achieved a Girls Academi license for the 25/26 season.

Connah’s Quay Nomads have been selected as one of only eleven clubs in the country to achieve this and one of only three clubs in Wales to achieve both Category A license for boys and Academi license for girls.

The achievement of running a girls Academi programme will see our U13s next season compete in an official FAW northern Academi training and games program including five fellows girls Academi sides in North Wales.

The club will continue to operate our U8s to U11s girls sides along with a U16s, U19s and women’s full time scholarship teams next campaign also .

The girls Academi program will be aligned with the boys following same training curriculum, sports science and analysis and robust games programs against fellow Welsh academies and professional opposition.

Jay Catton added: “This is huge news for the club. When we started the Girls Player Development Centre we have seen immense success in the female section of the club from U8s right through to women’s.

The new Academi status for girls will ensure we can give our female players the best standards and opportunities to aid their development in a professional structure.

This is so exciting for all girls and coaches involved in what will be the first ever year of a female Academi set up in Wales.

Again huge credit to Jordan Parry and all staff across women’s and girls set up to achieve this huge accomplishment and set up an exciting season ahead in 2025/2026 for our young female players”

Date Published: Friday, 30th May, 2025 - 5:50pm