Club Statement regarding FAW suspension

After a whirlwind 24 hours, the Club would like to explain what exactly happened that led to the FAW suspending Connah’s Quay Nomads from all Welsh football late yesterday afternoon.

In May 2023, the FAW withdrew the Academy licence for Llandudno FC, meaning it could no longer offer academy football for players aged 12 – 16.

Without any club, several Llandudno Academy players applied to join our Tier 1 Academy - we signed several players up and started to coach them.

Three of the elder age group players were excellent learners and managed to secure a Scholarship Contract with the club for the 2024/2025 season.

In Autumn 2024, we were sent invoices from Llandudno FC, requesting compensation, of up to £5,000 per player.

We ignored these invoices as we were confident all players were free agents due to the academies closure.

Llandudno complained to the FAW and a Disciplinary Hearing was held in late February 2025, Tom Houghton (Company Secretary) and Jay Catton (Academy Director) represented Connah’s Quay Nomads.

We heard nothing in March.

March has been extremely busy due to preparing financial, legal and strategic documentation to secure the Domestic and European Licences, a body of work that took 50 x man hours to complete, carried out primarily by Volunteers.

Yesterday, Friday 4th April, our Company Secretary took a call from Margaret Barnet, the FAW Disciplinary Manager stating the club had 3 x hours to settle a sum of over £9,000 (including FAW fees on top) or it would be suspended from Welsh football.

The club argued they had never received the result of the Disciplinary Hearing, upon which the FAW produced a copy of an email they claim was sent on the 3rd March, giving the club 30 x days to pay Llandudno, or face suspension.

The Club have checked and double checked and simply cannot source this email – of course it would not be in our interest to ignore such an email given the consequences of non payment.

Just after 5pm, we received notification the club was suspended from all Welsh Football, 1st team, Academy & Ladies.

Gary Dewhurst states;
"I am extremely disappointed in the FAW’s actions yesterday – but not surprised.

Having spoken briefly to the FAW Disciplinary Manager yesterday, I was alarmed at the arrogance and even worse, the sneering laughter when I accused the Discipline Department of Corporate Bullying.

Calling our Company Secretary, who is a volunteer, and threatening him with a club wide suspension unless £9,000 was paid in the next 2 x hours is frankly shameful and not befitting of an organisation that claims to support bullying and mental health initiatives.

Having been in business for over 30 years, I have rarely come across such a culture.

The compensation payment has now been paid and I have just been informed the ban has been lifted - but this whole saga has driven a further wedge between me and the FAW.

What this Player Compensation strategy is meant to achieve I don’t know as the Llandudno Academy was shut down by the FAW, we took several lads on and are now being punished for developing the players – it’s perverse.”

Date Published: Saturday, 5th April, 2025 - 12:14pm