2011–12 The New Saints F.C. season

Season review

After completing early pre-season friendlies, the club played its 2011–12 UEFA Europa League qualifying round matches, winning on aggregate in the first qualifying round against Clifftonville before being eliminated in the next round against Danish club Midtjylland. In the domestic competitions the season was a successful year with the club regaining the Welsh Premier League in April, by a five-point margin, in a season that saw the club lose just four league matches. Greg Draper finished the season as the club's leading scorer with 21 league goals, just one behind the Llanelli's Rhys Griffiths. The club became the first side to score in every game in a Welsh Premier season since the birth of the League of Wales in 1992. They completed the double on 5 May 2012 beating CEFN Druids F.C. 2-0 in the Welsh Cup final, and thus kept a record on not conceding a goal for the entire Welsh Cup campaign.

The club also progressed to the semi-final stage of the Welsh League Cup.

At the end of the season came the news that the club had submitted entries for the English FA Cup and FA Trophy for the 2012-13 season. This decision meant that the club wished to play in both the Welsh and English domestic cup competitions.

Head coach Carl Darlington received the Welsh Premier League's manager of the year award for 2011/12 at the end of the season.

Season squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

In

Last updated: 1 January

Loans out

Last updated: 20 October 2011

Welsh Premier League

The club started the season with a draw, followed by a defeat by a late goal at Port Talbot Town. Seven wins followed propelling the club to the top of the table and earning first team coach Carl Darlington the Welsh Premier League's manager of the month award for August/ September. This was followed by the club's best win of the season, a 4-0 win against Carmarthen Town, and a draw away at Bala Town. A narrow win at home to Port Talbot Town returned them back to the top of the table. Their first match of November saw them go six points clear at the top of the table, having won eleven of the past twelve matches and Darlington claimed his second manager of the month award on the back of the team's results throughout October. The following matches however saw a reversal of the team's previous good form, with a draw followed by two defeats, at home to Bangor City and away at Afan Lido.

The following week, Director of Football Mike Davies resigned after eighteen months in charge of team affairs. The club received more than 50 applications when they advertised the full-time post. On 30 December the club announced the appointment of Craig Harrison as his replacement.

The team ended the year strongly with four wins and a draw, leaving them second at the end of first phase of the season.

Phase one

Phase Two

After a disappointing home defeat to Neath, two away wins saw the team keep up the preasure on league leaders Bangor City. The beginning of March saw the first home league win of the second phase with a home win against Bala Town. The following week saw an away victory over leaders Bangor, and the club moving to the top of the table. The remainder of the season, saw the club win three of the next four games, with a final day of the season match against second placed Bangor City for the second consecutive season. This time they won the final game with a comprehensive 5-0 win, resulting in them being crowned champions for the sixth time.

Results by round

League position

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

  Champion   Runner-up   Top 6   Play-off   Relegated

UEFA Europa League

The club entered the Europa League in the first qualifying round as a result of having been runners-up of the Welsh Premier League in the 2010-11 season. In the first round they were drawn against Northern Irish side Cliftonville, drawing the first leg at home before winning away 1-0, progressing 2-1 on aggregate. In the second qualifying round they played Danish club Midtjylland losing both times; 3-1 at home and 5-2 away.

Welsh Cup

The club were drawn against reigning Welsh League champions Bryntirion Athletic in the third round of the FAW Welsh Cup, a game the which saw a comfortable victory. In the next round the club were drawn against Newport County. County were forced to play a youth team as their first team were playing league game at the same time in Gateshead. As a result, the Saints ran out 4–0 winners. A narrow victory over fellow full-time club Neath saw them progress to the semi-finals where they played Bala Town, securing a comfortable 4-0 win. In progressing to the final against Cefn Druids, they had cleared each round without conceding a goal. The club completed their second league and club double with a 2-0 win on 5 May.

Welsh League Cup

The club received a bye in the first round as the holders of the competition. After a 3-1 aggregate victory over Airbus UK Broughton, they were drawn against Newtown in the regionally focused two leg semi-final. After leading the home leg 3-0, then conceded two goals. In the second leg, Newtown scored a late goal, therefore winning on away goals.

Season goalscorers