BALA TOWN coach Ryan Valentine believes Connah’s Quay Nomads breaking The New Saints’ stranglehold in the top-flight has given other teams hope that they can win the Cymru Premier title.

Andy Morrison’s side were crowned champions when the 2019-20 campaign was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, ending the dominance of the Park Hall outfit who won the title the previous eight seasons.

It is no surprise to see the duo challenging at the top of the table once again but Bala Town themselves are currently sat in third place.

Before switching to play for the Maes Tegid club in 2013, Valentine was an English Football League regular who played more than 300 games for Darlington, Wrexham, Hereford and AFC Telford.

He made the switch into coaching after going on his UEFA A Licence and is now First Team Coach with Bala.

He says he's delighted that the club have put themselves in the frame once again.

“You have got Connah’s Quay and TNS who are always up there and it is not trying to stay on their tails but break the monopoly of them winning every season,” said Valentine. “It is still tight and it is all to play for.

“Even when TNS were winning the league before Connah’s Quay won it last season, the aim for us was always to get into Europe or even challenge for the title.

“Once it was broken by Connah’s Quay, you do think ‘they have done it so why can’t we? There is no reason why we can’t go and do it this season.”

Valentine believes the league, which will split in April, is as competitive as it has ever been with teams in the bottom half of the table showing they can mix it with the best.

“Even the part-time clubs in the league are trying to do everything they can to close the gap and become more professional,” said Valentine.

“Not just on the training pitch and match day, people behind the scenes and everything. That can only be better for everyone else who is trying to challenge TNS and Connah’s Quay; for the whole league in general.”