After winning every single game on their way to lifting the Genero Adran North title last season, Connah’s Quay Nomads Women head into the new campaign with a clear focus:
Build on what worked, stay together, and go again.
The pain of missing out on promotion to the Genero Adran Premier still lingers, but there is now that extra motivation to go one step further once again.
Not much has changed in personnel, which shows the great character of all the squad, but there have been three top quality additions in Libby Mackenzie, Paris Schofield and Megan Galeandro, who have all proved themselves in the Welsh football system.
“For all the five seasons that I have been here, we have transitioned the team heavily,” said Parry. “Last season we not only transitioned with 13 players, but we gambled with a completely younger model and outlook of recruitment, and this will not be changing.
“Libby technically is so comfortable handling the ball in tight spaces, and her style fits perfectly with the way we want to play. Paris, our newest addition, was someone I admired all of last season. She was a key part of Llanfair’s success, and in my opinion, their best player. She has the physical, athletic and technical traits I look for in midfield.
“Megan is a player I have been aware of for a long time, and she scored against us last season for Stoke City. She is a forward thinking player with a keen eye for goal, which will help us going into the new campaign.”
While last season saw the Nomads Women win all 14 league games on their way to the trophy, the promotion play-off final defeat to Pontypridd United in April was a tough moment to take.
It was a harsh reminder of how fine the margins can be in football sometimes, but the squad have shown maturity and character in how they have responded so far in pre-season, and that is something that has not gone unnoticed by Parry.
“It has taken me some time to get my head around what really happened in the play-off final,” he said. “It would not be normal to not be disappointed, and I could go on for days and explore so many things in hindsight I could or should have done.
“However, now I am finally at peace with it all. We have had some amazing feedback, engagement and fight towards putting it right, and we aim to do that this season.”
With the Nomads sealing the title in emphatic fashion last season, there could have been a temptation to start thinking about silverware again, but Parry has been keen to keep his feet firmly on the ground.
An important message during pre-season has been to remember how great last season’s success was, but to also remember it cannot guarantee anything in.
“Winning every league game last season is something we will take into the new campaign,” Parry added. “However, we still know it is in the past now, and I feel we will be completely different this season. Teams around us are strengthening too, and we know everyone wants to beat the champions, and with that comes noise and pressure on them to beat us.
“I want my players to remember the joys of last season, but also to remember that we are right back to the drawing board, needing to earn every point. If we want to lift the title again, it’s important we aren’t complacent and remain hungry to achieve good things.
“Just like last season, our ambition for this young squad will be to achieve a top half finish, have a better run in cup competitions, and look no further than the first game.
“This team does not need any more pressure. We have absolutely no right to be speaking about league titles or play-off finals as it’s all a million miles away. For us, the first game is always the most important.”
The narrow promotion miss in April did see many players upset, but it has not stopped them from committing to another season of grind - one built not on sweeping changes, but on the strength of what is already in place.
The chemistry within the whole squad on and off the pitch is clear to see, and this has given our pre-season so far a more settled vibe, but also a higher level of intensity.
“The most important thing is that we retained the majority of our players when the season finished, and thankfully, we were able to retain 98% of them.
“We have great foundations to build on, so from a recruitment perspective, pre-season this time around has been easier and less challenging.
“The biggest change which flows through the group is another level of togetherness, experience and pain. It is important we remember that feeling going into every game. We are more determined than ever going into this season.”
The transition has already proved this side’s capabilities of lifting trophies and reaching play-off finals, but Parry expects a tighter Genero Adran North table this time around with many teams also recruiting well.
Now, with other clubs strengthening and the overall standard in the Genero Adran North rising each year, the path to success is looking tougher than ever. The growth of women’s football in North Wales has been helped by Cymru’s Euro 2025 qualification, and the enjoyment of football in the country is now felt at every level.
While league tables and results from last season suggested dominance in some sort, Parry points out the challenges each team caused, and expects even more, if not tougher tests this time around.
“The standard of the Adran North has got better every season, and it’s great to see the effect this has across the country.
“We are fully aware of the ins and outs of other clubs in our league. Obviously we were very proud of going unbeaten last season, but just looking at results online each week can have a false outlook on games. It doesn’t give the substance as to seeing it live and in the flesh.
“Every team posed a threat and caused us problems, so we have to respect that and prepare for what is to come. We switched off from the noise last season, focused just on ourselves and thrived off other teams wanting to beat us. That just comes with playing for Connah’s Quay Nomads and wearing our shirt. It happens across all sections of our club.”
The Nomads Women have already begun preparations for an exciting pre-season schedule, which gets underway on Sunday, 27 July as we host Mossley Hill at The Poppies 3G (2:00pm KO).
Date Published: Thursday, 17th July, 2025 - 10:10am by Adam Angerer
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