WALES' first football club has confirmed it will now press ahead with becoming a fully fledged English club.

Llanymynech Football Club will follow in the footsteps of Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County, Wrexham and Merthyr Town in English pyramid football next season after the Football Association of Wales (FAW) gave the club then green light.

However the FAW and FA have confirmed any move across the border would be permanent for the border club whose original formation in 1858 was the first of its kind in Wales.

A club statement read: "The club have received a promising update from the FAW on behalf of them and the FA to say that our application to play in a cross border competition was not required and we do not have to obtain further permission from UEFA and FIFA.

"Both associations have recognised that this would however be a permanent move to England and would thereby be terminating any affiliation with the FAW.

"The club board have subsequently made final confirmation that we wish to make a permanent move to England and wish to end all affiliation in Wales."

The club expects to be placed in the Salop Shropshire League and confirmed their application had entered "advanced stages".

The club's under 18s side has also been offered a place in the Shropshire Junior League in 2023/24.

The statement added: "The move will allow us to create a clear pathway for our players to develop from their first steps in football all the way to senior representation within a competition framework that will offer year on year progression.

"We thank both national associations for their time and consideration of our application as well as the Shropshire FA for their offer of participation.

"We also want to thanks all our players for their renewed commitment to what promises to be an exciting new era and a special thank you is owed to our supporters for their support during a particularly challenging period.

"We await what will now be an exciting summer period of preparation for a new era which will see us go from strength to strength."

The club's departure represents the latest hammer blow to the JT Hughes Montgomeryshire League which faces an uncertain future unless more clubs join this summer.

Membership has shrunk to less than a handful of clubs since the FAW's reorganisation of the pyramid in 2020.

The club spokesman added: "The club would like to place on record our gratitude to the officers of the Montgomeryshire League.

"It has been a privilege to enjoy the last decade of loval football in what is a fantastic league for grassroots clubs and players to enjoy and thrive,

"This move was no reflection on our good feelings towards playing in the Montgomeryshire League and hopefully our hosting of the league cup final will be a fitting farewell from us."