The New Saints Embark on Historic UEFA Conference League Campaign

The New Saints (TNS), a club with a storied history in Welsh football, have made a significant mark by becoming the first team from Wales’ pyramid to advance to the group stage of a European competition. Under the management of Craig Harrison, TNS recently faced Italian club Fiorentina in their opening match of the UEFA Conference League group stages, held in Florence. Although TNS lost 2-0, the performance was seen as a respectable display against formidable opponents.

Post-match, TNS manager Craig Harrison expressed pride in his team’s debut performance at this level of competition. “It doesn’t sound quite right to feel slightly disappointed at losing 2-0 at the competition’s beaten finalists of the past two seasons,” Harrison commented. He further explained, “What supersedes that is how extremely proud I am of the players, staff, and everyone involved because we’ve come to a massive football club – bigger than we’ve ever played before – and put in an extremely professional performance.”

TNS fans and chairman Mike Harris reveled in the memorable experience, enjoying the camaraderie shared among the traveling supporters. TNS’s journey to this stage has spanned 86 qualifying ties over 27 years, highlighting the club’s perseverance and evolution on the European stage.

Up next for TNS is a match against Astana. Their group stage schedule also includes fixtures against Shamrock Rovers, Djurgardens of Sweden, Greek club Panathinaikos, and Celje from Slovenia. As Welsh Premier League representatives, Harrison emphasized the club’s duty to improve perceptions and standards within Welsh football, aiming to showcase the league’s competitiveness on a grander scale.

Striker Declan McManus, who has experience in Scotland and England’s League One, supported Harrison’s views, stating, “For outsiders looking in, it’s probably easy to say it’s not much of a league, but tonight’s shown it’s not the case and it should do wonders for the league.”

Despite their initial defeat, optimism remains high within the TNS camp. Harrison noted the possibility of amassing enough points to advance to the knockout stages. For much of their match against Fiorentina, TNS exhibited resilience, maintaining a level of play that spurred optimism despite being up against a team with a rich European history.

Harrison believes that lessons learned from previous European encounters, notably their Champions League qualifier against Hungary’s Ferencvaros, have strengthened the team. This experience is propelling TNS’s development, as they adapt their tactics to match the demands of European competition.

As TNS prepare for their forthcoming group fixtures, they remain determined to show that their aspirations extend beyond merely participating. The team aims to make an impact, continuing to raise the profile of Welsh football on the European stage.