The Historic Stint of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club's New Champions, The Saints, is Unfolding
Remember this name, it's a laugh: The footballers from The New Saints of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club are throwing a massive European Cup bash and scoring a first in Welsh club football history.
Welsh club football hasn't shone brightly on the European stage, but that's all changed with The New Saints breaking new ground. This top-tier club is the first from Wales to secure a spot in the group or league phase of a European Cup, an accomplishment even international competitors like the Welsh national team haven't achieved.
In the Conference League playoffs, they overcame a stubborn Lithuanian side, FK Panevezys, with a 0:0 draw in the return leg at home, adding to their 3:0 win in Lithuania. This minor triumph guaranteed their entry into league games.
The New Saints, with a full name of "The New Saints of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club," have been flirting with European Cup competitions since their debut in 1996. While they've ventured into qualifying rounds periodically, they've never quite made it to the league phase until now.
However, past attempts weren't successful. They bowed out in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers and then in the Europa League qualifiers against Romanian side Petrocub Hincesti. But this time, third time's a charm in the lower division.
Following Wales' success, their Northern Irish neighbors also clinched a group phase spot: Larne FC defeated Lincoln Red Imps from Gibraltar with a close 3:1 scoreline in the return leg, making it Northern Ireland's first ever European Cup group phase qualification.
Just four out of UEFA's 55 associations haven't qualified a club for a European Cup group phase: Andorra, Malta, Montenegro, and San Marino. UE Santa Coloma from Andorra faced off against Iceland's Vikingur Reykjavik in the final qualifying round, but they came up short once again. Lincoln Red Imps had already put Gibraltar on the European group phase map in 2021.
The New Saints' European Cup triumph in securing a league phase spot is causing a buzz in Soccer circles, with fans looking forward to their group stage matches. With this achievement, Soccer history in Wales is being rewritten.
