Why The New Saints' landmark win meant so much

A milestone win in a major European competition.

The triumph over Astana might not send shockwaves through football, but try telling The New Saints a first ever win for a Welsh league side at this level did not matter.

For a whole host of reasons and ramifications too.

The landmark nature of the victory is one thing, as goals from Rory Holden and Declan McManus made sure of a maiden Uefa Conference League win.

But TNS’ success in their temporary home of Shrewsbury carried a far greater significance than just being a footnote in history, for what it meant to the players, the bank balance, the chances of progress – and the whole of Welsh football too.

There was no shortage of emotion at the final whistle. Unsurprisingly so given that, for all the domestic success, this level had long eluded the 16-time Welsh champions.

But after the romanticism of beginning their groundbreaking first campaign at a European group stage away to Fiorentina, this was the realism of needing a result.

Although Opta had last month predicted it would take nine points to have a good chance of reaching the play-offs in the revamped Champions League, TNS manager Craig Harrison believed it was different in the Conference League.

Although the format is the same – 36 teams, eight qualifying automatically and the next 16 into the play-offs – Harrison revealed before the game his staff had done their own statistical analysis.

“We think that seven points may be enough to qualify with a good goal difference,” said Harrison after collecting the first three of his target. “There will be some so-called minnows in this competition who will get beat by four or five. We lost 2-0 in Fiorentina and that could be the difference between getting through to the top 24.

"I think seven points and a good goal difference will do. Eight points definitely. If we get seven points we'd be really disappointed if we didn't make that top 24."

With so many teams and so little between them after two matchdays, it is hard to see whether the sums will add up.

But, if he is right, then their remaining four fixtures suddenly look like there is a chance of knock-out football few would have predicted. After facing two sides seeded above them, it is a trip to fellow pot four side Shamrock Rovers next (7 November) and a home tie with Sweden’s Djurgarden (28 November), before the group wraps up with winless fifth seeds Panathinaikos and then bottom pot side Celje in Slovenia.

This was the club’s 88th game of European football since first playing in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996.

Back then the club were still part-timers from the village of Llansantffraid and for many years after the games were a bonus on top of domestic success.

Even after the achievement of getting to the group stage, TNS are keen to prove a point.

“We’re showing we can compete,” said striker McManus. “For a large spell in Italy we held a two-time finalist. That showed a lot of people we are here to seriously take part and try and put a marker down.

“And you’ve got to dream we can go on - we’ve dreamt since the moment we qualified. We didn’t just want to come and take part, we don’t want to make up the numbers, we want to go as far as we can and this is a huge step towards it.”

Added Harrison: “There’s a lot of people who said we’d be lucky to get a point. If they want to keep treating us like that, it’s not a problem, I prefer it under the radar - we’ll just keep working hard and doing what we do.”

The Cymru Premier has often been questioned and criticised for its standard.

“Everyone says Wales is a little league so doesn’t get much coverage,” said captain Danny Redmond. “But this has put the spotlight on the league and shows what can be done."

Many in the dressing room are keen to show their worth by making the most of the European spotlight, Brad Young’s eye-catching move to the Saudi Pro-League underlining the opportunities.

Goalkeeper Connor Roberts – who followed up a superb performance in Florence with another couple of good saves here – has even had some people discussing whether he should be in the Wales conversation given the dearth of regular games for Craig Bellamy’s options.

“There’s dreams and then there’s dreams - it’s a heck of a long shot,” laughed the former Under-21 international, once called into Chris Coleman’s squad in 2014. “I know two of the boys in Adam Davies and Danny Ward and they’re top cats. There’s dreams, but I’m the wrong side of 30 maybe for that now. But it’s nice to get that little bit of recognition.”

One thing for certain from this run is the financial boost.

The club have banked around 5m euros from reaching the group stage. The Astana win alone – and any subsequent win – a further 400,000 euros.

Small fry for some, key figures even for the biggest-spenders in the Welsh system.

Although they did have to spend on taking the game to Shrewsbury – getting Uefa permission to play outside of Wales when fixture clashes over the course of the campaign prevented games at either Wrexham or Cardiff – much will be invested.

“The focus has to be around the team and the quality on the pitch because that drives everything within the club, it’s at heart of everything we do,” said chief operating office Ian Williams.

“But infrastructure is important too. We want to get to a stage where our own stadium can host these matches, not just qualifiers. Other aspects too like the academy and our women’s team who have gone semi-pro.”

As well as boosting the profile of the Cymru Premier, the win has also boosted its coefficient points.

Welsh sides’ performances in Europe in recent years had cost them a place in next year’s competitions, with only three on offer from the domestic system.

It appears that this victory has ensured that will revert back to four from 2026. TNS may not be the most popular club in the country after so much domination, but the flag-bearers will have been toasted by fans all over Wales on Thursday night.