I headed west on a miserable, grey, drizzle ridden day with a temperature of just 6 degrees. I was headed for Shrewsbury, where ‘The New Saints’ were playing Panathinaikos in their latest European Conference League game. £16 had secured me a ticket, a lot less than other UK clubs playing in Europe. The game was being played in Shrewsbury due to the fact that their ground in Oswestry did not meet the UEFA standards, Shrewsbury FC is only 21 miles from TNS’s ground.
TNS are the first football team from Wales ever to reach a European Group stage of a European trophy and capped that achievement by winning one of their league games at home to Astana.
Others would argue that Swansea sitting 9th in the English Championship, Cardiff 22nd, Wrexham 2nd in League 1, Newport County 17th in League 2 and Merthyr Town top of the Southern League Premier Division South all play at a higher level. For me, these are just outliers as unless they spend billions of pounds, they are never going to compete in Europe when TNS are doing it now. The Cymru league offers a pathway that playing in the English Leagues never will.
The history of TNS goes back over 150 years when in 1860 Oswestry Town Fc were formed, but it was their merger with Llansantffraid that forged todays club. llansantffraid had been successful in climbing the Welsh Leagues to enter the Premier League and changed their name to Total Network Solutions in 1997 due to a worthwhile sponsorship deal. They first qualified for European football in 2000. The merger with Oswestry was completed in 2003, and the name of The New Saints was adopted in 2006 when the sponsors company was sold. They have stayed near or at the top of their league ever since. Although they have developed a very good ground with other sporting and leisure facilities it is not big enough for their European nights.
Panathinaikos based in Athens, were founded inn 1908 and throughout their history have been considered one of two leading teams in Greece having won numerous national leagues and cups and being European football finalists.
The New Saints 0 Panathinaikos 2
Thursday 12th December 2024, Kick off 20.00 pm. UEFA Conference League
The Crowd Meadow, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ST
The Saints v Panathenians TNS 2nd in their League, Panathinaikos 4th in theirs.
TNS; Green and White hooped shirts with white sleeved shirts and green shorts. Goalkeeper in all orange.
Panathinaikos; Royal blue shirts and shorts that had a purple hue under the lights with a green dart on the shorts. Goalkeeper in all pink.
Panathinaikos had brought a good contingent of fans with them who kept singing and chanting all game.
The Shrewsbury stadium is modern with covered seating on all four sides with a flat grass pitch that has hardly been cut up at this point of the season. The drizzle of the day had luckily stopped for the game.
Panathinaikos played a very pleasing controlled game across the back of their defence, then suddenly trying to break the well drilled TNS defence. TNS suffered a blow after only 11 minutes when one of their central defenders had to be subbed for what looked like a leg injury. Four minutes later the TNS keeper Connor Roberts, made a fantastic left handed save but almost immediately he was called to save again, this time with an outstretched leg from point blank range, only for it to rebound to Duricic to knock it into the net. TNS looked like they would comfortably hold out until half time but Connor Roberts was again asked to perform heroics with a save at the near post just before half time. The half time score of one nil to the visitors meant the game was still all to play for.
Panathinaikos started the second half well and had good chances to increase their lead, which they did from the penalty spot on 61 minutes after one of their forwards was upended in the area. It was Ioannidis who coolly despatched the ball into the left hand side of the goal.
TNS showed a few flashes of attacking intent but never really threatened the Panathinaikos team that was sprinkled with a majority of international players.
A thoroughly enjoyable game for the 5716, and still the faintest chance of TNS staying in the competition if they win their last game.
Unfortunately no chips, but a great food offering.
N.B.
Football in Wales looks like growing in strength with the expandeded Cymru Premiership for the 2026/27 season sharpening competition next year. With more teams upgrading their facilities to be able to apply for the Premier League the supporters should get an enhanced experience.
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