Looking ahead to the prospects for our North Wales JD Cymru Premier clubs in Europe this week, based on past performances Bala Town and Connah’s Quay Nomads have good reasons to feel optimistic.
Bala embark on their ninth European campaign as they travel to Estonia to take on Paide Linnameeskond.
Although Town have won just the one Euro tie, they have been victorious in five games and never lost by more than 3-0.
Nomads enter European competition for the eighth time, having won four games and two ties.
They famously knocked SPL side Kilmarnock out of the Europa League in 2019-20, and in their very first adventure in 2016-17 saw off Stabaek of Norway over two legs.
Like Bala, the Quay have been very sound defensively in Europe, never losing a game by more than three goals.
For Caernarfon Town, this week represents a debut in European competition.
Many thanks to faw.cymru for their help with this article.
The only Welsh team flying abroad for their first leg in Europe will be JD Welsh Cup holders Connah’s Quay Nomads, who travel to Slovenia to face NK Bravo at the ZSB Ljubljana Stadium on Thursday night.
This will be The Nomads’ third UEFA Conference League campaign, and they will be eager to avenge their 2021 and 2023 heartbreak by progressing in the competition for the first time.
Nomads recently said goodbye to two of last season’s standout performers Andy Firth and Josh Williams, but manager Neil Gibson has found perfect replacements in former Cymru U21 international George Ratcliffe and experienced midfielder Ben Maher.
Chris Marriott, the most decorated player in JD Cymru Premier history, has also put pen to paper for The Nomads after his departure from TNS, while their attacking ranks have been boosted by the returning Anderson Pinto and former Haverfordwest County striker Elliot Dugan.
It has been a goal-heavy pre-season for Neil Gibson’s Nomads side so far, as they have lost 3-2 to fellow European participants Caernarfon Town and won 4-3 against Flint Mountain.
NK Bravo finished fourth in the Slovenian PrvaLiga last season and were awarded a place in the Conference League after cup winners NK Rogaška were rejected for a UEFA licence.
This will be their European debut in any competition, but recent form suggests Bravo will be a tricky opponent.
They are unbeaten in all competitions since April and have picked up pre-season victories over FC Spartak Trnava and more notably, FK Partizan, who the Nomads lost out to in the 2019-20 Europa League.
Bravo’s young and talented side features striker Matej Poplatnik, who made his debut for the Slovenian national team in a friendly against USA back in January. Defender Matija Kavčič also sparkled for Bravo last season, grabbing the joint most assists in the league.
2016/17
Stabaek (h – EL) 0-0
Stabaek (a – EL) 1-0 (Callum Morris)
FK Vojvodina (a – EL) 0-1
FK Vojvodina (h – EL) 1-2 (Mike Wilde)
2017/18
HJK Helsinki (h – EL) 1-0 (Nathan Woolfe)
HJK Helsinki (a – EL) 0-3
2018/19
FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk (h – EL) 1-3 (Callum Morris pen)
FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk (a – EL) 0-2
2019/20
Kilmarnock (h – EL) 1-2 (Greg Taylor OG)
Kilmarnock (a – EL) 2-0 (Ryan Wignall, Callum Morris pen)
Partizan (h – EL) 0-1
Partizan (a – EL) 0-3
2020/21
Sarajevo (h-CL) 0-2
Dinamo Tbilisi (h-EL) 0-1
2021-22
Alashkert (h-CL) 2-2 (Craig Curran, George Horan)
Alashkert (a-CLi 0-1 (aet)
Prishtina (h-ECL) 4-2 (Jamie Insall 2, George Horan, Callum Morris pen)
Prishtina (a-ECL) 1-4 (Tom Moore)
2023-24
KA (h-ECL) 0-2
KA (a-ECL) 0-2
Caernarfon were the last JD Cymru Premier club to book their place in Europe after defeating Penybont in the play-off final.
The Cofis will play their first ever match in Europe as they host Northern Irish side Crusaders at a sold out Nantporth Stadium on Thursday in the Europa Conference League first qualifying round first leg.
Richard Davies’ side have already faced Northern Irish opposition in pre-season as they visited and beat Cliftonville at the end of June, while they have also tested themselves against last season’s Cymru Premier top two The New Saints and Connah’s Quay Nomads.
Sion Bradley’s departure to TNS is undoubtedly a blow for the Cofis, but their squad has been bolstered by the arrivals of Matty Hill, Ryan Sears, Matty Jones, Paulo Mendes, Sam Downey and Stephen McMillan.
Like Caernarfon, Crusaders also qualified for the Europa Conference League through the play-offs as a stoppage time winner secured a 3-2 win over Coleraine.
This will be Crusaders’ third consecutive season in the Europa Conference League and they have progressed to the second qualifying round in their last two campaigns.
The Irish side are experienced Euro campaigners with a record dating back to the 1960’s of: Played 54 won 9 drawn 11, lost 34.
They have participated in the Uefa Champions League, Uefa Europa League, Uefa Conference League and European Cup Winners’ Cup
Manager Stephen Baxter left his position at the end of last season following 19 years in the dugout, with the club’s former midfielder Declan Caddell now in charge.
Veteran midfielder Robbie Weir has nearly 300 English Football League appearances to his name, while Scotland U19 international Kieran Offord has signed on loan from St Mirren this summer.
Bala Town will have fond memories of past Estonian opposition as they take on Paide Linnameeskond from that country this week.
The Lakesiders’ first-ever Euro game back in 2013-14 saw them defeat FC Levadia 1-0 at Rhyl. Town lost the return 3-1.
Colin Caton’s side face Paide at Park Hall in the Conference League first qualifying round first leg on Thursday night.
Familiar faces Louis Robles and Lassana Mendes have returned to Maes Tegid this summer, with full-back Alex Downes joining from Colwyn Bay and goalkeeper Joel Torrance switching from EFL League Two side Salford City.
In pre-season, the Lakesides have tested themselves against Pwllheli and Northern Irish side Larne, who they were beaten by in the 2021-22 Europa Conference League first qualifying round.
Paide, who are currently in the middle of their Premium Liiga season in Estonia, have participated in the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds in every season since the competition’s formation in 2021.
Their best run came in the summer of 2022 as they reached the third qualifying round before being outclassed by Belgian giants Anderlecht.
Experienced striker Henrik Ojamaa has 63 caps for the Estonian national team and his attacking team-mate Thomas Agyepong spent seven years at Manchester City but did not make an appearance.
2013/14
FC Levadia (h – EL) 1-0 (Ian Sheridan)
FC Levadia (a – EL) 1-3 (Ryan Jones)
2015/16
FC Differdange 03 (a – EL) 1-3 (Ian Sheridan)
FC Differdange 03 (h – EL) 2-1 (Conall Murtagh, Ian Sheridan)
2016/17
AIK Solna (a – EL) 0-2
AIK Solna (h – EL) 0-2
2017/18
FC Vaduz (h – EL) 1-2 (Chris Venables)
FC Vaduz (a – EL) 0-3
2018/19
Tre Fiori (h – EL) 1-0 (Nathan Burke)
Tre Fiori (a – EL) 0-3
2020/21
Valletta (a-EL) 1–0 (Chris Venables)
Standard Liège (A-EL) 0–2
2021/22
Larne (h-ECL) 0-1
Larne (a-ECL) 0-1
2022/23
Sligo Rovers (h-EL) 1–2 (Lassana Mendes)
Sligo Rovers (a-EL) 1-0 (aet – David Edwards). Aggregate 2-2 (Sligo won 4-3 pens)
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