One of the greatest things about football is the friendships you make – and that’s certainly true for Taffs Well, who have launched a formal Friendship Affiliation with Finnish club RIPS Riihimaki.
After the Cymru v Finland match in March 2024, a group of travelling fans headed to the Wellmen the following night, with their committed support enlivening the atmosphere.
And Taffs Well and RIPS Riihimaki began discussions to share ideas about how they could work together in the future, and the talks were a roaring success. In fact, they got on so well they wanted to make it official.
The two clubs have now announced their plans for the new partnership, including hosting exchange visits on both sides and organising friendly matches.
Taffs Well chairman Kevin Francis said: “We believe RIPS is an ideal club to partner with, as they share our passion for football on the pitch and our commitment to the community off the pitch.
“Their generosity and camaraderie during their visits has been incredible, and we built an instant friendship between our supporters. Both clubs are dedicated to supporting youth players, and although we may not currently be the biggest clubs in the world, we experience the same passion for supporting our teams.
“This partnership embodies the spirit of mutual respect and we look forward to our visits in the future – and to promoting Finnish football to the Welsh football family and hopefully gaining some Finnish supporters along the way.”
