There will be more European history made for the game in Wales when The New Saints become the first domestic club to participate in the prestigious UEFA Youth League as they head to Lithuania to take on FK Žalgiris on Wednesday 18 September (5pm).
With The New Saints already making history this season by qualifying for the league phase of the UEFA Conference League, the expansion of the UEFA Youth League to include the domestic youth champions of all member associations has provided the club with an additional European adventure.
“The club is in a fantastic place at the moment and I think it’s only going to get better and better,” explained U19 Head Coach Simon Spender. “To see the excitement on all the lads’ faces knowing that they’re going to play in this competition, it’s unbelievable.”
A former Wrexham and Cymru U21 defender, Spender won 14 major honours as a player with The New Saints and represented the club a number of times in Europe. Combining his role with that of first team coach, he has already gained some insight into what his U19 team can expect in Lithuania.
“The stadium is actually the one that the first team played in a few weeks ago and won 3-0 (against FK Panevėžys). The pitch and the stadium are really nice. There’s plenty of things to do there – walks, coffee shops etc, so I’m sure the players will enjoy it.”
FK Žalgiris are entering the UEFA Youth League for the third time having previously competed at this level in 2021 and 2022, but scouting their opponents has proved challenging.
“It’s actually so hard to find information about them,” Spender explained. “We’ve been working on ourselves really, and with the success we had last year, hopefully the lads can push on again.
“We’re mainly just focusing on ourselves and ways that we can hurt them. It’s going to be an unbelievable experience and I’m enjoying every minute of it at the moment. Hopefully we get through and we can then test ourselves against some of the biggest clubs in the world.”
The second leg will take place at Park Hall in a fortnight, and there is a huge incentive as Manchester United await the winners in the next round. However, Spender was keen to stay focused on the immediate challenge ahead.
“They need to enjoy it and also perform as well because you’re not going to get many chances to play in games like this,” he added. “We’re just trying to keep that excitement down, realise that we are there to do a job, and don’t let the pressure of the occasion get to you. If we perform how we have done over the last few years I think we’ll be fine, and we’ll have a very good chance of going through.
“Obviously if we do go through, we get Manchester United, and to be honest there’s no one bigger. I played for The New Saints for a number of years and I had some great success, but when it comes to managing the emotions are completely different.
“You have the ups and downs and it’s a bit of a whirlwind, but I’m enjoying every second of it. Probably the hardest thing for us was actually picking a squad. We’ve got quite a few players so a few of them have had to miss out, which is obviously part of football. But if we do get through then those lads can still be involved and they can play a part further down the line.”
The New Saints became champions of the Cymru Premier Development League for the first time with a convincing 4-1 win over Haverfordwest County at the National Final in Newtown back in May to qualify for the UEFA Youth League. Prior to that they lifted the Development League North title with a perfect record, but a very different challenge now awaits in Lithuania.
“You get to test yourself against other players and other clubs and see exactly what that standard is like,” Spender added. “Most of these players will never play football outside of Britain, so this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to actually go and play football in a different country.”
Over 150 players currently represent The New Saints Academy with teams ranging from U8 to U19, and it has been awarded Category A status, the highest in Wales, for the outstanding level of provision it provides.
“We take immense pride in developing some of the finest talents in the country,” said chairman Mike Harris to the club website. “To be able to fly the flag against some of the biggest clubs in Europe will continue to ensure we lead the way in our academy provision. We’ve worked incredibly hard to get our academy to the point where it can sit alongside some of the best in Europe.”
Meanwhile, Spender believes the expansion of the UEFA Youth League to include all member associations will strengthen the Cymru Development League as a whole in the same way that European football acts as a carrot to attract players to the JD Cymru Premier.
“It’s a big thing for the younger lads who’ve actually missed out,” he explained. “The way we will look at it now is if you win the league this year, then your opportunity will be next year. It’s massive for all the clubs in Wales now and will attract a lot more players and improve the overall standard. There’s a massive opportunity for players to come to Wales and potentially play in one of the best youth competitions in the world.”
