The last time that The New Saints won the treble in 2016, it was Ryan Brobbel who played a part in securing it with a goal in the JD Welsh Cup final to help defeat Airbus 2-0.
Nine years on, Brobbel is one of only two members of the playing squad that season – along with Adrian Cieslewicz – who remains at Park Hall as they aim to complete another treble in Sunday’s JD Welsh Cup final against Connah’s Quay Nomads.
It is a repeat of last season’s final, when the Nomads denied TNS the treble with a surprise 2-1 win at Rodney Parade. Brobbel came on as a second half substitute but could not turn the tide for the Saints.
2025 JD Welsh Cup Final
However, the JD Welsh Cup final has generally been a happy hunting ground for the former Middlesbrough winger, who has five previous goals in finals and is aiming to lift the trophy for the fifth time.
“This is my seventh final, I’ve won four and lost two,” Brobbel said as he sat down with FAW.cymru this week.
“I’ve managed to grab a few goals in a few of the finals, my first one was at Wrexham against Airbus, then I managed to get a double against Connah’s Quay at Cefn Druids and a double against Bala Town two years ago. So, I’ve had some good luck in the Final, and the ones that you win, you obviously remember more.”
Despite the contrasting fortunes between the Saints and Connah’s Quay in the JD Cymru Premier this season, Brobbel has accumulated enough wisdom during his decade’s worth of experience in Welsh football to know the Nomads will still pose a threat at Rodney Parade.
“They’ll be raring to keep their hands on the trophy,” he said. “It’s a good stadium at Newport, there should be a good crowd and I’m looking forward to it.
“Connah’s Quay have been our biggest rivals over the last couple of seasons. They fell off a little this season for different reasons and didn’t get into the top-six, but this is their chance to try and get into Europe.
“They’re going to be bang up for it and managed to get the result against us last year and we were really disappointed. We’re definitely going there this year to win it.
“When I first came into the league you could pick who the best teams were pretty much at the start of the season but now it’s a lot more difficult. The other teams are getting better players all the time and the standard is just rising and rising.”
