retired_frogchickie

I'm pretty sure Cardiff, etc would be able to qualify for Europe via the EPL. To all intents and purposes, they are english teams.

They used to be able to qualify for the Cup Winners Cup via the Welsh Cup because (like Liechtenstein) Wales had no professional league. When the League of Wales was formed, the English-based Welsh clubs were no longer able to qualify for Europe this way.

So, they don't even enter the Welsh Cup now, and that's why the FAW Premier Cup was established.

retired_ash2884

I did some digging around on the internet since I first asked this question, and apparently Cardiff requested official clarification on this very issue, and were told that they couldn't qualify for Europe. This leaves the Welsh 'English' clubs not route into Europe at all. Although I guess it would be contested should anyone actually do enough to qualify.

retired_ash2884

A section of an article from Swansea City's website:


But it all disappeared four years ago when UEFA banned any club outside the League of Wales from using the Welsh Cup as a route into Europe.

Merthyr, Newport and Colwyn Bay - who all chose to stay in English-based leagues - were also affected.

UEFA's argument is that all clubs have to play in their country's national league to qualify for Europe.

Otherwise, they claim, clubs across Europe could be tempted to seek qualification by hopping borders to play in the competitions of other countries. But the FAW have argued they should be made a special case and that either the traditional route of the Welsh Cup or the new Premier Cup should be open to all Welsh clubs, regardless of where they play league football.

After all, they point out, the Nationwide clubs have not suddenly upped sticks, but have been part of the English league for more than a century.

The FAW have also stressed to UEFA that the ban leaves the trio in limbo.

Even if giant-killers Wrexham battled all the way to Wembley and won the FA Cup, they would not be allowed to represent England in the UEFA Cup.

Dismayed FAW general secretary David Collins said: "Those three clubs are being barred on two fronts - but that doesn't seem to have held any sway with UEFA."

With the honourable exception of Barry Town, the European adventures of the rest of the League of Wales clubs have been a story of ritual slaughter, normally played out in front of tiny crowds.

Even though Celtic's fans swelled Cwmbran's gate to 9,000 at Ninian Park this season, a tie with Cardiff City would have doubled that figure.

The FAW have confirmed they are considering appealing to UEFA, but with no new facts to put before them it seems unlikely to succeed.

The only other way to get the European highway reopened would be for Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham to join the League of Wales.

But all three are aware that would be commercial suicide. Gates would be slashed and even with the prospect of regular European football they would probably be forced to go part-time.

Only by streamlining the League of Wales down to 12 clubs and attracting a major sponsor - along the lines of the Irish league - could a Welsh league hope to become an attractive proposition.

retired_frogchickie

Interesting. :thup: