Cardiff Met students one game away from making history
WHILE Manchester United battled for a place in the Europa League final last night, a Welsh university team is dreaming of lining up in next year’s competition.
The students of Cardiff Metropolitan University have enough on their plate at this time of year, with exams and course work piling up.
But after a breakthrough season for Cardiff Met FC in the Welsh Premier League — in which they finished sixth — the team now stand on the brink of something extraordinary.
The teams finishing third to seventh in the WPL play off for a Europa League slot, with league winners TNS getting into the Champions League qualification stage and second-placed Connah’s Quay qualifying automatically for the Europa League.
And, after beating fifth-placed Carmarthen Town last week, Met now take on Bangor City tomorrow with a place in the Europa League at stake.
It would be the first time a university side has ever qualified for European football, with Rangers and Aberdeen among the sides Met could face if they beat Bangor in North Wales this weekend.
Quite an achievement for a team comprising students, who have to pay (for their kit) rather than get paid — unlike most of their Welsh Premier League counterparts.
“We don’t play anybody except students,” said director of football Christian Edwards, who oversaw the club’s promotion into the Welsh top tier last season and handed managerial reins to former Sheffield United striker Wayne Allison this campaign.
Edwards and Allison watched their side claim a dramatic late 2-1 victory at Carmarthen last week to put Cardiff Met on the brink of an historical achievement.
Adam Roscrow levelled for Cardiff Met shortly after Liam Griffiths scored for Carmarthen in the 48th minute, but it was Charlie Corsby’s 93rd-minute winner which put the students on the brink of something special.
And former Swansea and Wales defender Edwards couldn’t be prouder of his down-to-earth student stars following their dream run.
“They don’t get paid and they have to each pay £150 per year to play for the club to fund their kit and match days,” he added.
“These are genuine students who apply to come here, but we have tried to create a professional atmosphere.
“I got sent some information this week about the clubs in the draw if we win: Rangers, Aberdeen, Maccabi Tel Aviv, AIK Stockholm and Dinamo Minsk.
“But we have to concentrate on Bangor first.”
Cardiff Met take on Bangor City at Bangor University Stadium at 5.15pm tomorrow, live on S4C.