Evans’ football ambitions haven’t always gone down well with his
family, who have a farm in mid-Wales. “I grew up as a farmer – I’d
play football in the garden, and my dad would always drag me out to
do something with the cows or tidy the barn,” smiles the 21-year-old.
“I’ve been kicked by multiple cows, and chased sheep around for hours
on end. I’ve had a cow poo all over me while I was milking it. I didn’t
see myself playing in the Europa League back then!”
Cardiff Met go into the game against Niederkorn as underdogs – the
Luxembourg outfit beat Rangers two years ago. That isn’t deterring
assistant manager Robyn Jones, part of the Sutton United team that
once pulled off an FA Cup giant-killing against Coventry City, although
he doesn’t talk to the Cardiff Met players about that particular game.
“I don’t think any of them were alive then, it was 1989!” he says. “But
there are always surprise results. I’m living proof of that. They’re more
than just a bunch of students. They’re good footballers, and Christian
brings a massive amount of energy with the standards he demands.”
As he prepares for the club’s Europa League debut, it’s hard not to
be impressed by the job Edwards has done. Forward Adam Roscrow
recently joined AFC Wimbledon, so could the manager follow in the
footsteps of Paul Tisdale, who progressed from a university job with
Team Bath to become a Football League manager?
“I would be a liar if I said I didn’t want to be one, but I’m not good
enough and I know that,” insists Edwards, even if the evidence might
suggest otherwise. “Once my time at Cardiff Met is up, my coaching
career will be done. I’ll go and watch rugby again.”
We’re back at the team hotel on matchday, where friends and family
have started to arrive. Cardiff Met will have around 50 supporters at
the game, many of whom have driven to Luxembourg, just like FFT.
“I’m so proud to be here,” says Caroline Spencer, mother of forward
Dan Spencer, one of several players let go by a pro club as a youngster.
“When he was released by Bournemouth, it was gutting for all of us.
It’s a fairytale that he’s playing at this standard now.”
The squad have been for a daytime stroll around town and are now
sitting down to eat. They’ve arranged for the hotel chef to make their
usual pre-match meal: beans and eggs, to the perplexion of the cook.
It’s not a traditional delicacy in Luxembourg.
“Let’s start thinking about what we have to do,” says Edwards as he
addresses his players. “We’re not here for a circus, to sit in the sun
and have a laugh. It’s great that people are talking about Love Island,
but we’re not actually going to Love Island. We’re here to do a job.”
The players are soon making the short coach journey to the stadium,
where UEFA flags fly alongside those of Luxembourg and Wales. Now
it all seems very real – Cardiff Met’s European bow awaits.
The 2020 Europa League Final is 24 games away in Gdansk, though
no one is expecting Cardiff Met to get anywhere near that far. If they
can beat Progres Niederkorn, they’ll play Cork City and then potentially
Rangers – a logistical operation way beyond anything the club have
ever had to deal with. Their home games attract around 250 people.
“We met the people from Rangers at the draw in Switzerland, and
they asked where we played our games,” says club chairman Graham
Haines. “When I said we play on the campus, they said, ‘Oh... er, how
many seats do you have?’ I told them 500, but said that if we played
Rangers, we’d attempt to host the game at the Cardiff City Stadium.”
Aided by prize money of £193,000 for European qualification, the
club have hired the 5,000-capacity Cardiff International Sports Stadium
for the second leg of this tie, with their campus venue falling short of
UEFA’s stadium requirements.
Niederkorn also can’t play at their home ground, hence why they’re
down the road in Differdange. They borrowed Luxembourg’s national
stadium when Rangers visited back in 2017, winning 2-0 to overturn
a first-leg deficit. Gers coach Pedro Caixinha was infamously pictured
stood in the middle of a bush post-match, debating with angry fans.
With trains frequently passing behind one goal, the Stade Municipal
boasts the world’s smallest big screen and only one stand of any size,
which has already been occupied by Niederkorn’s ultras. A drummer
is competing for volume against Ed Sheeran on the PA system, and
soon an audio clip of boxing announcer Michael Buffer declaring, “ARE
YOU READY?” bellows around the stadium as the two teams walk out.
Cardiff Met give Niederkorn a scare within seconds. Will Evans surges
into the area, but Andorran referee Luis Teixeira waves away penalty
appeals. Spencer also sends a first-half shot narrowly wide, but the
students’ game plan is more about hard-working containment. It’s
working surprisingly well: Niederkorn are dominating possession, and
ultras sound a police siren every time they win a corner, but visiting
goalkeeper Will Fuller is forced into only one save. The Welsh side’s
unity and organisation is obvious – this bunch of students have clearly
been well drilled, and they’re not short of physicality either.
FFT heads around to the tiny uncovered stand for the second half,
joining a group of Met fans, many of whom are past their first drink of
the evening. “I’m the club’s international scout,” says David O’Gorman.
“I used to coach the second team but moved to Germany, so Christian
said I could be his scout. I don’t actually do anything, to be honest!”
This is the first bit of international scouting he’s ever done, in fact.
David Warren travelled for 23 hours to be here, taking a night bus
to Brussels with his young son, who’s got permission to take two days
off school. “We couldn’t miss this,” he says.
Cardiff Met won’t be pulling off a shock win tonight – 17 minutes into
the second half, Mayron De Almeida heads home a right-wing cross to
put Niederkorn in front. But they don’t show many signs of adding to
their tally, and the visiting supporters are growing more buoyant. Like
any true citizens of Wales, a drop of alcohol has tempted them to go
through their song repertoire.
“Oh Charlie Corsby, you’ve saved my life, oh Charlie Corsby, I’ll let
you shag my wife...” they begin, launching into their own version of
Andy Williams’ Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. A full rendition of Tom Jones’
Delilah inevitably follows, before a spot of unsophisticated heckling.
“Skipper, you’re shit!” one shouts at Niederkorn captain Sebastien Thill.
Another fan has brought a cowbell, while a third waves a big Welsh
flag a little too close to the face of a moody steward, who doesn’t see
the funny side, snatching the flag and tossing it over a barrier.
The final whistle is greeted by proud applause from the Met faithful.
“I think Progres were surprised,” says Edwards. “I set up to frustrate
them, and we did. The boys were super and we’ve kept the tie alive.”
Cardiff Met may have lost 1-0, but Rangers lost 2-0 away two years
ago. “That’s definitely something to take back as a positive,” enthuses
Spencer. “It shows how much effort we’ve put in. People say we’re
punching above our weight, but we’ve shown the quality we have.”
For £150, it’s not been a bad experience. “I’d pay £300 to do it all
over again!” laughs Spencer. “I’d probably spend all my savings.”
“We’re a bunch of friends, playing together on one of the biggest
stages in Europe,” adds goalkeeper Fuller. “This has been incredible.”
A week later, Cardiff Met give Niederkorn a real fright in the second
leg. They go 2-0 up thanks to Jordan Lam and Dylan Rees efforts, but
Almeida strikes to send the Luxembourg side through on away goals.
The students’ first Europa League adventure consisted of just one
away trip, but they proved beyond all doubt they belonged in European
competition. It’s been the biggest educational experience they could
ever have asked for, and an achievement they can be proud of forever.
Given the club’s relentless progress, don’t be surprised if Cardiff Met
are back for a longer European tour next year.Chris Flanagan (@CFlanaganFFT) has been a staff writer since 2015Above and right
Niederkorn ultras
make a racket; as
their team go on
to seal a first-leg
lead Below Met
manager Edwards
debriefs his menCARDIFF
MET UNIFFT’S TRIP TO LUXEMBOURG
MILES DRIVEN: 703
ROUTE: London-Dover-Calais-Dunkirk-Lille-Mons-Charleroi-Arlon-
Differdange-Brussels-Gent-Bruges-Dunkirk-Calais-Dover-London
CAR PLAYLIST: Tom Grennan, Young Fathers, Welshly Arms,
Joseph J Jones, George Ezra, Saint PHNX, The Overslept, Vance
Joy, Smith & Thell, Alex Vargas, Bishop Briggs, Oh Wonder
76 September 2019 FourFourTwo