Twin town backed as Neymar awaits
It will be a David versus Goliath cup final – and when the footballing giants of Paris St Germain play third division minnows Les Herbiers in the French Cup Final there will be a town in our region rooting for them.
Les Herbiers, a small commune in Western France with a population of just 15,000, is twinned with Newtown.
Its football club beat Chambly to earn a place in a cup final with the French powerhouses.
Well wishers from all around the globe will be hoping they can do the impossible, and a host of those good luck messages will come from Newtown, which struck up a twinning association with Les Herbiers 21 years ago.
The Newtown Twinning Association has been back and forth across the channel ever since, with French visitors also making regular trips to Mid Wales as links strengthen year on year.
After the semi-final victory this week, Newtown’s association congratulated their French friends and are now hoping they can do the impossible.
Andrew Gentle, secretary of the association said: “We wish them all the best in the final and really hope they can go and win, it would be fantastic.
“We have had such strong links with Les Herbiers for 21 years now, and we are always looking to increase sporting links.
“We’ll be rooting for them that is for sure.”
Florian David and Ambroise Gboho had the freedom of Les Herbiers on Tuesday night after their goals sealed the minnows' passage to the final.
It will be nothing short of a miracle if they do overcome the Paris giants, whose squad boasts the likes of Brazilian superstar Neymar and co.
Les Herbiers have a budget of just two million euros, compared to PSG’s estimated pot of 540 million euros.
They play in red and their ground Stade Massabielle has a capacity of 5,000, much like their twinning friends in Newtown.
Newtown AFC, who play in the JD Welsh Premier League missed out on a cup final themselves just a two weeks ago, and manager Chris Hughes has sent his best wishes to follow manager Stéphane Masala ahead of their big day next month.
He said: “It’s great to hear that the town’s twin town have got to the final to face such a huge side.
“We just wish them all the best. We’ve experienced cup finals ourselves in recent seasons. We lost one and it is never nice to lose in the final so we wish them all the best.”
Craig Williams, Newtown’s long serving captain who has lived in the town all his life has tasted success with the club in European competitions in recent years.
He added: “Good luck to Les Herbiers, it is amazing that they have managed to reach the final and face great opposition in the form of PSG.
“I hope they enjoy the experience, it is a one-off game and anything can happen. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for the result.”
The links between the two towns has seen numerous visits based on music, food, and education made over the years.
Later this month a group of 108 people will visit Newtown as part of a music festival.
Sporting links have also been a big part of the relationship between the two towns.
A tennis professional from France has visited Newtown, and cyclists from Newtown’s successful Hafren Cycling Club travel to Les Herbiers to compete in one of France’s biggest bike races.
Links are also being created between golf clubs, with two officials coming over later this month to play courses in Newtown and Llanymynech.
Mr Castle is hoping that the recent success of Les Herbiers could strike up link between the two football clubs as well.
He added: “We have some great sporting links, we have also recently got Maldwyn Harriers the athletics club on board as well and it keeps growing all the time.
“Another link we would like to make is between the rugby clubs, and also the football club. Both towns are football towns and we wish Les Herbiers all the best next month.”
