Shropshire Star

TNS to reach 1,000 not out under Park Hall lights

The New Saints are set to reach the milestone of 1,000 games in the top-flight of Welsh football when they face Bala Town at Park Hall tonight (8pm).

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It promises to be a special occasion for the Oswestry club, with head coach Craig Harrison – who is enjoying a second successful spell in charge of TNS – describing it as “a fantastic achievement.”

This evening’s fixture is also a rehearsal for next month’s JD Welsh Cup final after Saints and Bala were both victorious in last week’s semi-finals.

As TNS prepare for the club’s 1,000th game in the JD Cymru Premier, Harrison said: “Being here the first time, I’ve been involved with over 250 of them and plus, so you look at it, it’s a real honour for myself to be part of a huge club’s history like this and, being involved with winning lots of trophies, had some fantastic days and nights.

“And also as well, just as much as anything, is being involved with the fantastic people at the club, on and off the pitch. It’s a great club and a lot of hard work goes in off the pitch as much as on the pitch, so, yes, it will be a fantastic occasion to celebrate, and I think there will be a lot of people that deserve a big pat on the back for it.”

Saints are 15 points clear at the top of the table as they continue to close in on the title, with Harrison hoping his team can ideally wrap it up as quickly as possible. “Take each individual game in its own merit, as in we want to win every game,” added Harrison. “That’s the be all and end all.

“And when that actually arrives, if it arrives, from the start of the season we want to win every game and see where that takes us.

“We’ve got ourselves in an unbelievable, fantastic position. The players have really, really worked hard. The players have been fantastic on the pitch, as a group, not just the 11 that are starting.

“The squad players who haven’t played as much as what they’d like to play a key part in pushing everyone forward to getting ourselves to where we are now.

“But, no, we need to get wins on the board ASAP and ideally we’d like to wrap it up as quick as what we could.”