Connah’s Quay Nomads back in Champions League action tonight on a historic day for club

JD Cymru Premier champions Connah’s Quay Nomads step back into Champions League action tonight when they take on Armenian outfit FC Alashkert at Aberystwyth Town’s Park Avenue ground.

Tonight’s first qualifying round of the Champions League will also see the return of fans to Connah’s Quay Nomads’ games as the club celebrates its 75th birthday.

The match is the first of a two-legged affair with The Nomads flying out to Armenia next Tuesday for the return leg.

Both sides go into the competition having won their respective league competitions for the 2020/21 season.

The Nomads finished top of the JD Cymru Premier on 79 points thanks to 25 wins from 32 games, losing on only three occasions throughout the season.

The Armenian league sees fewer games than the Welsh one, however, after 13 wins in 24 games, it was Alashkert who finished five points clear of nearest rivals Noah.

Ahead of tonight’s game, manager Andy Morrisons said: “We’ve seen a fair bit of them now, I’ve been watching them on a daily basis since the draw, trying to get clips from earlier in the season.”

They are the champions of Armenia, the goalkeepers full international, and they got five or six [other internationals] who have over 100 caps between them, it’s a very very good team.”

“We’re excited by the challenge but mindful that there’s a lot of internationals in the team.”

“We go into the game believing that we have enough about us to stay in the game and to cause them problems.”

“We have targeted areas where we think they are weak and where we think we can really affect them.”

“We go into the game hopeful and excited at the challenge.”

The game falls on a historic day in the club’s story as it marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the club back in 1946 by TG Jones.

The match also takes place five years to the day of the Nomads famous victory in Norway against Stabaek in their first-ever European tie.

🥳🎉

Happy birthday to us!

On this day 75 years ago, the founding meeting of Connah’s Quay Nomads Football Club took place pic.twitter.com/lPmAV1gHNJ

— Connah’s Quay Nomads FC (@the_nomads) July 7, 2021

Alyn and Deeside MS Jack Sargeant has wished the Nomads a happy 75^th birthday.

Jack is a proud Nomads supporter and a Club Ambassador said: “I have always lived in the Quay and Nomads are an integral part of the community and we are all immensely proud of what they have achieved.”

Jack Sargeant pictured last year with the 2020 shirt

“The club do an amazing amount of work in our community and so many people in the area have family connection. ”

“My family have great memories of my uncle John Williams captaining the side for many years and I have friends who went through the academy system all the way to the first team.”

“I look forward to watching the game and have got my fingers crossed for a good result.”

“Happy birthday to the Nomads and let’s look forward to another successful 75 years.”