Gwent | Archive | 2001 | August | 7
From the South Wales Argus, first published Tuesday 7th Aug 2001.
CWMBRAN Town boss Tony Willcox is urging football fans of all clubs to get behind his side when they take on Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night.
Town will be flying the flag for Wales in Europe for the fifth time in nine years and the Crows boss is desperate for some support for his club.
"It's crucial that we get some backing and that all football fans get behind us," said Willcox.
"Vocal support is essential and it isn't going to lift anyone if we run out to a half empty stadium.
"We're representing Wales in this competition and people should get behind us as the side representing the country in this game."
But Cwmbran have already found that there is a lack of support from television companies, with none of the local channels even interested in producing a highlights show.
"The attitude of the television companies really sums up the appraoch to football in Wales," said Willcox.
"It's a shame that even when we are playing such a big side we can't get support." More important is the need to fill Leckwith Stadium ahead of the return leg in Slovakia two weeks later.
Cwmbran Town need to raise a substantial sum of money to fund the return leg and filling the 3,000 Leckwith Stadium to capacity would go a long way towards achieving that. And in order to encourage as many people as possible to attend tickets will be on sale at the ground right up until kick-off at 7pm.
Tickets are priced at £5 adults and £2 for under-16 and can be bought at the following outlets; Cwmbran Town AFC clubhouse (01633 483382), Colley Motor Group (01633 482253), The Kop Shop (01633 666636), Leckwith Stadium (029 20 225345).
As another incentive for fans to travel to Cardiff to watch the game, Cwmbran Town will be giving fans the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Charity Shield clash between Liverpool and Manchester United on Sunday.
Each programme will be allocated a number, and if that number is drawn at half-time the lucky winner will receive the tickets for the showdown between the two Premiership giants.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008