The New Saints face a week of cup action in two different competitions as they continue to manage an unprecedented workload in pursuit of more titles. Their season kicked off on 15 June with a run of seven friendlies before they embarked on a record-breaking European run that will see them play their 12th game against Panathinaikos at Shrewsbury’s New Meadow ground on Thursday night.

Craig Harrison insists The New Saints remain capable of making the Conference League knockout phase despite suffering a third group defeat. The Welsh champions lost 1-0 to Djurgarden at their temporary Shrewsbury base as their streetwise Swedish opponents called on all their European experience to prevail.

Craig Harrison asked for a reaction from his players following their shock 3-1 defeat to Briton Ferry Llansawel earlier in the week and he got it in spades as The New Saints moved to within a point of the top of the JD Cymru Premier table. They were forced to do it the hard way after falling behind to two goals in as many minutes from former Cardiff City academy star James Crole that gave league leaders Penybont a handy half-time lead at Park Hall.

Craig Harrison has urged his New Saints side not to get too down-hearted after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Shamrock Rovers in their latest Europa Conference League tie. TNS had led 1-0 but the Irish side came from behind to beat the Cymru Premier champions at Tallaght Stadium.

Craig Harrison is dreaming The New Saints making the knockout stages of a European tournament after they became the first Welsh Premier side to gather points at the group stage of a major European competition. TNS beat Astana from Kazakhstan, 2-0 at The New Meadow, Shrewsbury Town’s ground, to write themselves into the history books.

With 21 goals in their last two games The New Saints will go into their historic first home game against FC Astana in the Group stages of the UEFA Conference League on Thursday full of attacking intent. But it was a similar situation before they faced Serie A giants Fiorentina in their first game at the start of the month, when they headed to Italy on the back of a 6-1 win at Newtown.

Aaron Wainwright is the rugby coach who has no interest in being “a rugby coach.” That is to say, the Wales back rower and newly crowned Welsh Rugby Writers’ Player of the Year for 2024, is not coaching with a view to a fresh career when his playing days are over.

Craig Harrison was proud of his players after The New Saints put up impressive resistance before falling to a 2-0 defeat against Fiorentina on a historic night in Italy. TNS are the first Welsh League club to progress past the qualifying rounds of a Uefa competition, and their first Conference League group match threw up a daunting trip to Florence.

Danny Redmond only has to recall his career in Scotland to know The New Saints are capable of surprising Fiorentina in their apparent UEFA Conference League mismatch. TNS have become the first domestic Welsh side to reach the group stage of European competition and start the six-game Uefa Conference League phase at Fiorentina – beaten finalists in the last two seasons

New Saints manager Craig Harrison has insisted selling striker Brad Young to the Saudi Pro League is a “win-win” for everyone involved. Young has joined Al-Orobah for a record Cymru Premier League fee of about £190,000. The striker was Welsh football’s leading scorer last season with 22 goals and has helped TNS to secure a place in the Europa Conference League group stage.

Bank Holiday Monday sees another round of matches in the JD Cymru Premier, capped by top-of-the-table Cardiff Met hosting Haverfordwest County in a battle between two of the unbeaten sides. While reigning champions The New Saints concentrate on European action the rest of the teams in the league are trying to build up a lead to put pressure on them when they return to domestic matters.

The New Saints have taken a commanding step towards the Europa Conference League group stages with a stunning 3-0 win over FK Panevėžys in Lithuania. Despite key absences, TNS now return to Park Hall poised to become the first Cymru Premier team to reach the group stage of a European competition.