Sports
The New Saints’ UEFA Problem Laid Bare As Owner Calls For More Funding
“They’ll be dancing in the streets of Total Network Solutions.”
Back at a time before things went ‘viral’, that famous line was as viral as it got when it came to following the football results on Sky Sports’ flagship Soccer Saturday show way back in 2003.
The club, now known as The New Saints, made history in 1997 when they became the first club in the UK to change their name based on a sponsorship deal, signing a £250,000 contract to leave the name of Llansantffraid behind, having initially been known as Total Network Solutions Llansantffraid, to take up the name of the telecommunications company.
Stelling would regularly make reference to the ‘dancing in the streets’ joke whenever TNS won a game, which happened regularly given their dominance of the Welsh Premier League. They have won the title 18 times in the last 26 years, having first been admitted into the Welsh League system in 1989.
That is despite the club not actually being in Wales, something which grates with the other members of the Welsh league system.
TNS are based in Oswestry, Shropshire, just across the border from Wales. The ground is less than five miles from Wales, but, by rights, they should be in the English Football League system.
Then again, should Wrexham, Cardiff and Swansea be in the English pyramid? You can argue against both situations.
Whatever the arguments and concerns, though, you cannot argue against the work TNS do in the community. Charismatic owner Mike Harris, whom you can see on Apple TV, Prime Video or for free on YouTube in The New Saints Road to Europe: The Mike Harris Story, set up The New Saints Football Club Foundation in 2013, running numerous initiatives to promote health, wellbeing and inclusion, including free universal access summer camps which include free meals for the young people in the area.
GIVEMESPORT was invited to Wales, I mean Shropshire, to see first-hand just what the club is like and how it bases itself at the heart of the community for their UEFA Conference League clash with Flora Tallinn of Estonia last week.
Despite winning their league most years, such is the way of UEFA’s set up, the Wales coefficient is so low that qualifying rounds are required to get into the competition proper.
TNS were knocked out at the first qualifying round stage, dropping down to enter the Conference League second qualifying round. Even winning their league can’t get them into the Conference League league phase.
Welsh Premier League dominance means TNS’ focus and heavy ambition remains European football and a crack at a run in one of UEFA’s competitions. They reached the Conference League league phase in 2024/25, playing against the likes of Fiorentina and Panathinaikos, picking up their first ever tournament proper win against Astana, but ultimately falling short.
TNS’ European dream for 2026/27 ended no sooner than it started
Unfortunately, their 2026/27 run started and ended in July this time around as they were sent packing in that two-legged affair with Flora that GMS were present to witness.
After losing the first leg in Estonia 1-0, TNS had all of the possession and all of the chances at Park Hall, but for all their neat and tidy play – Ryan Brobbel is still a player by the way – they froze in the Flora 18-yard box on too many occasions, that was until the 91st minute when Ben Wilson fired home to send almost 1,000 fans into raptures and take the tie into extra-time.
Extra-time saw TNS retreat into their shells somewhat, with Flora finally playing some football, but the tie was destined for penalties and it was the Estonian side who would be dancing in the streets of TNS with a 4-2 shootout success.
That means TNS will have to wait another season to try their luck at getting into one of UEFA’s tournaments proper, something that owner Miike Harris said was crucial to the future of the club and the Wales Football Association as a whole.
When you look at the UEFA coefficient table, Wales are 54th out of 55 nations, with only San Marino below them, making their chances of progression very slim indeed.
Speaking exclusively to GMS, Harris said: “At the moment we’re floundering at the bottom of the coefficient points so if we stay where we are as a country, it means that we lose one team in Europe and the majority of funding comes from European competition. It’s not just important for us, it’s important for the league.
“The league is mainly part-time and we’re well underfunded. We’d love to see the other clubs getting funded as well which means more competitive games within our league, which means you’re more likely to get results when you come into these competitions.
We’ve progressed, the league’s progressed, but every other country has progressed as well.”
As with anything in life, it comes down to money and Harris admitted that the Welsh system needed more funding in order to progress further.
“Ultimately, football needs funding,” he said. “Ultimately, football needs progression and the only route for Welsh football was through the European system and that’s not to go and play first round and get knocked out and get a couple of hundred grand, the vision for every club in this league has to be to win round one, win round two and get into the group stage, which ultimately unlocks association money from Europe, not just from what our country can make.
“The Welsh FA has got money, they’re not skint, but they don’t have enough money to be able to say ‘let’s have 12 or 16 clubs needing three or four million pounds a piece to play in the professional game. You’ve got to build your product. I’ve been involved for 30 years and I’ve seen many, many improvements, but I still don’t think it’s quick enough. I still think there’s more that can be done and the product in Wales needs more money.
“That’s not for us particularly, it’s for all the clubs, they all need two to three million pounds per year so they can spend that money on the first team, the academy, the ladies’ game. If they all had that money, they could all achieve what we’ve achieved.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
“Wales is a small country compared to England. They get £200million for being relegated from the Premier League. We get, if we’re lucky, from everything we do, you’re probably lucky if you can raise £200,000 from the activity of being a football club.
“Now it’s only San Marino that has a lower ranking than Wales. Teams from the likes of Malta, Gibraltar, Andorra, they’ve all learned how to progress, brought in sponsors and we played a team from Gibraltar ten years ago and they were well funded and they were able to bring in Spanish league two players. Go back ten years before that and it would have been postmen, milkmen, bank managers, whatever, that’s gone now. There’s no team in Europe today outside probably San Marino that you can say ‘you should win’.”
The team walk out to the Skids’ famous ‘The Saints Are Coming’ song. They are not coming for Europe this season, however. And having started the 2026/27 Welsh Premier League season with a 0-0 draw against Penybont, they will be hoping to pick up as the campaign goes on and, come the end of March 2027, will be hoping to lift another title and have another crack at qualifying for the league stage of a UEFA competition.
TNS is not just about the men’s team. The TNS Foundation is now two weeks into their provision of free holiday activities across north west Shropshire, providing a healthy free meal too. With the women’s team now into their sixth season in the Genero Adnan Premier League, they have an aim to win the title by 2030. TNS launched a U13 Girls Academy last summer, added the U15s this summer and will be introducing a U17 side next year.
Millwall have sealed a deal to sign free-agent striker Lyndon Dykes after he left Charlton, GIVEMESPORT sources understand.
The Lions finished third in the Championship in 2025/26 but fell in the playoff semi-final against Southampton, losing 1-0 on aggregate over two legs meaning they will once again be competing for promotion to the Premier League this year.
The club had made a new forward a priority for the window, and manager Alex Neil has now been granted his wish after a deal was agreed with the 30-year-old Scotland international.
Millwall Agree to Sign Dykes
Dykes, who has been described as ‘clinical’ in the past, spent the 2025/26 season with Charlton in the Championship, scoring three goals and registering three assists in 20 appearances for the Addicks.
It’s understood that Dykes has agreed a one-year deal at The Den and will undergo a medical before putting pen to paper on the deal, making him the eighth signing of the summer after Mathis Servais, Tairyk Arconte, Danny Batth, Mark Sykes, Elkan Baggott, Kyreece Lisbie, and Jenson Metcalfe.
Dykes will bring a wealth of experience to the squad, having previously had spells at QPR, Birmingham City and Charlton in the Championship, while he was also part of the Scotland squad that went to the World Cup this summer, featuring during the win over Haiti and defeat to Morocco as a substitute.
The Scot will now join prolific hitman Mihailo Ivanovic, Josh Coburn, and summer signing Arconte as options in the attack for Neil, as the club look to reach the top-flight of English football for the first time since 1990.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
What Will Dykes Bring to Millwall?
Dykes is not only a hugely experienced player when it comes to playing in the EFL, but he also has a profile which could be hugely helpful for what Alex Neil needs to help Millwall push for promotion.
At 6ft 2, the 30-year-old is a hugely dominant figure in aerial duels in both boxes, while he is best known for his hold-up play rather than his goalscoring, with his ability to bring his teammates into play and holding the ball up among his greatest strengths.
Millwall needed cover, depth and experience in attack, and they have ticked off all those boxes with this deal, beating off competition from several other clubs in the process.
For dedicated EA Sports FC players, the Companion App and Web App aren’t optional extras — they have become a core part of the ritual.
The season doesn’t begin when EA Sports FC 27 launches; for many, it begins the moment these apps go live. For the most committed Ultimate Team fans, early access is everything: it’s the chance to start building a squad, trade on the market and complete early Squad Building Challenges days before a ball is kicked.
By the time the full game arrives, they’re already logging in to a club that’s up and running — its a head start that goes hand-in-hand with the main release and has become a hugely popular part of how fans experience each new FC.
Here’s what both tools do, who can access them, and when they’re expected to launch for FC 27.
When Do Companion & Web App Go Live for FC 27?
EA has not yet confirmed exact dates for the FC 27 apps, but the release pattern is now firmly established. For FC 26, the Web App came online on September 17, 2025, with the Companion App following a day later on September 18 — both landing roughly a week ahead of the game’s worldwide launch.
With FC 27 confirmed for Friday, September 25, 2026, and early access beginning September 18, the apps are expected to follow the same pattern. That points to a Web App launch in the region of Wednesday, September 16 or Thursday, September 17, with the Companion App expected to arrive on mobile the following day.
EA typically brings the apps live in the early evening UK time — FC 26’s Web App went live around 8:00pm CET — meaning a similar late-afternoon or evening BST window looks likely. None of these FC 27 dates are official yet. EA usually confirms the exact timing in the days leading up to launch, often alongside the first gameplay deep dive, so treat the above as projections based on previous years rather than nailed-on fixtures.
What Are the Companion & Web App?
Both apps are free tools that let you manage your Ultimate Team club away from your console or PC, and for serious FUT players they’ve become as essential as the game itself.
The difference between the two is purely the platform: the Web App runs on any desktop or laptop browser via EA’s official site, while the Companion App is the mobile version, available on iOS and Android — putting your entire club in your pocket wherever you are. Functionally, they’re essentially the same.
You can’t play matches, but almost everything else is on the table. The excitement of opening packs, buying and selling on the Transfer Market, completing SBCs, managing Evolutions, adjusting tactics and formations, and claiming objectives and rewards are all available.
Many dedicated traders effectively run their entire club through the apps, dipping into the market throughout the day without ever loading the game. It’s this depth that makes the Companion App a must-have for anyone who wants to hit the ground running when the full game unlocks.
There is one important quirk to note: the Web App won’t function while you’re logged into Ultimate Team on your console or PC. You’ll need to exit UT and return to the main FC 27 menu before signing in on the browser.
How to Access the Apps Early
Early access has plenty of perks, but it isn’t open to everyone. Based on EA’s long-standing eligibility rules, returning players will need to meet a set of conditions to log in before launch.
For FC 27, that is expected to mean you must have created an Ultimate Team club in FC 26 and logged in on your platform before August 1, 2026. Your FC 26 account must still exist — if you deleted your club, you lose the early start — and it must be in good standing, with no active bans or restrictions.
Players who qualify can start building their club and trading on the market as soon as the Web App goes live, days before the game itself unlocks. That window is gold dust for the most dedicated fans, who use it to complete starter SBCs, claim welcome rewards and make early market moves before prices climb. If you don’t meet the criteria, you’ll gain access once you’ve logged into FC 27 Ultimate Team on console or PC at launch.
How to Download the Companion App
The Companion App is available to download for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. If you already have the FC 26 version installed, you won’t need a fresh download — EA rolls out an update that switches the app over to FC 27 automatically once the new cycle begins.
To connect your account, you’ll typically need to load FC 27 on your console or PC, head into Ultimate Team, create your club, and set up a security question before signing in on mobile. From there, your club syncs in real time across the app, Web App and your main platform.
With new head coach Andoni Iraola well underway with his pre-season preparations, the Spaniard will be keen to see his side return to the title fight, after a sub-par season last year saw the Reds finish the campaign empty-handed under the stewardship of Arne Slot.
Every season, fans are keen to find out which shirt numbers could be handed to Liverpool’s newest arrivals, and if any of the existing cohort will make a switch for the new campaign.
With several infamous numbers up for grabs, the final allocations could provide another clue as to how the Reds’ squad could look going into the season.
Goalkeepers
|
Squad Number |
Player |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Alisson Becker |
|
25 |
Giorgi Mamardashvili |
|
28 |
Freddie Woodman |
|
56 |
Vitezslav Jaros |
|
95 |
Harvey Davies |
Having inially worn the No. 13 shirt for his first season on Merseyside, Alisson has retained the No. 1 shirt ever since he made the switch ahead of the 2019/20 season, and this year is set to be no different.
Giorgi Mamardashvili, however, will hope that the Brazilian’s shirt will be his in a year’s time, with the Georgian hoping for more minutes under Iraola, having only appeared in 10 Premier League matches last season.
Defenders
|
Squad Number |
Player |
|---|---|
|
2 |
Joe Gomez |
|
4 |
Virgil van Dijk |
|
5 |
Jeremy Jacquet |
|
6 |
Milos Kerkez |
|
12 |
Conor Bradley |
|
15 |
Giovanni Leoni |
|
21 |
Kostas Tsimikas |
|
30 |
Jeremie Frimpong |
|
47 |
Calvin Ramsay |
New signing Jeremy Jacquet will follow in the footsteps of Ibrahima Konaté and Daniel Agger by pulling on the No. 5 shirt after completing his £55 million move from Rennes this summer, with the number vacated after Konate’s move to Real Madrid, whilst fullback Milos Kerkez will retain his No. 6 shirt.
Dutch duo Virgil van Dijk and Jeremie Frimpong will also maintain their shirt numbers, wearing 4 and 30 respectively, while the likes of Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas will also carry over their numbers from the previous campaign.
Midfielders
|
Squad Number |
Player |
|---|---|
|
3 |
Wataru Endo |
|
7 |
Florian Wirtz |
|
8 |
Dominik Szoboszlai |
|
10 |
Alexis Mac Allister |
|
17 |
Curtis Jones |
|
19 |
Harvey Elliott |
|
38 |
Ryan Gravenberch |
|
42 |
Trey Nyoni |
|
43 |
Stefan Bajcetic |
|
53 |
James McConnell |
With very little action in the transfer market so far, it comes as no surprise that Liverpool’s midfield will all don the same shirts as previous seasons. Florian Wirtz will have the honor of sporting one of Liverpool’s most prestigious numbers, with the likes of Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Luis Suárez all having worn the No. 7 shirt previously.
Dominik Szoboszlai channeled his inner Steven Gerrard last season after scoring six goals and assisting a further seven whilst sporting the No. 8. Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Harvey Eliott are among the other names to have retained their shirt number.
Forwards
|
Squad Number |
Player |
|---|---|
|
9 |
Alexander Isak |
|
14 |
Federico Chiesa |
|
18 |
Cody Gakpo |
|
22 |
Hugo Ekitiké |
|
23 |
Víctor Muñoz |
|
73 |
Rio Ngumoha |
Alexander Isak will be keen to stake his claim to the Reds’ No. 9 shirt, after an injury-ridden season last campaign saw him make just 22 appearances in all competitions, netting just four goals after his controversial £125m move from Newcastle last summer.
Federico Chiesa will have to compete with the likes of Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha in order to cement his place in Iraola’s starting XI, with all three players maintaining their shirt numbers for the 2026/27 season. Liverpool’s top scorer from last season, Hugo Ekitiké, will also carry on in his No. 22 shirt.
New signing Victor Munoz has taken the No. 23 after joining the club. The No. 23 has been made famous at both ends of the pitch for Liverpool, with club legend Jamie Carragher wearing the shirt throughout his 16-year stint at the club, before Colombian winger Luis Diaz recorded 17 goal contributions in the shirt across his first two seasons at Liverpool.
Available Numbers
One of the most glaring holes in the squad is the lack of a No. 11, a shirt that has been worn by star winger Mo Salah for the last nine seasons as the Egyptian became Liverpool’s all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League.
Similarly, Andy Robertson’s lasting impact at the club means that whoever opts for his recently-vacated No. 26 shirt will have big boots to fill going into next season.
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