130,000 Euro Bonus for Saints as they Prepare for Anderlecht

As the dust settles in Oswestry after an incredible evening for the Principality Welsh Premier League Champions TNS, the preparations are already underway for their next UEFA match in six days time.

Mike Davies' side became the first TNS team to win a UEFA tie in fourteen years of trying as they thrashed Irish Champions Bohemians 4-0 at Park Hall and now it's all eyes on Belgian Champions Anderlecht in the Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round at Wrexham's Racecourse on Tuesday evening at 7:45pm.

TNS' General Manager Ian Williams, who has been involved in the Saints' match arrangements for many previous European matches against the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Fram, Ventspils and My-Pa to name just a few, will be working around the clock to ensure that the match runs smoothly next Tuesday, not forgetting that Ian also has to arrange International travel for some 30 players and staff for the second leg in Belgium a week later!

But, the financial bonus for the club after qualifying last night is a cool 130,000 Euro, to add to the 330,000 Euro that they have already picked up for qualifying as Champions for UEFA's most illustrious Club Competition.

And, if Steve Evans and Co. can provide another incredible performance for the club against the Belgian Superpower, their reward for reaching the Champions League Playoff....A total of 2.1million Euro!

However, to put to the task into context, Anderlecht, who are based in the Brussels Capital Region, are the most successful Belgian football team of all time, with 5 trophies in European competition, as well as 30 Belgian First Division Championship wins. Although they were founded in 1908, they only won their first title in 1947. Since then, they have never finished outside the top six of the Belgian first division and they have been in the first division since 1935.

They play their home matches at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium located within the Parc Astrid in the municipality of Anderlecht . The stadium was completely rebuilt in 1983 and it was renamed in honour of the then chairman Constant Vanden Stock. The capacity for UEFA matches is 21,619, but they are due to build a third ring on top of the stadium, so the capacity will rise up to 30,000 by the year 2012.

But, when you are just two wins away from Champions League Group stages as TNS now are, you don't expect any easy fixtures!