Show Notes
On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel is joined by The New Saints chairman Mike Harris for a wide-ranging conversation about one of the most successful and debated clubs in Welsh football.
The interview centers on TNS’s rise from domestic powerhouse to European regular, beginning with Harris’ documentary, The New Saints: The Road to Europe — The Mike Harris Story, and how it captures both the club’s ambitions and Harris’ personal role in building the project. Chris and Mike discuss the origins of TNS, Harris’ background as an entrepreneur, the sale of Total Network Solutions to BT, and the mindset that has driven him to professionalize a club operating inside the Cymru Premier.
The conversation also explores what makes TNS so dominant, from financial investment and recruitment to structure, standards, staff, and the day-to-day professionalism behind the scenes. Harris is asked about Craig Harrison’s success as manager, the club’s player profile, the challenges of recruiting to the Cymru Premier, and how TNS keeps pushing itself domestically while chasing bigger nights in Europe.
Chris and Mike also dig into the club’s historic Conference League run, Park Hall’s long-term stadium ambitions, UEFA Category 4 requirements, and whether the club can become a regular league-phase European side. The interview goes deeper into the bigger identity questions around TNS: whether they are the best club in Wales, whether they would ever consider entering the English pyramid, and how the club balances its Oswestry and Llansantffraid roots.
The episode closes with a look at the future of Welsh domestic football, TNS’s role in raising standards, the club’s attendance challenges, Mike Harris’ wider football ambitions, and what his legacy at the club may ultimately look like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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