Welsh teams and Europe

[just some bloke]

So with Swansea in the League Cup Final against unfancied opposition, I'd like to know what happens if they win in terms of what happens next year with the Europa League.

Which of the following is the case:

a) As a Welsh team Swansea are ineligible to represent England and Bradford have qualified already before a ball has been kicked at Wembley
b) If Swansea win, they will represent Wales in the Europa League and England gets another place (Bradford?)
c) If Swansea win, they represent Wales in Europe and England lose a spot
d) If Swansea win, will represent England in the Europa League

[Deadlock]

d.

[parky]

d.

[just some bloke]

So presumably, in the unlikely event of Swansea reaching the Europa League Final, we will not see the Welsh national anthem played? And in official score reports it will say Swansea City (England) rather than (Wales), etc?

[Stuka]

When Cardiff got to a final a couple years ago, I think it was decided that they are a de-facto English team for the sake of UEFA competitions. No idea how they'd handle the anthem thing. Maybe they'd play no anthem like when we had them in the playoffs.

[parky]

When was the last time you heard the national anthems played before a European final?

They don't play them.

[just some bloke]

OK, anthems aside, if they are officially representing England and there are other teams representing Wales (whoever wins the Welsh Cup or the League of Wales, presumably), what would happen if Swansea stitched Welsh flags onto their shirt sleeves or their manager or chairman says stuff like 'we're doing this for Wales' or whatever? Would they possibly face any sanctions?

[just some bloke]

When was the last time you heard the national anthems played before a European final?

They don't play them.

Sorry mate, I haven't actually sat down and watched a European final in years. Can you forgive my crass ignorance?

[parky]

No of course not. It makes no difference they qualify for Europe as an English team. Barcelona frequently win the Champions League with the Catalunya flag on their shirts.

[parky]

When was the last time you heard the national anthems played before a European final?

They don't play them.

Sorry mate, I haven't actually sat down and watched a European final in years. Can you forgive my crass ignorance?

I can but only this time

[just some bloke]

No of course not. It makes no difference they qualify for Europe as an English team. Barcelona frequently win the Champions League with the Catalunya flag on their shirts.

But since Catalonia don't have a national team with its own UEFA representation that's a bit different isn't it?

I mean, it would be a bit cheeky for Swansea to play in the English leagues knowing that doing so disqualifies them from representing Wales, then qualifies as an 'English' team at other English teams expense through what is very much a back door route such as this, and then claims to be representing Wales anyway.

Am I being unreasonable here, guys?

[parky]

If they win next month, they will have qualified for Europe by merit, so why shouldn't they compete?

[just some bloke]

If they win next month, they will have qualified for Europe by merit, so why shouldn't they compete?

I'm not saying they shouldn't, but should they be allowed to 'masquerade' as a Welsh team when it is through the English system they have qualified and are representing England?

I hope Bradford win though. A fourth division team playing in Europe on merit is all sorts of awesome

[Wimb]

They've never tried to be English though.

The English system invited them in years ago and they've been competing against English sides for decades, if they've earned a place in Europe fair play to them. UEFA stopped them representing Wales through winning the Welsh cup nearly 20 years ago so this has been their only route into Europe.

UEFA, the English FA, Welsh FA, Premier League & Football League have all been happy for them to play in the English system as a Welsh side so if they want to proudly promote the fact they've qualified as a Welsh club then fair play to them, it's more the fault of the 90 other English clubs in the competition for failing to knock out both Swansea and Cardiff.

[soggy biscuit]

OK, anthems aside, if they are officially representing England and there are other teams representing Wales (whoever wins the Welsh Cup or the League of Wales, presumably), what would happen if Swansea stitched Welsh flags onto their shirt sleeves or their manager or chairman says stuff like 'we're doing this for Wales' or whatever? Would they possibly face any sanctions?

I guess they would face the same sanctions that stitching a giraffe to their shirts and their manager saying 'we are doing this for giraffe's' would bring.

[Pepe the Horseman]

When Swansea got promoted they switched from the Welsh FA to English. Cardiff are still governed by the Welsh FA, but when they get promoted, they'll switch over as well.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Swansea will qualify for the UEFA/Europa/Insert Name Here cup if they win the trophy.

Be great from our point of view if we managed to survive as it'd be a nice little distraction for them.

The Europa competition seems like the equivalent of the Johnstone Paints Trophy for European sides to me so I would give a tuppeny one about it it even if Reading were involved.

[Stuka]

I don't know it's be quite novel going to watch Reading play in some former Warsaw Pact concrete hellhole with masses of sieg heiling fans and flares being let off

[Royal With Cheese]

I don't know it's be quite novel going to watch Reading play in some former Warsaw Pact concrete hellhole with masses of sieg heiling fans and flares being let off

You'd go at least once. You know you would.

[ZacNaloen]

If Reading qualified I'd be massively tempted to go to at least one game, at least just to go somewhere I probably wouldn't have before through laziness.