Fuente : Liverpool F.C.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/

LIVERPOOL FC: SPECIAL SPOTLIGHT ON TNS

/noticias.info/ Liverpool have been handed a first round Champions League qualifier against Welsh side Total Network Solutions and we turn the spotlight on our first opponents of the 2005/06 season.
By the time Welsh champions TNS face Liverpool Kenny McKenna's side will have played three friendlies. They visit Anglesey Games XI on Saturday, followed by a home game against Glentoran on Saturday, July 2, and an away trip to Portadown on Tuesday, July 5.

TNS won the double last season winning the Welsh championship by four points ahead of Rhyl and also won the Welsh Cup.

This is a dream tie for TNS as before UEFA entered Liverpool into this season's Champions League the Welsh side had offered to play the Reds in a play-off so they could defend their crown.

TNS are managed by former Tranmere Rovers striker Kenny McKenna and they comfortably won the Welsh title last season. Their leading goalscorer was Marc Lloyd Williams who hit 33 goals. They also have someone who started his career across Stanley Park in midfielder Steven Beck, who made one appearance for the Everton first team in a friendly against Chester City in July 2002.

Striker John Toner was a former Liverpool trainee and is the club's record goal scorer and longest-serving current player.

Total Network Solutions play in the Welsh village of Llansantffraid which has a population of just over 1,000. They play at the Recreation Ground, usually referred to as Treflan. Attendances for Welsh Premier games averaged 333 last season with a high of 1,042 for the televised visit of Rhyl. Anfield legend Ian Rush MBE opened the new stand in August 2001.

A pre-season friendly with Chelsea was their record crowd on August, 9 2002, when 1,996 spectators turned up.

TNS first ventured into Europe in 1996 in the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup. There opponents that night were former 14-times Polish Champions, KS Ruch Chorzow, a highly rated team which included no less than five Polish internationals in their starting line-up.

After a highly creditable 1-1 draw at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground the Poles ran out comfortable winners on home turf as they won 5-0.

In 2003 TNS met Manchester City with a certain Robbie Fowler and Nicolas Anelka up front in the UEFA Cup. City won the first leg 5-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium, and in the second leg the match was played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. TNS gave a good account of themselves before losing 2-0.

This is TNS record in European competitions.

1996 - European Cup winners Cup

V Ruch Chorzow (Poland).

1st leg home (at Wrexham) 1-1.

2nd leg away 0-5

2000 - UEFA Champions League

v Levadia Maardu (Estonia)

1st leg home 2-2

2nd leg away 0-4

2001 - Uefa Cup

v Polonia Warszaw (Poland)

1st leg away 0-4

2nd leg home (Wrexham) 0-2

2002 - Uefa Cup

v Amica Wronki (Poland)

1st leg away 0-5

2nd leg home (Newtown) 2-7

2003 - UEFA Cup

v Manchester City

1st leg away 0-5

2nd leg (at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff) 0-2

2004 - UEFA Cup

v Osters IF (Sweden)

1st leg away 0-2

2nd leg home (at Wrexham) 1-2 notas_de_prensa_archivo