SHAUN HARVEY has explained why Wrexham have jumped at the chance of being handed a passport back into playing European cup competitions.

It has emerged that Wales’ four English Football League clubs - Wrexham, Swansea City, Cardiff City and Newport County - are in talks about entering a Welsh cup competition to boost their chances of qualifying for European football.

Those EFL clubs are only able to qualify for European competitions via the Premier League, FA Cup or EFL Cup because they play in the English pyramid.

But the clubs and the Football Association of Wales have had discussions about entering the Welsh League Cup - currently known as the Nathaniel MG Cup - for a chance to represent Wales in the Europa Conference League.

The four teams would continue to play in the English pyramid, but the proposed move to the Welsh League Cup would see them sacrifice their ability to qualify for Europe via the FA Cup, EFL Cup or Premier League.

Wrexham boast a rich history in European cup competition.

Their first foray into Europe was against FC Zürich of Switzerland in 1972 while they reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup four years later when they were beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Anderlecht.

This month also marked the 40th anniversary of arguably Wrexham’s best ever European performance. Heading to Portugal leading 1-0 from the first leg, Wrexham lost 4-3 to Porto on October 3, 1984 but went through on the away goals rule thanks to a late goal from Barry Horne.

Director Harvey would love to give Wrexham supporters the chance to experience European football once again.

“We are interested because we have got an obligation to give the club the best chance of success,” said Harvey.

“The club, like the other three clubs, is steeped in European history, albeit going back over a period of time.

“If those days can return to Wrexham at some stage in the future then it’s another step on a remarkable journey.

“It’s not creating something new because the club has been there before but it will give the new generation of fans the opportunity to share the same experiences that their predecessors had.

“Every so often opportunities like this present themselves and we have got an obligation to both ourselves and football in Wales to look at them.

“With things such as this, you are always conscious that it might not be universally popular and on that basis, it needs to be well thought out.

“Conversations started probably 18 months ago about the possibility of this. The new owners of Swansea City came to the fore and commissioned research work that categorically proved that if the four Welsh EFL clubs participated in European competitions, then it would be financially beneficial for the whole of football in Wales.

“There would be financial benefits for whichever club managed to win the Welsh League Cup but only one of the four could win it and it doesn’t mean the Cymru Premier clubs can’t win it either.”

Wales’ four EFL sides have been stopped from entering the Welsh Cup - a competition Wrexham have won more than any other team - while only clubs playing in the Welsh set-up are allowed to represent the country in Europe.

Cymru Premier League champions The New Saints made history this season when they become the first club from the Welsh pyramid to qualify for the group stage of a major European competition when they secured their place in the Europa Conference League.

Harvey says giving the four EFL clubs a chance to enter the Welsh League Cup in order to qualify for Europe would benefit football in the country as a whole.

“People ask why would the Cymru Premier clubs and the FAW support it,” he said.

“The answer is that they are satisfied that it would be in the best interests of football as a whole in Wales.

“Value is measured in many different ways but in this case, the measure is unashamedly financial.

“The more money that is available to develop and promote the game throughout Wales, the better it has to be for everybody.

“The FAW would hopefully receive significantly more funding as a result of improved performances to support the development of the women’s game and football below the Cymru Premier.”

Harvey added: “As it stands at the moment, Wales has three spaces in European competitions.

“That can be increased to four based on improved performance but the reality is that Cymru Premier clubs might not achieve that on their own.

“However, we should all recognise the performance of TNS qualifying for the group stages and that performance in its own right may deliver an additional European place for Wales.”