TNS fans feeling welcome in Florence

TNS fans have been wearing green ponchos to stay dry in Florence where it has been 'chucking it down'

Fans of The New Saints (TNS) who have travelled to Italy to watch their football club play a UEFA Conference League match have praised the hospitality of the people of Florence.

It is the first time a Welsh league club has reached the group stages of a European competition and about 150 supporters of Oswestry's TNS made the trip to support their team against Fiorentina in Thursday's game, kicking off at 20:00 BST.

One of them, John Lumley, said "we were so welcomed" and described seeing a banner behind a bar which read "welcome to the TNS fans, we hope you have a lovely time".

Mr Lumley said the TNS fans were going to "really enjoy the afternoon" at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, but suspected "getting into [Fiorentina's] half" would be a big achievement.

Fiorentina have been finalists in the Conference League for the past two years and Mr Lumley expected an uphill struggle.

But he said all the Welsh fans had brought green ponchos and were looking to have some fun in the stadium.

Fiorentina's stadium has a capacity of 43,000

Mr Lumley said he believed TNS could show other Welsh clubs what was possible.

"Every chairman of every Welsh Premier League club can do this," he said.