Europa Conference League: 'A different kind of pressure' in west Wales

Haverfordwest players celebrate victory over Newtown in the play-offs, the win that secured European football for them

Georgina Nicholas describes the contrast between working at an English Premier League club and life in the Cymru Premier as "two very different worlds".

Nicholas was at Arsenal for nearly a decade, where she was Retail Operations Manager having also worked for a number of high street brands.

Having returned to her native Pembrokeshire she is now chief executive of Cymru Premier outfit Haverfordwest County.

Although worlds apart in so many ways, the two clubs will be competing in Europe this season - Arsenal in the Champions League and County in the Europa Conference League.

"It's a different club and it's a different kind of pressure," Nicholas said of the differences between The Gunners of north London and The Bluebirds of west Wales.

"It's not like you've got a different department whether it's legal, HR or travel and events.

"We're a small team and we've been managing all of this process all by ourselves and obviously the support of the board.

"Give the complexities of going into the Europa Conference League it's added more challenges, but as a team we're navigating through it together.

"It's been pretty challenging, but something we've all clubbed together and been able to move forward through the process so it's an exciting time."

While Arsenal will be back in the Champions League after a six-year hiatus, Haverfordwest return to Europe 19 years on from their only previous appearance in the Europa League.

They face Macedonia's KF Shkendija in the Europa Conference League first qualifying round, with the first leg in Skopje on Thursday before the return leg at Cardiff City Stadium a week later.

Tony Pennock's side secured their place in this season's competition by beating Newtown 4-3 on penalties in the Cymru Premier's European play-off final in May.

They had only returned to Welsh football's top-flight in 2020 after a four-year absence.

But they have become one of Welsh domestic football's most progressive clubs since the arrival of Londoner Rob Edwards as chairman in May that year.

"The ambition is to be a full-time professional club," Nicholas told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

"I think Rob's invested well amongst his team and amongst his staff whether or not it's coaching, operational or players.

"You have to have the investment behind it to be able to look at that long term objective and that's where we are at the moment and I think our current position is a testament to that.

"I think long-term we want to be a full-time professional club and that's what the investment is talking about is being able to put us in that position.

"There's going to be multiple challenges on and off the pitch. However, it's a task that we're up to and we're under no illusions that it's not going to happen overnight.

"But I think from a strategic position we're all aware of our roles and responsibilities are and that's how we move forward together."

Leyton Orient fan Edwards became chairman in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, having never previously visited the town let alone seen the club in action.

But since he became involved, Haverfordwest have not only made progress on the pitch, but are also making their mark off it.

They have produced their own fly-on-the-wall documentary - You Can Have it All - as well as novel advertising campaigns including hiring a mobile van to drive around Manchester emblazoned with the slogan 'Welcome to Haverfordwest'.

"We're not doing things exactly as other clubs would be," Nicholas added.

"We're trying to find our own way, do it our own way and be a bit of a trailblazer in that respect on and off the pitch.

Georgina Nicholas was appointed Havefordwest County chief executive in January 2023

"There's lots of other things that we do in and around the community and I think that's what's important to us is thinking out of the box and looking at other ways of doing things.

"Just because it's been done one particular way doesn't mean it's the right way or there isn't the possibility of exploring other avenues.

"That's where we're trying to do down here at the moment, looking at other possibilities, looking at other potentials.

"What you can see right now at our social media is that we're exploring that and exploiting that as well."

While Haverfordwest are blazing a trail in terms of marketing and raising their profile, Nicholas herself is proud of being among a small number of female administrators in Wales' top-flight.

"I've worked in sport before and worked at Arsenal and it is a bit of a boys club, that's a fact" Nicholas said.

"I'm really lucky and appreciate the fact of where I am at the moment. The team have been really welcoming and really supportive.

"A woman in sport is becoming a little more common as time goes on and that has to be celebrated.

"But I do also think that you've got to have the right person in the right role. I'll be measured not whether I'm male or female; it's whether or not I can deliver the objectives that have been set.

"Is it a boys club? Yes. It that changing? Yes, and hopefully we'll see more of that change to come.

"For me personally it's about me making sure I'm hitting those objectives and key deliverables and taking the club forward off the pitch and Tony's got his job to do on the pitch and we're all clear on what we need to do."