Caernarfon eye 'a bit more' after European adventure
Caernarfon Town fans applaud their players following the second leg loss t
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Caernarfon Town manager Richard Davies says the club have "had a taste" of European football after a memorable debut campaign.
The Cymru Premier side bowed out of the Europa Conference League at the second qualifying round stage after an 11-0 aggregate defeat by Polish giants Legia Warsaw.
Davies’ side had beaten Crusaders of Northern Ireland in the first qualifying round.
“We’ve had a taste of it now and the fans have had a taste of it,” Davies said.
“I think the chairman and everybody around the club will want a bit more of it.
Caernarfon Town manager Richard Davies celebrates following the win over Crusaders on penalties in the first qualifying round
“Hopefully we can kick on and compete with the best in the league.”
Caernarfon are expected to receive around £700,000 in prize money from Uefa for reaching the second qualifying round.
Davies believes money should be invested off the pitch – improvements to their home ground The Oval – as well as strengthening the playing squad.
“Hopefully now with the money that’s come in we can invest in it wisely on and off the pitch,” Davies said.
“Maybe the structure around getting the pitch up to the standard we need to play European games, that will be one of the priorities.
“Then trying to see how we can invest on the pitch as well because there’s no point having everything off the pitch if we can’t be successful on it.
“It’s just getting that balance right and I’m sure we’ll have many conversations over the coming weeks over how that looks.”
The Canaries had beaten Northern Ireland’s Crusaders on penalties in the first qualifying round second leg after winning the first leg at Bangor’s Nantporth 2-0.
They had qualified for Europe for the first time in their history when in May they beat Penybont 3-1 in the Cymru Premier Play-Off final.
“Proud is the word I’d use,” said Davies of Caernarfon’s achievements over recent weeks.
“It’s been an unbelievable journey and something that we’ll cherish forever.
“From when we beat Penybont to where we are now, history has been made.”