Having seen the Glammy and Academy threads being banished to Sludge and Wales Bales' board, I've got my fears for this long running enormo-thread too. Let's see what happens.

Anyway, 8 years after a poorly funded Wales team were playing in the third tier of European hockey, a poorly funded Wales team started their third consecutive top division Euros today with a clash against the World Champions, Germany, in Monchengladbach. 3-1 down going into the final quarter in front of a full house was creditable enough (especially as the Germans had won the corresponding game 8-1 in 2021) but Wales managed to claw their way back into it and came up with a 3-3 draw, ruining countless accumulators in the process (possibly).

France up next. No love lost when they play, my lad got sin-binned against them in '21 for celebrating the winner in a French defender's face (when did that become a rule?). Then the World number one ranked Dutch team in the final group game followed by semis or 5-8th play offs.

Whatever happens it'll have been an adventure. The continued chronic lack of funding, in an increasingly professional sport, means that a fall back down the rankings seems inevitable at some point but the lads battle on and are always a credit to the family and friends who turn out to support them.