Ffwtbol
@ffwtbol
Followers
13K
Following
11K
Media
2K
Statuses
38K
Phil Stead. Author of 'Red Dragons: The Story of Welsh Football'. Sport columnist for Golwg since 2007.
Joined October 2010
Fair play to Sparta Prague Ultras. Must have been tough to get this flag from Durham’s University Challenge team.
126
913
15K
Dafydd Iwan has been singing ‘Yma o Hyd’ to Welsh language audiences for almost 40 years. Tonight he heard it sung back to him by 30,000 people from all parts of Wales. No wonder he cried.
24
234
3K
The most significant moment in our sporting history. A multicultural, bilingual, diverse group of players singing ‘Yma o Hyd’ with Dafydd Iwan. A progressive, inclusive self-confident Wales. A new Wales…Cymru.
11
311
3K
With Wales and England both in USA’s group, there will be at least 329 million more people who understand that Wales is not the same country as England.
44
185
2K
You don’t owe us anything boys. You’ve given us the best days of our lives. Yma o Hyd.
30
194
2K
This week, we've had Bale prioritising Wales over Real Madrid, and now Aaron Ramsey giving Welsh language interviews. Incredible, positive effect this team is having on their country. Absolute heroes.
12
150
2K
But whatever you do, you must not stand outside watching football.
27
227
2K
Here is all you need to know about our draw for Euro 2020. The average price of a pint of beer. Croatia £1.80 ; Slovakia £1.51; Hungary £1.34; Azerbaijan 69p.
49
419
2K
Do not go gentle into that good night….Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
27
147
1K
I’m just not having any criticism of Aaron Ramsey from now on. He was sublime again tonight and is one of the greatest midfielders we’ve ever seen in a Welsh shirt.
69
83
1K
I can’t tell you how much I love that team. Enjoy this. We’re living through the greatest era in the history of Welsh football.
17
120
1K
We’ve got no right to do this well. Absent manager. Lower league players. Reserve players. Injuries. Suspensions. Heroes. All of them.
8
101
1K
Cymru Leagues = £50-£100 season tickets, kids free, £3 beer in pitch-side clubhouse, £1 coffee in china mugs, each £1 benefits local economy. No VAR, and your local club will welcome you with open arms.
15
178
1K
20 years ago tonight, at the Manics Millennium gig, I made a resolution to start speaking Welsh with my wife. Ac erbyn hyn, dwi’n hollol rhugl ac yn byw fy mywyd trwy’r gyfrwng Cymraeg. Dos amdani! Go for it!.
15
73
1K
For years, a large number of pundits and fans called for a big European name to manage Wales. They felt we could never improve under a Welsh manager. And who were the three people that got us qualified? Gary Speed, Chris Coleman and Robert Page. 🏴.
25
51
1K
I already feel like this is one of the iconic moments of Welsh football history.
16
67
1K
Pity the Welsh fan who saw a football on the floor in Ozijek Old Town and decided to wallop it. The ball was concrete and he has apparently broken his foot.
26
148
922
I love Aaron Ramsey more than I can explain. I love his fragility, his humility, his wizardry, his enigmatic talent and his inexplicable genius. He comes from Caerphilly. Yes, Caerffili.
17
33
904
Malcolm Allen celebrating goals is the best sound in the world.
Dwi'n gwbod, mewn 20 mlynedd, fyddai'n dal i wylio ciips o Nic a Malcs yn colli' penna' yn ystod Ewro 2016. 🏴🏴.I know full well that in 20 years time, I will still be watching clips of Nic Parry and Malcolm Allen going crazy on commentary during Euro 2016. 🏴🏴
18
156
944
If we invade the pitch, we don’t get to share this. We don’t get Yma o Hyd again, or any of the post-match interaction. It was much better without a pitch invasion.
8
46
880
The Estonian name for Wales is 'Kõmrimaa' making it one of the few countries in the world to use a variant of Cymru instead of Gales/Wales.
18
60
833
Some of the disrespect I’m reading towards Aaron Ramsey from his own people is a disgrace. This is an athlete whose leg was broken in 2 places at the age of 19. Despite this, he took us to the Euros and World Cup Finals. He’s not a ‘sicknote’ he’s a national hero.
33
65
849
One striking thing for me last night was the singing of “Yma o Hyd”. Heard it in patches before but never en-masse like that.
35
56
827
I think Italy will be tougher opponents in the final than Spain would have been. The combination of energy, discipline and shithousery will make it difficult for the Danes.
10
49
813
The inclusion of Tom Lawrence sends out a very bad message. Get pissed, crash the car, severely injure a colleague, but still get to represent your country. Wrong call.
33
73
812
If you’re dual-qualified, do you choose England where Gomez is booed and young players like Hudson-Odoi & Rice are hammered? Or do you choose Wales where every player is a hero?.
15
45
789
Here’s a handy note to use when people ask you why Welsh clubs play in the English Football League.
22
439
756
Just noticed that the map of Wales on our Euros shirt includes the disputed territories of Herefordshire and Shropshire. Bit provocative?
36
81
727
There is something very wrong about seeing thousands of England and Scotland fans travelling freely to their game, plus other stadia packed across Europe. Meantime Wales fans, with our low covid stats are denied even a tested bubble trip to Amsterdam.
17
91
713
Really tough on Belgium’s Golden Generation to come against France & Wales in the tournaments when they’ve been at their prime.
5
176
705
Awful that David Marshall had to check VAR before he could celebrate the greatest moment of his career.
12
52
713
That Croatian president is coming out of this as the winner. Football shirt, rain, crying, hair ruined, doesn’t give a damn. 👏.
4
126
677
It’s the lads who screamed “Wales get battered” in my face that I feel sorry for.
20
40
679
I’ll say it now. There will never be another tournament for us, quite like Euro 2016.
26
14
669
Yes, that's a young Chinese lady waiting at the airport holding a photograph of Chris Gunter.
11
147
637
I think we had a bleak glimpse of the future tonight. An empty vacuous cup final in an oil rich state played in front of blaring music instead of fan noise. You disregard fans & this is what is left. Elevator football.
21
112
632
Shout out to the all north Walians leaving work at lunchtime today and returning about 3am after a 10 hour round trip to watch a Thursday night friendly in Cardiff. Too much for me.
25
43
652
Of all the crazy ideas I've heard to get into Amsterdam, my favourite is cycling discreetly along a canal tow-path across the German-Dutch border. Imagine the scenes.
8
53
646
Caernarfon fans had their big Euro away trip spoilt due to Legia’s total ban on fans. Yet this lot get to watch the away leg in Wales by booking a caravan lodge which overlooks Nantporth.
24
73
628
It’s either “just a practice match” or “No such thing as a friendly”. Will confirm later depending on result.
7
62
591
Good to see Cardiff City with “Diolch NHS” on the front of their shirts. it’s great to see our bilingualism reflected.
6
38
581
In 2016 we qualified as a nation desperate to lose the curse of failure. Tonight we qualified as expected. A confident,independent nation that has confirmed its place among the best in Europe.
6
39
583
10 years ago today I met Chris Gunter and Gareth Bale playing skimmers in Montenegro.
4
13
570
Beaten by the better team but they did us proud in adversity. Gave everything in difficult circumstances. Yma o Hyd.
4
67
557
Wales 2-1 Italy. 18 years ago today. My wife went into labour during the game. I stayed till the end of course. Ifan Jones Delaney Melville Gabbidon Speed Savage Davies Pembridge Giggs Bellamy Hartson Stead was born the next morning.
30
40
559
The amazing story of Klaus,a German fan who started following Wales in 1995 and who has learnt Welsh as a result.
Dyma stori anhygoel Klaus o'r Almaen 🇩🇪. Mae wedi dysgu siarad Cymraeg er mwyn gallu cyfathrebu gyda'i ffrindiau ac aelodau o'r Wal Goch wrth deithio rownd Ewrop yn cefnogi Cymru ⚽️. Mae'n cefnogi Cymru ers 1995 ac wedi mynychu 53 o gemau'r cochion hyd yma 👏
7
80
530
Turkey 🇹🇷, (pop. 83m) v Cymru 🏴 (pop.3m) . We’re punching so far above our weight. But we’re used to that. Ymlaen Cymru.
4
31
533
My son made his @WPL_Official debut tonight and set up the winning goal for @CardiffMetFC . Never been so proud.
25
5
532
The point about England is that the World Cup is about experiencing global football culture and now one of our precious games will be taken up against that lot.
28
24
506
10 years ago today, I took our junior football club to watch @BarnsleyFC v @CardiffCityFC Craig Bellamy was warming down post-match, heard them speaking Welsh, came across & spent 30 mins with the kids. Absolute gent.
6
19
515
I'm just imagining a Cardiff Stadium full of Catalonian flags for the game v Spain. Now that would be a fine thing.
16
142
495
The 1st train from Bangor to our capital city tomorrow, arrives in Cardiff at 15:28. The last train back leaves Cardiff at 19:45, takes 6 hours and it costs £98. What a shit transport system we’ve got.
16
72
485
Just to be clear. Your 2nd home & your bootfull of olives from Chester Tesco doesn’t boost our economy, it evicts a local family who would contribute all year round.
3
70
497
Excellent night for Wales. 3 debuts, clean sheet and a win for a weakened side. Morrell, James, Ampadu good and Kieffer Moore superb. We’d never have won this type of game in years gone by.
11
30
506
Yesterday Cardiff City were ready to sell control of the game to the Big 6 for a desperately needed bailout. Today they've paid £1m for Harry Wilson with £60K a week wages. Not a good look for the EFL.
20
94
500
I don’t know if we’ll win tomorrow. I think it’s 50/50. But I can guarantee that they won’t let us down. They never do.
12
26
486
Wayne Hennessey is a bit of an unsung hero isn’t he? He’s been fantastic for Wales. One of our most consistent performers in the past decade.
19
14
487
They’ve moved 11 league places in a decade. Some rollercoaster that is. In the past 7 years, Barry Town have gone from parks football to the Europa League.
This decade has been a rollercoaster for Liverpool fans. 🎢
6
68
484
Poor old Maguire. Last thing he needs is Kieffer Moore on Thursday.
2
46
489
Wrexham are not my club, but I couldn’t be happier to see them go up. Birthplace of Welsh football.
2
28
436
Nadolig Llawen!.
As it’s nearly Christmas I’d thought I’d give you all a gift by reminding you of this fantastic moment of Euro 2016
6
56
457
Someone asked me yesterday why the Welsh are so tetchy. Well, our culture, language and identity is being pushed towards a cliff. We’re just trying to push back a bit.
11
106
447
What happened next is impossible. And yes, I am watching it again.
20
12
445
Train full of Millwall belting it out…”NO ONE LIKES US! WE DON’T CARE!”. A single lone voice responds with a strong Valleys accent. “I like yew boys, an’ I’m from Treherbert.”.
4
101
423
In 1927, the Radio Times published this diagram to help radio commentators describe the Cardiff City v Arsenal FA Cup Final. It gave us the phrase “back to square one”.
10
172
428
Ralph Lauren have produced a Wales polo shirt and it’s an absolute shocker.
127
37
414
So it turns out it wasn’t all Dan James and Neco Williams’ fault after all 🤔.
6
27
416
We lost on pens. It’s a lottery. Anyone who wants to blame anybody for that can do one. They gave everything.
24
22
400
Wow! Geraint Thomas wins the Tour de France and it’s not even one of the top 5 moments of the year. Joke.
The nominees have been announced and now it’s over to you. What will you pick as the Greatest Sporting Moment of 2018 at @bbcspoty?. Vote here: Voting closes at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 14 December 2018. #SPOTY
21
77
397
Andy Morrison celebrating Nomads’ win by wearing the TNS Chairman’s hat and a “Keep the Trophy in Wales” hoodie.
7
24
411
I took this pic of a 19-year old left back called Gareth Bale winning a pen v Lichtenstein in 2008. This was before he changed our history. Diolch Gareth.
3
9
402
Nations League has been a huge success. Would never have got 28,000 for a friendly v Turkey. And half the team would have pulled out.
10
14
394
Cardiff City’s official club app now offers 2 languages; English & Chinese. Not Welsh, but Mandarin Chinese. And they wonder why fans still feel disengaged.
24
122
382
While Gomez and Sterling are scrapping at their hotel under huge press scrutiny, the Welsh squad pop out to a gig in the City Centre.
7
33
400
Wow! fascinating that Ramsey is now giving Welsh language interviews - since speaking publically in Italian. Demonstrates a new confidence. Diolch Aaron.
🎥. “Ni’n gwybod beth ni angen neud a gobeithio bydd rhywbeth i ddathlu dydd Mawrth” 👊. @aaronramsey is looking forward to our crucial final @UEFAEURO qualifying matches 🇦🇿🇭🇺 . #TogetherStronger #AZEWAL
3
21
399
13 years ago today, I took this photo of Aaron Ramsey playing for Wales U21 v England U21 at Ninian Park. He was incredible in that campaign, like a Welsh Platini.
20
13
400