ELIS JAMES: FOOTBALL NATION: 80s/90s

Monday, 7 June

BBC One Wales, 10.45pm

Following Welsh football has always been a rollercoaster ride. For decades, Wales have seemed on the verge of greatness only to fall at the final hurdle. But, through it all, they have shown flashes of brilliance that have too often been forgotten.

In the third episode of Elis James: Football Nation, the comedian uncovers some of Wales’ nearest misses, from the late 70s through to the early 90s, under a succession of managers, starting with an infamous ‘home’ tie at Anfield against Scotland in a World Cup ’78 qualifier.

Wales found themselves playing at one of the iconic homes of English football because of fan trouble at Cardiff and the possibility that tribal rivalries of Welsh club support would undermine any chance of putting on a united (and peaceful) front from the terraces for a decade.

At the dawn of the 80s, new manager Mike England sparked a renewed sense of patriotism and passion in the Welsh team but there was a sense of déjà vu to come as Wales were denied qualification into the 1984 European Championships and 1986 World Cup by Yugoslavia and Scotland respectively – the two countries they had failed against in crucial games the previous decade.

In 1988, former Wales captain Terry Yorath took over as manager. With a strong squad of players, Wales would prove to be difficult to beat at home with victories over Brazil and Germany in the early 90s. Yorath would become one of the modern era’s most successful Wales managers, and a firm fan favourite. But qualification into a major tournament would once again elude Wales at the last moment when they took on Romania at Cardiff Arms Park in 1993.

All episodes are currently on BBC iPlayer to stream now: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000wj2x/elis-james-football-nation