They may have been beaten, but the little Welsh League club put on a real show against the might of Belgrade...

MONEY is what football's top tier is all about these days, but last night's fixture between Rhyl and Partizan Belgrade at the North Wales seaside town was enough to restore any fan's faith in what the great game should really be all about.

The European Champions League qualifying round first-leg game was all about a little Welsh League club who are going nowhere having their moment amongst football's creme de la creme and putting on a show to warm the most cynical heart.

Rhyl had reached this giddy height by right. Having won the Welsh League last season, they entered the Champions League qualifying stages and were given a tie that sparked marvellous romantic notions when they were paired with the Serbian giants.

Partizan may not be the force they used to be, having lost to Real Madrid after reaching the final of the old European Cup way back in 1966 - a year that any English football fan has etched in their memory.

They were also the team Manchester United flew out to play when the tragic Munich air crash occurred in February 1958, killing so many great young players and leaving others scarred with the memory.

But the game at the aptly named Belle Vue ground was in no way a memorial or tribute to those Busby Babes.

It was about Rhyl FC - and while there was no fairytale ending to this particular game (Partizan building a comfortable 4-0 lead for the return leg in Belgrade next Wednesday without really moving out of second gear), it left all who were there to witness it with a nice, warm feeling and a little bit of their faith restored in a game that now seems ruled by rich foreign owners, greedy players, accountants and satellite TV.

The cameras were there to record this encounter - but again it was kept in house to a degree with the Welsh-speaking SC4 channel on hand to relay it to the world.

Belle Vue looked immaculate. The pitch was in pristine condition and although only 2,000 were allowed in to watch - the official attendance was just over 1,700 - the Rhyl officials and helpers can feel justifiably proud after putting on a true spectacle.

The stars were out in force to watch and add to the occasion. Former Aston Villa striker Savo Milosevic walked the pitch beforehand and sat in the main stand, happily signing autographs whilst discussing and enjoying the occasion with his compatriots.

Milosevic played for the club in his early days and now having retired from the playing side it is understood he will be rejoning Partizan in an off-field capacity.

A shape of things to come was also on the sidelines in winger Zoran Tosic, who signed for Manchester United from Partizan around a year ago. He journeyed to Rhyl to watch his former team-mates and again was happy to talk and sign autographs for the fans.

Tosic was part of a double deal that also saw another young prodigy, Adem Ljajic, agree to come to Old Trafford in January next year. He did not travel with the Partizan party as he is currently preparing to play in the European Under-19 Championship with Serbia.

In the Rhyl corner was owner and president Peter Parry, a former player himself with Rhyl and Runcorn.

Now a very successful businessman in the healthcare field, he still lives in his beloved Rhyl. The pride he felt on Tuesday night must have been immeasurable, but the man whose career as a prolific striker was cut short after a brain haemorrhage at the age of just 23, conducted himself in a quiet, calm manner all night, but with a smile on his face!

Former Wales, Manchester United and Everton midfielder Mickey Thomas from just up the road in Mochdre, and Barry Horne, who played for Wales, Everton and Manchester City among others, were also in the stands.

Former Arsenal and Celtic striker John Hartson was also due to be part of S4C's commentary team, but sadly his recently diagnosed illness meant the ex-Wales striker was unable to attend.

Partizan were in control from the start and it took them just 17 minutes to make a mark - and boy did they do just that. A dynamic free-kick from Mladen Krstajic was immediately followed by a strike from Brazilian centre forward Cleo Cleverson to give Partizan two goals in a minute and effectively wrap up the game and the tie.

Lamine Diarra scored a close-range effort on the stroke of half time and as Rhyl, with last season's 23-goal top scorer Neil Roberts, who made his name with Wrexham in their ranks, tried valiantly to come up with at least an equaliser against the superbly organised and technical brilliant Serbs, the visitors' skipper Nenad Djordjevic headed in the fourth and final goal.

So a bit of a drubbing, but the home fans still went home happy with one remarking on his way out: "It was just nice to see the ground full again!"

Shops and other local outlets benefited, staying open to the end to cash in on the occasion. And even though pairs of police officers were evident walking the fans back towards the town centre, there was not a hint of trouble all night.

Just as it should be. But where to now for Rhyl? Well, the League of Wales season kicks off in a few weeks time and they will be looking to defend their title. Its not the first time they have been in Europe. They have competed, mainly in the old UEFA Cup since 2003 and were knocked out of the Champions League at the same stage by Skonto Riga in the 2003/4 season.

But they have reached the top of their particular tree now as there is no qualification into the Coca-Cola League for Welsh League teams and if they wanted to go down that route it would almost certainly mean going in some way down the non-league ladder, too.

So while they would love to see more cash injected into the club, Rhyl are reasonably happy with their lot.

"The problem we have is that the the standard we have reached has exceeded the ability to finance itself," said former club secretary and UEFA advisor Joe Pearson-Furnival.

"We get very little financial help from our own FA and the financial demands of the players has now caught up with the lower leagues in the English game.

"But a night like this means that some of our players in the twilight of their careers who would only have been able to play in a game of this stature if they had been with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea have been able to do just that. It's a nice swansong, isn't it?"

Yes, Joe it is - and long may you and other teams like you have the opportunity to do so!

[This article first appeared at www.sportingo.com, photo by M Todorovic].