Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:17 pm on 13 December 2022.
Can I thank Joel James for bringing this question forward, and for his important supplementary? As Joel has said, we are all proud, aren't we, of our national team, both the men's and the women's, and the last six years of supporting Cymru have certainly been the very best of my lifetime, and I'm sure that's the same for many others here, albeit that mine might be a little shorter than others. [Laughter.] But that success doesn't happen by accident, Llywydd. It started with my childhood hero, Gary Speed, and, of course, in the Welsh women's team, Jayne Ludlow, and it continues with the current management now and the governance of Noel Mooney. But one of the legacies from this world cup, First Minister, has to be improved facilities.
I declare an interest, Llywydd: my local team, Connah's Quay Nomads Football Club, which I'm an ambassador for, had their game called off this weekend at Cymru Premier level. Just think how many games at grass-roots and children's level were the same. But, as we face the impact of austerity 2.0 from the United Kingdom Government, First Minister, do you agree with me that this will have an impact on football, and will you take every opportunity to remind the UK Tory Government that austerity does limit ambition and talent development in all walks of life, including pêl-droed?