THERE are not many prouder Welshmen than Brian Flynn. 

But the former dynamo midfielder, who wore the red of Wales 66 times in a distinguished playing career, has more reasons than most to celebrate his country’s rise to glory. 

All bar one of the Welsh team that made history by beating Slovakia in their first game at a major championships since the 1958 World Cup, came under Flynn’s tutorship during his eight years service as a coach with the Football Association of Wales. 

“Every single one except for James Chester!’ was Flynn’s response to the question: How many of the current Wales team came through your ranks in the Welsh set-up? 

“Obviously I’m proud of that but I’m more delighted they are competing in a major tournament,” said the 60-year-old Flynn, who played in Welsh teams that came so close to making the Euro Championship finals in 1976 and the World Cup in Argentina two years later. 

It was John Toshack who decided to give youth it’s chance and he knew that his former Welsh team-mate, Flynn, was the man for the job. 

“The youngsters needed a platform and you have to give Tosh credit for that,” added Flynn, who more than played his part in nurturing the top talent in Wales. 

“It’s great to see so many of them progressing from the u17 level to the national team and the Wales team picks itself these days. 

“They’ve got good continuity and a good blend of young and experienced. And, of course, they’ve got Gareth Bale. 

“He’s different class for Wales and he’s different class for Real Madrid. And he loves playing for Wales. You can see that. 

“They are a tight-knit group and they played so well against Slovakia and I can’t see them losing to England.” 

And that’s something Flynn, who spent 11 years at boss at Wrexham - the longest serving manager ever at The Racecourse - is an expert on having experienced to joy of getting one over on the old enemy. 

He can’t beat his old Wrexham and Wales team-mate Joey Jones’ hat-trick of Welsh wins against England but he has fond memories of the two victories - one at Wembley and the other a 

4-1 thrashing of Ron Greenwood’s side at Wrexham. 

“We beat them at Wembley 1-0, Leighton James scoring the goal. That was good. But we thrashed them 4-1 at Wrexham,” he said. 

“It was Mike England’s first match in charge for Wales and he must have thought international football management was easy after that.  England put out the best side they could. They even went ahead but we were all over them after that.”

But will Wales be celebrating again later on today?

“We will not lose,” added Flynn.

“We know how to frustrate and we’ve got obvious match-winners on the break.”

And who offers the biggest threat to Wales?

“It’s got to be Jamie Vardy,” added Flynn. “I’d certainly play him!”