How Man City hero Andy Morrison took lessons from Wembley 1999 to inspire Connah's Quay title win

Former Manchester City captain Andy Morrison has led Connah's Quay Nomads to their first ever Welsh Premier League title.

"I tell my players wherever you go, make sure you leave an impression. Ideally you leave the right impression. But for me the wrong impression is better than no impression."

These are the typically honest words of former Manchester City captain Andy Morrison, who has just led Connah's Quay Nomads to a historic title win in the Welsh Premier League.

Morrison, who played for City between 1998 and 2002 as they rose from the third division to the Premier League, knows a thing or two about defying expectations. During his time at Maine Road, he played a key role in changing City's fortunes and setting them on the path for their current dominance of English football.

Now, in his fifth year managing Connah's Quay, the Nomads have become the first club in eight years to successfully beat The New Saints to the Welsh title, earning them a place in next season's Champions League. His secret? Consistency.

"We only lost two games all season, we've managed to bring in some good players, some good young players. They fitted in really well together and we were able to sustain that pressure throughout," Morrison told MEN Sport.

"I've always said that if you can ask the question of TNS and get close to them, it's a different animal then. When they're ten, twelve points clear it's very easy to relax and go get results. We've put pressure on them since January and the main difference is we've put consistency on them. Consistency doesn't guarantee results, but the results do come on the back of really good performances so it's definitely been the consistency this year that's been the difference.

"It's obviously not ideal to win the title without finishing the season, we all want the euphoria and excitement of winning on the pitch but it wasn't to be. It was, for me, the right call to end the season when we did, and the only outcome that made any sense was Connah's Quay winning the league.

"We've broken a trend of TNS winning eight titles on the spin so it was a fantastic achievement. Not the way we wanted to do it but it was the only feasible outcome.

"The boys have worked incredibly hard, we've done the double this season with the League Cup, so it's been a great season. Winning the title and winning the League Cup it's been our outstanding season in the club's history."

Morrison's vision of a successful club is something he has taken with him from those successive promotions at City in 1999 and 2000, explaining how everyone connected with the club at that time banded together in 'remarkable' fashion.

He said: "I think the unity at the time between the board, management, players and fans was huge. Things had been a bit broken for a few seasons there. Managers coming in right, left and centre, and the relationship between the board and fans wasn't great. That period of time everybody came together, everybody saw the predicament the football club was in. Everybody started rowing in the same direction.

"When you've got your board, your chairman, your management, your players and your fans - when everybody's in that boat together it's a very very strong position to be in. On the back of that City went and had back-to-back promotions to get back in the Premier League. The power of everyone being together.

"It's something I've always held onto where I am now, having everybody singing off the same hymn sheet like we were at that time. The power and energy that created was remarkable at that time.

"I think that's always remembered by the fans, that turnaround in the club's fortunes from a club that was obviously in decline. I think they appreciate the players and people who were at the club at that time and see it as a big part of where we are today."

Morrison and his teammates from Joe Royle's side are fondly remembered by City fans, especially at this time of year when the anniversary of the 1999 play-off final win and 2000 promotion at Blackburn are recalled.

"You want to be remembered wherever you were, you want to leave an impression," he says.

"Whether I played for Blackpool or Blackburn or Plymouth and then obviously at City, you want to be remembered. You don't want to be in and gone in a couple of seasons and nobody remembers if you were there or not. I still speak with the players, there's such a fondness for that time and our careers. And still to be remembered and spoke about as playing a part in the club's history is fantastic.

"I try to speak to my players and say wherever you go, wherever you play football, whatever you do, make sure you leave an impression. Ideally you leave the right impression. But for me the wrong impression is better than no impression. At least people know you've been in town.

"The fans from that period will remember those players from that period and still name them, they could probably name the team off the top of their head. Try and name the team who played in 2005, or try to name the team that played in 2010. Fans won't remember those squads but they'll always remember the spine of that team [in 1999] and the people who did so well for the club."

Back to the present day, and Morrison's reward for leading Connah's Quay to the title is a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds, where they could face a number of established European clubs including Celtic.

"We've been in the Europa League the last four seasons," he explained.

"The format of going to Geneva for the draw, seeing who you're going to get, the preparation, it's pretty similar to the Europa League. The only difference is it's the Champions League and the top competition in European football. We'll look to embrace it, we've seen the bracket of teams we're in and it's quite formidable. It's never fazed us in the past.

"We went to Kilmarnock last year who finished third in the Scottish Premier League and won 2-0 at their place, so we've done some amazing things and there's no reason we can't do that again when the Champions League does start.

"It'll be an incredible test. You're looking at Molde, Celtic, Legia Warsaw. It's quite scary when you look at the clubs. We're just a little club in the North East corner of Wales. For us to be testing ourselves on that stage is remarkable and we'll really, really embrace that and enjoy the occasion.

"And as we always do, we'll leave an impression."