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As things stand, Wales will play against a bunch of amateurs, semi-pros and even Futsal players when they clash with Denmark on Sunday in the Nations League.

The row between the Danish FA and the stars who took the team to the last 16 of the World Cup shows no sign of abating.

It means Gareth Bale and his team-mates could have a field day in Aarhus. With respect, Louis Veis of Jaegersborg Futsal is hardly Christian Eriksen, is he?

A walkover then for Ryan Giggs' side. You'd think so, but the manager, more than anyone, has painful memories of how Wales have been humiliated in the past by this kind of opposition.

On May 26, 1996, fresh from having secured a Premier League-FA Cup double with Manchester United, Giggs was part of a star-studded Wales team who played Leyton Orient - and lost 2-1 at Brisbane Road in arguably the most humiliating defeat in our 142-year history.

This is the story of the day Welsh football wishes could be erased from the memory...

(Image: EMPICS Sport)

THE REASON FOR THE GAME

Wales, managed by Bobby Gould, had a summer World Cup qualifier in San Marino in what was the first step towards what he hoped was a march to the finals at France 98.

Given San Marino were the whipping team of Europe, Gould opted against orthodox friendlies and felt preparation against a lower league club sides was the best thing for Wales.

Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road was the first game. Another fixture against Cwmbran Town was arranged for August, ahead of the Cardiff return clash with San Marino.

Predictably Wales won that one against Cwmbran 6-1 - when Gould himself scored with a header from a Giggs cross, having brought himself on as a substitute with the team 3-0 up.

Read into that what you will.

First, though, there was the little matter of a Sunday afternoon in east London... and a result Wales will never be permitted to forget.

(Image: EMPICS Sports Photo Agency)

THE STARDUST WALES TEAM

Given the World Cup opener was only a week away, Gould wasn't in the mood for messing around. He picked a full-blown Wales XI for the game in front of 5,000 Brisbane Road fans, including Giggs, Mark Hughes, Dean Saunders, Robbie Savage, Barry Horne and Chris Coleman.

There was tinkering within the line-up, however. Giggs was handed a free role, Coleman had to play on the wing and Mark Bowen was chosen as sweeper.

Lots of the supporters present had come to see Giggs, not their own side, but they finished up scarcely able to believe what they were witnessing.

HOW GOOD - OR BAD - WERE ORIENT BACK THEN?

Shocking, is the answer to that. They had just narrowly avoided relegation out of the Football League, finishing fourth from bottom of the old Division Three.

Orient had failed to win any of their last 10 league matches and had been hammered that 1995-96 season by Hartlepool, Doncaster and Barnet. They had also been knocked out in the first round of three cup competitions.

What's more, O's manager Pat Holland chose to pick a young defender by the name of Lee Shearer, who hadn't even made his competitive debut, and a triallist called Peter Garland.

Those two unknowns were to haunt Wales.

THE GAME ITSELF

Wales, understandably, dominated possession with Giggs popping up everywhere. But they were rocked back on their heels when centre-back Shearer capitalised on a lapse in the defence to put Orient in front.

Wales wide man John Robinson drew Gould's team level with 10 minutes to go so there was an element of faces not being quite so red.

(Image: EMPICS Sport)

But then midfielder Garland, yes that triallist from Charlton getting a game to help make up the numbers, struck with the winner in the closing moments.

Gould disappeared on the final whistle to pop across to Wembley for a play-off final game, with his deputy Neville Southall left to explain away the defeat to the media.

THAT MEDIA REACTION

It wasn't a proper Wales international, of course, with no caps awarded. But that didn't stop the Press laying into Wales.

‘O’s stuff the tragic Dragons,’ said the Mirror, writing: ‘Ryan Giggs was humbled by a bunch of triallists and Third Division cast-offs.'

The Times recorded Wales had been unexpectedly beaten by 'Third Division waifs and strays.'

THE WALES REACTION

With Gould having departed for Wembley, Southall met the waiting media.

He insisted the exercise was worthwhile, to plan and prepare for the game that really mattered against San Marino in a week's time.

"Orient were fired up, but so would I be if I were playing against Ryan Giggs," said Big Nev.

"But we're quite happy, although it might not look that way. It wouldn't have mattered if we'd lost 10-1.

"There is no panicking - we will be far more organised next week and the important thing is winning in San Marino next week.

"We've learnt a few things and on the whole it's been a good day."

WHAT THE PLAYERS REALLY THOUGHT

Mark Bowen gave an interview two decades on about the Brisbane Road embarrassment.

He told The SetPieces : "A lot of our lads weren’t too motivated. Apart from anything else you were worried about picking up knocks ahead of the San Marino game.

“Walking off the pitch there were a few words said between us. One – we were embarrassed, and two, the players were not too enamoured with why we played the game, why we were put in that situation.

"The atmosphere in the dressing room after was a little bit despondent, and a little bit angry that we’d been put through that.

“But I certainly can see reasons why Bob might have done it, if he wanted to find out certain things about his tactics or whatever."

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TO THE ORIENT GOALSCORERS

Matchwinner Peter Garland earned himself a contract with Orient as a result of his goal and thus successful trial.

He played 21 games for them - and didn't score another goal! Not one.

What's more, he had a less than stellar career afterwards, with Whyteleafe, Dulwich Hamlet, Greenwich Borough and Erith Town amongst his clubs.

Yes, we had to google a couple of those, too. Whyteleafe are and Surrey-based side who play in the Isthmian League South Division, whilst Erith Town play in the Southern Counties East League.

As for Lee Shearer, scorer of the first goal, he had 18 matches with Orient before dropping into non-league. Dover, Margate, Welling, Folkstone Invicta, Faversham Town and Ashford United were amongst his clubs.

Those two could always dine out on the fact, however, that they had scored against and beaten a Wales side with Giggs, Hughes and Saunders in the ranks.

WHERE THE RESULT RANKS AMONGST WALES' WORST

Most Welsh managers have had horror scorelines they would rather forget. Chris Coleman's side were smashed 6-1 in Serbia and embarrassed 2-1 in Macedonia.

Mark Hughes' Wales only drew 0-0 at home to Armenia; John Toshack's team were slaughtered 5-1 by Slovakia at the Millennium Stadium; Mike Smith's men were gouged 5-0 in Georgia; Terry Yorath's Wales had a five-goal battering in Romania.

The nadir for Gould's Wales was a 7-1 Eindhoven drubbing by the Dutch - but Orient 2 Wales 1 has to rank right up there.

WHAT HAPPENED VERSUS SAN MARINO

Fresh from their Brisbane Road red-faces, Wales went out to Serravalle a week on and thumped San Marino 5-0 in the one that mattered.

Hughes scored twice, with Giggs, Mark Pembridge and Andy Melville also on the scoresheet.

The return game at Cardiff Arms Park two months on saw Wales win 6-0. Hughes bagged a brace again, so too Saunders, with Melville and Robinson getting the others.

(Image: Getty Images)

Trouble was they were then heavily beaten twice by the Dutch and the World Cup hopes were already by and large over.

WILL THEY BE EMBARRASSED AGAIN IN DENMARK?

Highly unlikely. Wales in 2018 are a galaxy away from Wales 1996 in terms of preparation, confidence and how they go about things.

It remains to be seen which Danish side will line up against them in Aarhus, but if it is to be the lesser one Wales should bag a hatful of goals.

(Image: PA)

There were seven Futsal players named in Denmark's new-look squad and they are a million miles from proper international football.

Wales were embarrassed by Leyton Orient. This time, in a competitive game, they'll be ready.