BY popular consensus the current Wales side have made history this weekend by becoming the first from the country to qualify for the European Championship finals.

Chris Coleman’s side have been lavished with praise for their achievement for reaching Euro 2016 in France next summer.

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Former Burnley and Wales winger Leighton James is delighted for the current crop of internationals, and urges them to make the most of the tournament experience.

But he is less happy that his band of brothers from Wales’ class of 76 have had their part in the football folklore of the country diminished.

James, who won 54 caps for the Red Dragons, was part of the team who cruised through their qualifying group for Euro 1976, eventually going down to Yugoslavia in what were referred to as quarter-finals.

But because the last-eight stage was played over two legs, home and away, with only the semi-finals and final taking place in tournament format in one country, the squad of 76 are not considered to have qualified for a major tournament.

“The great team of 76 has been disrespected by the Welsh football public,” said James, who played 399 times for the Clarets.

“We made the quarter-finals of that tournament — just because it was not played in one country until the semi-finals does not change that.

“People tend to overlook it but Yugoslavia were not in our qualifying group.

“We made the last eight of a major tournament and people still overlook that achievement.”

Wales were drawn in a qualifying group alongside Hungary, Austria and Luxembourg.

Having lost the first game in Austria they responded with five wins out of five.

First Hungary were beaten in front of just of over 8,000 fans at Cardiff City’s Ninian Park, Arfon Griffiths and John Toshack scoring.

Luxembourg were vanquished 5-0 at the Vetch Field in Swansea, with Toshack and Griffiths again on the scoresheet. Mike England, Phil Roberts and Terry Yorath also found the back of the net.

The high point of a memorable campaign came on April 16, 1975.

Hungary had not lost in 21 years at the formidable Nepstadion in Budapest.

But they lost their superb home record to Mike Smith’s side, Toshack and John Mahoney scoring in a 2-1 win.

James scored twice in a 3-1 success in Luxembourg, before top spot was secured with a 1-0 win over Austria in front of 27,500 at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham.

It is a campaign remembered fondly by James.

“Before this current team, if they do it, we were the first Welsh team to top a qualifying group,” he said.

“We lost the first game in Vienna and then we won the next five.

“We are still the only Wales team to win five qualifying games on the trot.

“We had Luxembourg in the group, who were the only real minnow then, but we had Austria and Hungary as well.

“We won in Hungary and we were the first team to win at the Nepstadion.

“It was the great bastion of Hungarian football and we ended their run there, and then beat them in Cardiff.”

Between 1960 and 1976 the European Championships, or European Nations Cup as it was known for the first two tournaments, was contested officially by just four teams.

It expanded to eight only in 1980, by which time Wales could only finish third in their qualifying group.

The finale of the 1976 tournament was held in Yugoslavia. And to make it, Wales had to beat the hosts over two legs.

The writing was on the wall when Wales went a goal down inside a minute in Zagreb on April 24, 1976.

They lost 2-0, leaving themselves an uphill task back at Ninian Park, where now 30,000 were in attenda- nce.

A debatable penalty awarded by East German referee Rudolf Glockner, who demanded the flag of his home country be flown at the stadium prior to kick-off, extended Yugoslavia’s aggregate lead.

Although Ian Evans pulled back a goal, it was not to be for Wales.

The European dream was over - but James harbours no regrets.

He said: “It was very difficult in Yugoslavia.

“They were a great side with players from what is now Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, all of which are good teams.

“They were a huge country. We lost 3-1 on aggregate. They were better than us. We had no complaints.

“We had an East German referee for the second leg and I do not think he was too keen on us.

“At the time we were aggrieved by some of his decisions but it is water under the bridge now. They went through deservedly.

“We were beaten by the better team over two legs.

“But it was a great achievement and a great experience.”

Next summer Wales will finally compete in the final stage of a European Championships.

For the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Sam Vokes it will be a tournament to remember — and their achievements will never be forgotten.

James believes that is not the case for the side who almost reached the final four on the continent.

He said: “The players who played in that 76 team know what we achieved.

“People do diminish our achievement and disregard it. We are the forgotten team.”