Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has urged Wales supporters to get behind all the players in the Great Britain football team when they travel to Cardiff in the Olympics next month.
Ramsey is one of a five-strong contingent of Welsh players in Stuart Pearce's squad for the Games, with Ryan Giggs captain of a party that also includes Craig Bellamy and Neil Taylor and Joe Allen.
The inclusion of Wales internationals has been met with some resistance by the Welsh FA, who are worried that FIFA and UEFA might try to force the four home nations to play as one country at any future international tournaments.
But Gunners youngster Ramsey has no fears over the home fans embracing the Wales internationals when Team GB meet Uruguay at a sold-out Millennium Stadium on August 1.
The 21-year-old hopes the Red Dragon supporters are just as accommodating to the English players that make up the backbone of Pearce's party.
Ramsey told the Daily Star: "I hope all our home fans will come together for this occasion. They need to get behind the England lads in Team GB as well because this is a real one-off.
"For us Welsh players it hasn't really been a battle to win over the fans because, hopefully, they understand our point of view about playing in the Olympics.
"It is very important to me and, to be honest, we're old enough and mature enough to make our own decisions.
"We're being offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one too good to turn down and we all want to be remembered for the part we play. "
Ramsey is relishing the prospect of representing Team GB and is grateful to the Welsh FA for allowing players to make up their own mind over their involvement.
The youngster, who is already targeting the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with Wales, said: "We are just thankful the Welsh FA left it up to us. They gave their opinions but then ultimately it was our choice.
"This is a fantastic experience for all the players and, from a Welsh point of view, it'll be the first tournament we go to - but not the last.
"I'd like to do more with Wales. We have come on so much since Gary Speed was our manager when the team was playing some fantastic stuff.
"The rankings show just how far - we are up to 38th now. At one point we were about 120th!
"Chris Coleman is a believer in the style that Gary introduced as well and now we want to have a very good World Cup qualifying campaign and make it to Brazil."
