Wrexham A.F.C. facts for kids
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Full name | Wrexham Association Football Club | |||
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Nickname(s) | The Red Dragons, The Robins, The Town | |||
Short name | Wrexham AFC CPD Wrecsam (Welsh) |
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Founded | October 1864 | |||
Stadium | Racecourse Ground | |||
Stadium capacity |
13,341 | |||
Owners | Wrexham Holdings LLC (Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney) |
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Manager | Phil Parkinson | |||
League | National League | |||
2018–19 | National League, 4th of 24 | |||
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Wrexham Association Football Club (known in Welsh as Clwb Pêl-droed Wrecsam) is a professional football team from Wrexham, Wales. It was started in 1864, making it the oldest club in Wales. It is also the third-oldest professional football team in the world! Wrexham currently plays in EFL League One, which is the third level of the English football league system.
The team from Wales first played in friendly matches and cup competitions. They joined their first league, The Combination, in 1890. Wrexham won this league four times. They also won the Welsh Senior League twice. In 1921, Wrexham became one of the first teams in the Football League's Third Division North.
Wrexham has had many ups and downs. They were promoted to the Second Division for the first time in 1977–78. After some tough years and financial problems, they even dropped out of the Football League in 2008. But they kept fighting! After several attempts, Wrexham was promoted back to EFL League Two in 2023. Then, on April 13, 2024, they earned a second promotion in a row, moving up to EFL League One.
Wrexham has won the Welsh Cup a record 23 times. They also won the Football League Trophy in 2005 and the FA Trophy in 2013. The club has won the FAW Premier Cup five times. Their biggest rivalries are with English clubs like Chester, Shrewsbury Town, and Tranmere Rovers. These games are called the cross-border derby.
In 1992, Wrexham famously beat Arsenal, who were the English champions, in the FA Cup. They also beat FC Porto 1–0 in a European Cup Winners' Cup match in 1984. Wrexham played in European competitions because they won the Welsh Cup. Their home stadium, the Racecourse Ground, is the world's oldest international stadium that still hosts international games. The most people ever to watch a game there was 34,445 in 1957, when Wrexham played Manchester United.
In 2020, Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and American actor Rob McElhenney bought the club. This brought a lot of attention to Wrexham, especially with their TV show Welcome to Wrexham. The club gained many new fans from all over the world.
Contents
- Club History
- Early Years (1864–1905): The Beginning of a Football Journey
- Joining the Football League (1905–1968): A New Era
- The Glory Years (1968–1982): European Adventures
- Tough Times (1982–1991): Financial Struggles
- Giant Killers (1991–2001): Famous Cup Runs
- Financial Troubles and Non-League Football (2001–2020)
- New Owners and Return to the EFL (2020–Present)
- Sponsorship and Kits
- The Racecourse Ground: Wrexham's Home Stadium
- Wrexham Supporters: The 12th Player
- Training Ground
- Players
- Team Records
- Club Officials
- Honours: Wrexham's Trophies
- Images for kids
- See also
Club History
Early Years (1864–1905): The Beginning of a Football Journey
Wrexham A.F.C. was started in October 1864 by members of the Wrexham Cricket Club. They wanted a sport to play during the winter. This makes Wrexham the fifth oldest football team and the oldest in Wales. Their very first game was on October 22, 1864, at the Denbighshire County Cricket Ground (now called The Racecourse). They played against the Prince of Wales Fire Brigade.
In the early days, football rules were still changing. Teams sometimes had up to 17 players! Wrexham helped push for the rule of only 11 players on the field. In 1876, the Football Association of Wales was formed. Two Wrexham players, Edwin Cross and Alfred Davies, played for Wales in their first international match against Scotland.
In the 1877–78 season, the FAW started the Welsh Cup. Wrexham reached the first final and beat Druids F.C. 1–0. James Davies scored the winning goal. Wrexham won the Welsh Cup again in 1883.
In 1890, Wrexham joined The Combination league. Their first game was against Gorton Villa on September 6, 1890. Wrexham later moved to the Welsh League in 1894–95 and won it twice. They returned to The Combination in 1896.
Joining the Football League (1905–1968): A New Era
Wrexham stayed in The Combination League until 1905, winning it four times. In 1905, they joined the Birmingham and District League. Their first match was a 2–1 win against Kidderminster Harriers at the Racecourse. During this time, Wrexham won the Welsh Cup six more times.
In 1921, Wrexham was voted into the new Third Division North of the Football League. Their first League game was at home against Hartlepools United. Wrexham lost 0–2, but got their revenge the next week with a 1–0 win. In this season, Ted Regan scored the club's first-ever Football League hat-trick. Charlie Hewitt was the club's first manager.
In the 1928–29 season, Albert Mays scored a record 32 league goals. This helped Wrexham finish third in the division. Tommy Bamford later joined the club and scored 201 goals! In 1929–30, Wrexham had their biggest league win, beating Rochdale 8–0. In 1932–33, they finished second in the Third Division North. This was also the first time the club wore their famous red and white kit.
During World War II, Wrexham played in a regional league. Famous guest players like Stanley Matthews even played for them! In 1956–57, Wrexham played Manchester United's "Busby Babes" in the FA Cup. A record crowd of 34,445 people watched the game at the Racecourse. Wrexham won the Welsh Cup again that season.
In 1960, Wrexham was relegated to the new Fourth Division. But under player-manager Ken Barnes, they were promoted back to the Third Division. They also had their biggest league victory, beating Hartlepool United 10–1. However, they were relegated again two years later.
The Glory Years (1968–1982): European Adventures
John Neal became Wrexham's manager in 1968. He led the club to promotion to the Third Division in 1970. Welsh clubs could now play in the European Cup Winners' Cup by winning the Welsh Cup. Wrexham played their first European match against Swiss team FC Zurich in 1972. They won 3–2 on total score and moved to the second round. There, they faced Hajduk Split from Yugoslavia. Wrexham lost on the away goals rule, but it was a great effort!
In 1972–73, the new Yale stand was finished at the stadium. In 1973–74, Wrexham changed their club badge to one that looked more Welsh, with three feathers and two dragons. This is still the badge today! That season, Wrexham also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals. They lost to Burnley, but 15,000 Wrexham fans traveled to watch!
In 1975–76, Wrexham reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup again. They beat teams from Sweden and Poland before losing to Anderlecht from Belgium, who went on to win the competition.
Arfon Griffiths took over as player-manager for the 1977–78 season. Wrexham finally won promotion to the Second Division by beating Rotherham United 7–1 at the Racecourse. They also won the Third Division Championship that year! In 1978–79, Wrexham reached the fourth round of the FA Cup. They lost to Tottenham Hotspur, a team with stars like Ossie Ardiles and Glenn Hoddle.
Tough Times (1982–1991): Financial Struggles
In 1982, Bobby Roberts became the new manager. The club had big financial problems and had to sell many good players. Wrexham was relegated to the Fourth Division. The club almost dropped out of the League entirely in the next season.
In 1984–85, Wrexham played FC Porto in Europe. Wrexham won the home game 1–0 and advanced on away goals after a 4–4 total score! In the next round, they played Italian side AS Roma, managed by Sven-Göran Eriksson. Wrexham lost 3–0 overall. Their league performance was still very bad, and Bobby Roberts was replaced.
Former player Dixie McNeil became manager. He helped Wrexham win 7 of their last 10 matches, saving them from relegation. In 1986, Wrexham returned to European football. They beat Maltese team FC Zurrieq 7–0. Then they drew 2–2 with Real Zaragoza but lost on away goals.
Due to new safety rules after the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985, the Mold Road stand at the Racecourse had to close. In 1989, Wrexham reached the Fourth Division play-offs but lost in the final. Dixie McNeil resigned, and Brian Flynn took over. Wrexham continued to struggle, finishing in 92nd place in 1990–91. They were also knocked out of the European Cup Winners' Cup by Manchester United.
Giant Killers (1991–2001): Famous Cup Runs
The 1991–92 season was tough financially for Wrexham. But the FA Cup brought excitement! They were drawn to play Arsenal, the champions of the previous season. Wrexham created one of their most famous moments, beating Arsenal 2–1! Mickey Thomas scored a powerful free kick, and Steve Watkin scored the winner. They lost in the next round to West Ham United.
In 1992–93, manager Brian Flynn signed Gary Bennett, who helped Wrexham get promoted. On April 27, 1993, Wrexham beat Northampton Town 2–0 to secure promotion! Over 5,500 Wrexham fans celebrated.
In 1994–95, Wrexham had another great FA Cup run. They beat Premier League team Ipswich Town 2–1. In the next round, they played Manchester United at Old Trafford. Wrexham took the lead but eventually lost 5–2.
In 1995–96, Wrexham played Romanian team Petrolul Ploiești in Europe, losing 1–0 overall. The 1996–97 season saw another strong FA Cup run. Wrexham beat West Ham United 1–0 in a replay at Upton Park! They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Chesterfield.
In June 1997, Colliers Park, Wrexham's new training ground, officially opened. It cost £750,000 and is known as one of the best training grounds outside the top league. Even Barcelona has used it! In 1999–2000, Wrexham beat another top-flight team, Middlesbrough, 2–1 in the FA Cup. Wrexham also won the FAW Premier Cup in May 2001.
Financial Troubles and Non-League Football (2001–2020)
At the start of the 2000s, Wrexham faced many problems. The chairman, Alex Hamilton, tried to sell the Racecourse Ground. Fans worked hard to save the club and the stadium. On December 3, 2004, the club went into financial administration because it owed a lot of money. This meant Wrexham lost 10 points in the league, which led to them being relegated.
Despite financial issues, Wrexham won the 2004–05 Football League Trophy! They beat Southend United 2–0 in extra time at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Juan Ugarte and Darren Ferguson scored the winning goals.
In October 2005, a court ruled that the stadium must stay with the club. In April 2006, local businessman Neville Dickens took over the club. In 2006–07, Wrexham managed to stay in the Football League on the very last day of the season! They beat Boston United 3–1 at home.
However, in 2007–08, Wrexham was relegated to non-League football after 87 years in the Football League. The club struggled in the Football Conference. In March 2011, the Wrexham Supporters' Trust (WST) made a bid to own the club. Fans raised £127,000 in one day to help save the club! The WST officially took over in December 2011.

In 2011–12, Wrexham had a record 98 points but still missed out on automatic promotion. They lost in the play-offs again. In 2013, Wrexham reached two finals at Wembley Stadium for the first time! They won the FA Trophy by beating Grimsby Town on penalties. But they lost the play-off final to Newport County. In June 2013, the club's name was officially changed back to Wrexham AFC.
The club continued to play in the National League. In 2018–19, Wrexham finished 4th but lost in the play-offs. In 2019–20, they finished 19th, their lowest position ever.
New Owners and Return to the EFL (2020–Present)
In November 2020, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham AFC. This deal was supported by almost all of the Wrexham Supporters Trust members. In February 2021, the deal was complete. Wrexham was even included in the video game FIFA 22, becoming the first non-league team to be featured! In 2021–22, Wrexham finished 2nd but lost in the play-off semi-final. They also reached the 2022 FA Trophy final but lost.
After the takeover, a TV show called Welcome to Wrexham was made. It showed the club's journey and brought Wrexham a huge new global fanbase. The club started getting attention from sports media all over the world.
During the 2022–23 season, Wrexham had an amazing FA Cup run, beating Coventry City in the third round. They were finally knocked out by Sheffield United in a replay. Wrexham battled Notts County for the league title all season. On April 22, 2023, Wrexham won their first league title in 45 years! They beat Boreham Wood 3–1 and were promoted back to the EFL League Two after 15 years away. They finished the season with a record 111 points!
In the 2023–24 season, Wrexham earned a second promotion in a row! They finished second in EFL League Two, moving up to EFL League One, the third tier of English football. Wrexham also joined the European Club Association in August 2024. The 2024–25 season began with Wrexham's first League One match in 19 years, a 3-2 home win against Wycombe Wanderers.
Sponsorship and Kits
Wrexham's home kit is red shirts, white shorts, and white socks. They have worn mostly red and white since the late 1930s. The away kit is white shirts, red shorts, and red socks. For their 150th anniversary in 2014–15, Wrexham wore a red and black hooped home shirt, like their very first kit.
Macron has been Wrexham AFC's kit supplier since 2016. They help arrange summer training camps in Portugal. In 2011, Wrexham University bought the Racecourse Ground, which affected some sponsorship deals. Since 2021, the number "1934" is sewn into the back neck of the shirt. This remembers the Gresford disaster, a mining tragedy. In May 2023, Blake Lively's drink company, Betty Buzz, started sponsoring the team's training kit.
Kit Manufacturers and Sponsors
Period | Brand | Shirt Sponsor (chest) | Shirt Sponsor (back) | Shirt Sponsor (sleeve) |
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1984–85 | Patrick | Crosville Buses | none | none |
1985–87 | Winning Ways | Marston's | ||
1987–88 | Hi-Tec Sports | |||
1988–89 | Admiral Sportswear | |||
1989–91 | Spall | |||
1991–92 | EN-S | |||
1992–98 | Wrexham Lager | |||
1998–2002 | Super League | |||
2002–04 | Vandanel | Gap Personnel | ||
2004–06 | Just Go | |||
2006–08 | Lease Direct | |||
2008–11 | Umbro | |||
2011–12 | Puma | Glyndŵr University | ||
2012–14 | Adidas | |||
2014–15 | Nike | |||
2015–16 | Adidas | |||
2016–21 | Macron | Ifor Williams Trailers | ||
2021–22 | TikTok | Expedia | Aviation American Gin | |
2022–23 | Vistaprint | |||
2023–2024 | United Airlines | Vistaprint | HP Inc. | |
2024–Present | Meta Quest |
The Racecourse Ground: Wrexham's Home Stadium
Since 1864, Wrexham has played its home games at The Racecourse Ground. It's located on Mold Road, near Wrexham University and Wrexham General railway station. In 2011, Wrexham University bought the stadium and training facilities. The stadium was then called The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium.
In 2016, the Wrexham Supporters Trust got a 99-year lease for the ground, and its name went back to the Racecourse Ground. The stadium can hold 10,500 people, making it one of the largest in the National League. In June 2022, Wrexham AFC bought the Racecourse Ground from the university. They are planning to make improvements to the stadium. As of the 2024/25 season, the capacity is 13,341 due to an expanded temporary Kop stand.
Wrexham Supporters: The 12th Player
In August 2011, Wrexham faced being kicked out of the Football Conference. Fans came together and raised £127,000 in one day to help the club! A month later, the Wrexham Supporters' Trust (WST) took over running the club. This meant the fans owned Wrexham, which was made official on December 12, 2011. By May 2015, the WST had over 4,000 adult members who were also owners.
Wrexham gets support from the city of Wrexham and nearby towns like Gwersyllt and Rhos. Fans also come from Flintshire towns like Mold and Buckley. For big games, Wrexham can attract over 11,000 fans to the Racecourse.
Many famous people are Wrexham fans, including Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, actor Tim Vincent, and musician Andy Scott from The Sweet. The club even has a namesake team in Uganda, Wrexham F.C. Uganda, started by a Welsh charity.
Rivalries: The Cross-Border Derby and More
Wrexham has a strong rivalry with Chester. This is called the cross-border derby because the clubs are only 10 miles apart, but Wrexham is in Wales and Chester is in England. The first match was in 1888, with Wrexham winning 3–2. Wrexham has won more games overall (67 wins to Chester's 50). These games are considered "high risk" and often have a large police presence.
Former Chester player Lee Dixon said the Chester versus Wrexham derby was "ferocious." Ian Rush, who played for both clubs, said in 2013 that the cross-border derby is "as intense as they come" and "It is like Wales v England really."
Wrexham also has rivalries with Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere Rovers. These games are also often moved to earlier kick-off times to prevent trouble. While not as strong now, rivalries also exist with Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, and other Welsh clubs like Cardiff City and Swansea City.
In recent seasons, new rivalries have grown with Stockport County and Notts County. Wrexham battled Stockport for the 2021-22 National League title. Then, in 2022-23, Wrexham and Notts County both had amazing seasons, setting new records for wins and goals. Wrexham won the title by just 4 points after a crucial 3–2 win on Easter Monday, helped by a last-minute penalty save from Ben Foster. In 2023–24, Wrexham won another promotion, finishing second behind Stockport County, meaning both teams will be in League One for the 2024–25 season.
Team Mascot
Wrexham's official team mascot is Wrex the Dragon. The mascot and the nickname "The Dragons" were introduced in 2001–02. This helped promote the club's Welsh image. Sometimes, owner Rob McElhenney even dresses up as Wrex!
Training Ground
Wrexham's main training ground is Colliers Park, located near Gresford. It was built in 1997 for £750,000. It's known as one of the best training grounds outside of the top football league. Even the England national team, Barcelona, and Wales national team have used it. Colliers Park continues to be improved with new facilities.
In 2011, Colliers Park was bought by Glyndwr University. In 2018, the Football Association of Wales invested about £4 million to turn it into a National Development Centre. For a few seasons, Wrexham trained at Stansty Park and 9 Acre field. Since the new owners took over, Wrexham still uses Colliers Park and other venues for training.
Players
Current Squad
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Players Out on Loan
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Notable Former Players
For a full list of players, see Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players.
Hall of Fame
The Wrexham A.F.C. Hall of Fame honors people who have made a big difference to the club. This includes players, managers, and others.
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Player Records
- Most goals in a season: Tommy Bamford – 51 (1933–34)
- Most League goals in a season: Tommy Bamford – 44 (1933–34)
- Most League goals overall: Tommy Bamford – 175
- Most hat tricks: Tommy Bamford – 16
- Most goals in one game by a player: Andy Morrell – 7 (against Merthyr Tydfil, 2000)
- Most League appearances: 592 – Arfon Griffiths (1959–61, 1962–79)
- Most appearances in total: 713 - Arfon Griffiths (1959–61, 1962–79)
- Most caps while at Wrexham: 49 – Dennis Lawrence, Trinidad & Tobago
- Oldest player: Bobby Roberts – 43 years, 88 days (1983)
- Youngest player: Ken Roberts – 15 years, 158 days (1951)
Team Records
- Highest Attendance: 34,445 vs Manchester United, FA Cup, 1957
- Highest League Attendance: 29,261 vs Chester City, Division Three, 1936
- Highest League Win: 10–1 vs Hartlepools United, 1962
- Worst League Defeat: 9–0 vs Brentford, Division Three, 1963
- Highest League Finish: 15th, Second Division, 1978-79
- Lowest League Finish: 17th, Conference National, 2013-14
- Biggest Cup Win: 6–0 vs Charlton Athletic, FA Cup, 1980
- Most Games Won in a Row: 10, 2003
- Most League Wins in a Season: 34, 2022–23
- Most Goals in a Season: 115, 2022–23
- Longest Unbeaten Run: 28 games, October 2022 – April 2023
- Most Consecutive League Clean Sheets: 7, 2011–12
- Most Clean Sheets in a Season: 26, 1973–74 and 2018–19
- Highest Transfer Received: £800,000 for Bryan Hughes, to Birmingham City, 1997
- Highest Transfer Fee Paid: £590,000 for Modou Faal, from West Bromwich Albion, 2024
European Record: Cup Winners' Cup
Wrexham has played in the European Cup Winners' Cup several times.
Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home Score | Away Score | Total Score |
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1972–73 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
Second round | ![]() |
3–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 (Wrexham lost on away goals) | ||
1975–76 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
Second round | ![]() |
2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | ||
Quarter-final | ![]() |
1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | ||
1978–79 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
2–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 |
1979–80 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
3–2 | 2–5 | 5–7 |
1984–85 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
1–0 | 3–4 | 4–4 (Wrexham won on away goals) |
Second round | ![]() |
0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | ||
1986–87 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
4–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 |
Second round | ![]() |
2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 (Wrexham lost on away goals) | ||
1990–91 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
Second round | ![]() |
0–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | ||
1995–96 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | ![]() |
0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 |
Club Officials
Coaching Staff
Board of Directors
Role | Name |
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Co-Chairmen | Rob McElhenney |
Ryan Reynolds | |
Executive director | Humphrey Ker |
Chief Executive | Michael Williamson |
Chief Business and Communications Officer | Rob Faulkner |
Advisors to the Board | Shaun Harvey |
Peter Moore | |
Les Reed |
Honorary Roles
Role | Name |
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Club President | Dixie McNeil |
Vice Presidents | Dave Bennett |
Dave Griffiths | |
Spencer Harris | |
Gavin Jones | |
Rob Parry | |
Phil Salmon | |
Mark Williams |
Managerial History
This table shows the managers of Wrexham AFC from 1912 until today.
Honours: Wrexham's Trophies
Wrexham AFC has won many titles and cups, including:
League Titles
- Third Division North / Third Division (level 3)
- Champions: 1977–78
- Runners-up: 1932–33
- Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4)
- Runners-up: 1969–70, 1992–93, 2023–24
- Promoted: 1961–62, 2002–03
- National League (level 5)
- Champions: 2022–23
- Runners-up: 2011–12, 2021–22
- The Combination
- Champions: 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1904–05
- Welsh Senior League
- Champions: 1894–95, 1895–96
Cup Wins
- Football League Trophy
- Winners: 2004–05
- FA Trophy
- Winners: 2012–13
- Runners-up: 2014–15, 2021–22
- Football League North Cup
- Winners: 1943–44
- FAW Premier Cup
- Winners: 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04 (Record)
- Welsh Cup
- Winners (23): 1877–78, 1882–83, 1892–93, 1896–97, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1908–09, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1920–21, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1930–31, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1994–95 (Record)
- Supporters Direct Cup
- Winners: 2015–16 (Shared)
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Wrexham Association Football Club para niños
- Club of Pioneers
- List of Wrexham A.F.C. seasons
- List of Wrexham A.F.C. records and statistics
- List of Wrexham A.F.C. players (25-99 Appearances, 1–24 Appearances)
- Welcome to Wrexham