 | ||||
| Full name | Wrexham Association Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Reds, The Red Dragons, The Robins, The Town,Y Dreigiau ('the Dragons')[1] | |||
| Short name | Wrexham AFC CPD Wrecsam (Welsh) | |||
| Founded | October 1864; 161 years ago (1864-10)[2] | |||
| Stadium | Racecourse Ground | |||
| Capacity | 12,600 | |||
| Owner |
| |||
| Chairman | Rob McElhenney Ryan Reynolds | |||
| Manager | Phil Parkinson | |||
| League | EFL Championship | |||
| 2024–25 | EFL League One, 2nd of 24 (promoted) | |||
| Website | wrexhamafc.co.uk | |||
 Current season | ||||
Wrexham Association Football Club (Welsh:Clwb Pêl-droed Wrecsam[3]) is a professionalfootball club based inWrexham, Wales. Formed in 1864,[2] it is theoldest club in Wales and thethird-oldest professional football team in the world.[4][5][6] The club competes in theEFL Championship, the second tier of theEnglish football league system.
Domestically, the club has won theWelsh Cup a record twenty-three times, the short-livedFAW Premier Cup a record five times, theFootball League Trophy in2005 and theFA Trophy in2013. Recently, following five unsuccessful play-off campaigns in theNational League, Wrexham achieved three promotions in three seasons, from 2022 to 2025, through: winning the2022–23 National League and finishing runners-up in the2023–24 EFL League Two and in the2024–25 EFL League One.[7] Thus, securing a spot in theEFL Championship, and becoming the first ever team to be promoted three consecutive times in theEnglish Football League.[7]
Internationally, Wrexham competed in theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup / UEFA Cup Winners' Cup on multiple occasions through success in the Welsh Cup –– reaching the quarter-finals once in1976, as well as beatingFC Porto and drawing with teams such asReal Zaragoza andAnderlecht during their time in the competition. However, following changes made to the Welsh Cup competition in 1995, Welsh clubs playing in the English Football system (such as Wrexham) were no longer permitted to enter and therefore, had to qualify for European competition exclusively via the English system.[6] In 2012, UEFA reiterated that Welsh clubs playing in theEnglish football league system could not qualify for European competitions via the Welsh Cup, after Wrexham (alongsideMerthyr Town andNewport County) rejoined for one season in2011–12.[8][9]
Wrexham received major financial investment after its 2020 takeover by actorsRob McElhenney andRyan Reynolds through Wrexham Holdings LLC,[10] starting a new era of success. This acquisition, alongside the global publicity of theWelcome to Wrexham documentary series, had a significant impact on the club's visibility, resulting in an unprecedented new international fanbase for a team that were in the fifth division (at the time).[11]
The club's home stadium, theRacecourse Ground, is the world's oldest international stadium that still continues to host international games.[12] The record attendance at the ground was set in 1957 when the club hosted a match againstManchester United in front of 34,445 spectators.[13] The club's main rivalries are with English clubsChester,Shrewsbury Town, andTranmere Rovers, with matches against Chester being known as thecross-border derby.[14] In addition, Wrexham have been referred to as cup "giant-killers", due to unexpected successes against top-flight opponents, such asupsetting the reigning league championsArsenal in the 1992 FA Cup.
On 12 October 1863, a group of local businessmen formed a new organisation 'The United Volunteer Services Club' to provide athletic sport for the young men of Wrexham, in order to keep them from spending their spare time in public houses.[15]This organisation provided the ideological basis for the future formation of Wrexham Football Club, which is now the oldest football club 'still in existence today' that was founded according to temperance principles. Evan Morris, Charles Edward Kershaw and Joseph Wilbraham Clark were 3 of the founding members of the United Volunteer Services Club, who were also members of the Denbighshire County Cricket Club; and they used their influence within the cricket club to bring their ideals to fruition.[16]
Wrexham Football Club was formed on 4 October 1864, in The Turf Tavern (named the Turf Hotel by 1872[17]), by members of the cricket club who wanted to provide sporting activity for the young men of the town throughout the winter months.[18] This makes them the fifth oldest association football team (afterSheffield,Cray Wanderers,Hallam, andNotts County), the third oldest professional club (after Notts County andStoke City) and the oldest in Wales.[19] Their first game was played on 22 October 1864 at the Denbighshire County Cricket Ground (later known as theRacecourse Ground), against 10 men of the Prince of Wales Fire Brigade.[2] The 10 founding members who played for Wrexham Football Club in that first ever game were; Charles Edward Kershaw, William Tootell, Thomas Broster, Thomas Hanmer, Edward Ephraim Knibbs, Thomas Heath, Thomas Henry Sykes, John Taylor, George Rumsey Johnston, and Joseph Roberts. The club lost 1-2 to the brigade.[20]
In these early years, Wrexham were leaders of the campaign to restrict teams to eleven players on the pitch at any one time (as early matches could feature teams with up to seventeen players on each side).[4] In 1876, the newly formedFootball Association of Wales (FAW) organised the Welsh national team'sfirst international match againstScotland, where trials were held at the Racecourse Ground and two Wrexham players made the squad (i.e.Edwin Cross andAlfred Davies).[21][22]
In the 1877–78 season, the FAW inaugurated theWelsh Cup competition, to run on similar lines to the EnglishFA Cup. Wrexham won the final of the inaugural competition, defeatingDruids F.C. 1–0, thanks toJames Davies scoring the winning goal.[23][24] Due to a lack of money at the fledgling FAW, Wrexham did not receive their trophy until the next year. In this decade, Wrexham mostly played in friendly matches against Welsh and English opponents and, as such, the Welsh Cup provided most of their competitive football.[25]
Disputes with the landlords of the Racecourse Ground –– who had raised the rent to £10 a year –– resulted in Wrexham playing their home games atRhosddu Recreation Ground during the 1881–82 and 1882–83 seasons.[26] As well as, changing the club's name toWrexham Athletic for one season.[26] However, in the 1883–84 season, the club moved back to the Racecourse Ground and have played their home games there ever since.[26]
Additionally, in 1883, Wrexham won theirsecond Welsh Cup,[25] and made their first appearance in theFA Cup.[27] In the FA Cup, Wrexham received a bye into the second round of the competition and were defeated 3–4 at home byOswestry. Misconduct from the Wrexham crowd at the game resulted in the club's expulsion from the Football Association and subsequently, Wrexham were forced to reform in 1884 asWrexham Olympic (a name eventually dropped in 1888).[27]
In 1890, Wrexham joinedThe Combination league, playing their first game against Gorton Villa on 6 September 1890, withArthur Lea scoring Wrexham's only goal in a 5–1 defeat,[28] and Wrexham finished their first season in eighth place.[citation needed] The club played in the Combination for four years before a rapid increase in costs resulted in the club joining theWelsh League in the 1894–95 season. Wrexham won the Welsh League in back-to-back seasons, but decided to return to the Combination in 1896, as despite the reduced support they received, the savings made on their traveling expenses outweighed the reduction in gate revenue.[citation needed] The club remained in the Combination until 1905, by which time they had managed to win the league four times.
In 1905, after several unsuccessful attempts, Wrexham was finally elected to theBirmingham and District League in time for the 1905–06 season. During this debut season, Wrexham won their first league match 2–1 againstKidderminster Harriers at home in front of two thousand spectators, and finished the season sixth.[citation needed] During their time in the Birmingham and District League, Wrexham won the Welsh Cup six times (in 1908–09, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1913–14, 1914–15, and 1920–21). Additionally, Wrexham reached the First Round proper of the FA Cup for a second time, in the 1908–09 season, before losing a replay 1–2 toExeter City after extra time.[citation needed]
In 1921, Wrexham was a founding member of the newly formedThird Division North ofthe Football League.[29] In this debut season, Wrexham achieved many of the club's Football League "firsts", such as: Ted Regan scoring Wrexham's first leaguehat-trick; and, Brian Simpson becoming the first Wrexham player to be sent off during a league match, againstSouthport in January 1922. Charlie Hewitt was the club's first-ever manager during this period.[citation needed]
From the 1926–27 season to the 1939–40 season, Wrexham were a consistent presence in the Third Division North. In the 1928–29 season, a record thirty-two league goals from Albert Mays helped Wrexham achieve third place and also, marked the debut of club legendTommy Bamford. Bamford went on to score 201 goals for the club during his time at the Racecourse Ground. In the following season (1929–30), Wrexham recorded their biggest league win at the time, when they defeatedRochdale 8–0.[citation needed] During the 1932–33 season, Wrexham had their best Third Division North performance, when they finished runners-up toHull City and won 18 of their 21 home games during the course of the season.[citation needed] In the final season during this period (1939–40), Wrexham appeared in their now-familiar red and white kit colours for the first time.[30] The club's best FA Cup performance prior to the Second World War was in the 1927–28 season, where Wrexham fought their way to the fourth round before they lost 0–1 toBirmingham City.[citation needed]
During theSecond World War years, when long cross-county trips were impossible due to the war, Wrexham played in theRegional League West against local teams fromMerseyside andManchester, amongst others in the northwest region. The club's position as a barracks town meant that the team could secure the services of many famous guest players such asStanley Matthews,Stan Cullis, and others.[citation needed]
In the post-war period, the club made its first-ever tour abroad in 1949, when the team played three matches against the British army in Germany.[citation needed] In the 1956–57 season, Wrexham reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they playedManchester United'sBusby Babes in front of a crowd of 34,445 people at the Racecourse, which still remains a club record. The 5–0 defeat did not spoil the occasion for the large home crowd, and later that season Wrexham managed to win the Welsh Cup for the first time in 26 years.[31]
Following the 1959–60 season, the club was relegated to a lower tier for the first time in their history and consequently, were dropped into the newly createdFootball League Fourth Division. However, the appointment ofKen Barnes as player-manager during the1961–62 season, helped Wrexham achieve promotion back to the Third Division, as well as their greatest league victory to date (i.e. the 10–1 trouncing ofHartlepool United).[32] Two years after this promotion, Wrexham was relegated to the Fourth Division again, and in 1966 they finished rock-bottom at 92nd in the Football League after an extremely disappointing season.[33]
John Neal was appointed manager of Wrexham in 1968, succeedingAlvan Williams who had brought Neal to the club as his assistant.[citation needed] He guided the club to a 9th-place finish in 1969, before leading Wrexham to their second Football League promotion in 1970 with a second-place finish and promotion to the Third Division.[citation needed] With Welsh clubs now able to qualify for theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup by winning the Welsh Cup, Wrexham played their inaugural match in Europe against Swiss sideFC Zurich in Switzerland on 13 September 1972, the game finishing 1–1. In the return leg, Wrexham won 2–1, advancing to the second round with a 3–2 win on aggregate. The second round drew Wrexham against Yugoslav sideHajduk Split. Over the course of two games, the score finished 3–3 on aggregate with Wrexham matching their more illustrious opponents, but they were knocked out of the competition due to theaway goals rule.[citation needed]
The 1972–73 season saw the completion of the new Yale stand, with a capacity of up to 5,500. The terrace contributed to the bottom tier of the stand. The 1973–74 season saw Wrexham change their badge from theMaelor crest to a brand new badge that had much more resemblance to the Welsh roots of the club, with three feathers on the top of the badge and two dragons, one on either side of the badge and facing inwards. This is still the badge for today's team. This season also saw Wrexham reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in another cup run. After victories overShrewsbury Town,Rotherham United,Middlesbrough,Crystal Palace and Southampton, their cup run finally came to an end with a loss to first division sideBurnley atTurf Moor, with 15,000 Wrexham fans present to watch the match.[34] Also that season Wrexham just missed out on the promotion spots, finishing in 4th place at the end of the season.[citation needed]
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1975–76 sawJohn Neal's starlets captained by Eddie May, again shocking the football world by reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup after another sparkling cup run and defeats of several higher quality opponents. In the first round, Wrexham beat Swedish teamDjurgårdens IF 3–2 on aggregate. They then managed to knock out the Polish sideStal Rzeszow 3–1 on aggregate. Wrexham played Belgian championsAnderlecht in the quarter-finals and narrowly lost 2–1 to the eventual winners of the competition.[citation needed] The 1976–77 season saw Wrexham again beat First Division opposition in both Cup competitions as they went on another cup run, defeatingTottenham Hotspur in the Football League Cup and Sunderland in the FA Cup. However, the league season was a traumatic one as the club, on the verge of promotion to the second division with only four matches left to play, needing just three points to reach their goal, missed out after a poor run.[citation needed]
Arfon Griffiths took over as player-manager for the 1977–78 season. They reached both the League and FA Cup quarter-finals that season, and Wrexham finally clinched promotion to the second division when they beat Rotherham United 7–1 at a packed Racecourse, Wrexham went on to win the Third Division Championship that year.[citation needed] In the 1978–79 season Wrexham made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they lost to Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 in the replay after the first game finished 3–3. The Spurs team had stars amongst their ranks such asOssie Ardiles,Ricky Villa, andGlenn Hoddle, and Wrexham were bested in getting knocked out.[citation needed] Following Arfon Griffiths' resignation from the manager's position in 1981, his assistantMel Sutton was put in charge, with a third-round FA Cup win overBrian Clough'sNottingham Forest in another cup run, the highlight of the season.[citation needed]
The summer of 1982 sawBobby Roberts appointed the club's new manager. Relegation meant the club had dire financial problems, resulting in the sale of many of the club's experienced and talented players. Frank Carrodus,Ian Edwards, Mick Vinter and Wayne Cegieski had already left during the summer, Steve Fox,Joey Jones,Dixie McNeil andBilly Ronson soon followed. Wrexham were again relegated to the Fourth Division after plummeting from apparent mid-table security. The club's slide continued into the following season, and only goal difference prevented Wrexham from being forced to apply for re-election to the League.[citation needed]
The 1984–85 season saw Wrexham take onFC Porto in European competition. Wrexham won the home leg with a 1–0 victory, but in the second leg, Porto showed their class and were 3–0 up after 38 minutes. However, Wrexham pulled goals back and the game finished 4–3, making it 4–4 on aggregate with Wrexham advancing on away goals. The second round draw was to pair Wrexham with Italian sideAS Roma, managed bySven-Göran Eriksson. Wrexham lost 3–0 on aggregate over the two legs. Their league performance was even more dire than the previous year, and by the time Bobby Roberts was finally removed from his post, Wrexham was rock-bottom of the entire Football League.[citation needed]
Former Racecourse favourite Dixie McNeil was appointed caretaker manager, and immediately inspired a revival that saw Wrexham win 7 of their last 10 matches and comfortably finish clear of having to apply for re-election, which earned him the job on a permanent basis that summer. His first season in charge saw the team finish mid-table position in an average season, he led the team to a Welsh Cup final win over Kidderminster Harriers. 1986 saw Wrexham make a return to European football with a first-round draw against Maltese side FC Zurrieq, whom they beat 7–0 on aggregate to earn a second-round tie againstReal Zaragoza which they drew 2–2 with on aggregate but they went out on away goals.[citation needed]
Following theBradford City stadium fire in May 1985, legislation on ground safety at all football grounds was brought into effect. This eventually led to the closure of the Mold Road stand because it did not reach the necessary safety standards. Led by Dixie McNeil, Wrexham reached the Fourth Division play-offs in 1989, having finished seventh in the league. Wrexham beatScunthorpe United in the semi-final 5–1 on aggregate, but narrowly lost toLeyton Orient 2–1 in the final. After Wrexham started the next season with just 3 wins from 13 league games, Dixie McNeil resigned before his inevitable sacking.[citation needed]
He was replaced, initially on a temporary basis, byBrian Flynn, but his appointment was made permanent a month later. However the club continued to struggle domestically, and Flynn was forced to make three important signings in Mark Sertori,Eddie Youds andAlan Kennedy which saw the team finish in twenty-first place, therefore avoiding relegation.[citation needed] At the start of the 1990–91 season it was announced there would be no relegation to theConference Premier as a team had already voluntarily left the league. That season Wrexham finished in ninety-second place. Wrexham were knocked out of the European Cup Winners' Cup in the second round by Manchester United 5–0 on aggregate, who eventually went on to win the trophy.[citation needed]
The 1991–92 season saw Wrexham still in a poor financial state, as they continued to struggle on the field. With the club knocked out of the League Cup and struggling in the league, it was left to the FA Cup to keep the season alive. Having beatenTelford United andWinsford United, they were drawn to play the previous season's First Division championsArsenal. Wrexham produced one of their most memorable nights tobeat theGunners 2–1 after being behind, with a thunderousMickey Thomas free kick and aSteve Watkin goal. They lost in the next round toWest Ham United 1–0 in a replay[35] after the first game had finished 2–2.
In an attempt to change the fortunes of the club after several seasons in the doldrums at the bottom of the football league pyramid, the 1992–93 season saw Wrexham manager Brian Flynn make a shrewd signing when he enlisted the services of Gary Bennett, who soon settled and helped Wrexham into the promotion race. Wrexham's season came to a head on 27 April 1993 when with two games left they travelled toNorthampton Town requiring a win to gain promotion to the next tier of English football. The game ended with a 2–0 victory to Wrexham and the 5,500 travelling "Reds" supporters there were jubilant when promotion had finally been achieved.[citation needed] The 1994–95 season would see Wrexham achieve more success in cup competitions, this time going on a run through the FA Cup. Having beatenStockport County and Rotherham United, they faced Premier League sideIpswich Town at the Racecourse, with Wrexham running out 2–1 winners thanks to goals fromGary Bennett andKieron Durkan. In the next round, Wrexham was drawn away to Manchester United and despite taking the lead atOld Trafford, United went on to win 5–2.[citation needed]
The 1995–96 season once again saw Wrexham in European action, with their opposition this time coming in the form of Romanian teamPetrolul Ploiești; the home leg ended in a 0–0 draw but Wrexham lost 1–0 in the away leg, with the Romanians scoring the only goal of the match, and Wrexham were subsequently knocked out of the tournament.[citation needed] The 1996–97 season saw Wrexham set off on another strong run in the FA Cup and beat more top-flight opposition. Following wins atColwyn Bay and Scunthorpe United, they were drawn to play West Ham United at home, the game ending in a 1–1 draw on a snow-covered pitch. The replay atUpton Park ended in a shock 1–0 win to Wrexham asKevin Russell scored in the dying minutes to send Wrexham into the fourth round.[36] After also beatingPeterborough United and Birmingham City in the following rounds, they playedChesterfield in an all-Division-2 FA Cup quarter-final, Wrexham narrowly losing to the Spireites 1–0.[citation needed]
June 1997 was the date for the official opening of Colliers Park, which was Wrexham's new training ground and was situated just outsideGresford on Chester Road. It was built at a cost of £750,000 and is widely regarded to be one of the best training grounds outside of the top flight. It has been used for training by many visiting teams that play at a higher standard over the years, such as Barcelona.[37] The 1999–2000 season saw Wrexham again beat a top-flight team in the FA Cup, this time in the shape ofMiddlesbrough. The final score of the match was 2–1, with the second-half goals coming fromRobin Gibson andDarren Ferguson after being behind the Premiership outfit. Wrexham went on to win theFAW Premier Cup in May 2001.[38]
At the start of the 21st century, the club was dogged with many problems off the pitch, including then chairman Alex Hamilton, attempting to get the club evicted from the stadium so that he could use and sell it for his own development purposes – the saga involved the sale of the Racecourse Ground to a separate company owned by Hamilton immediately after he became the club's chairman.[39] The club was included inFIFA Football 2004 for the first time and remained playable up to FIFA 08. In the summer of 2004, Hamilton gave the club a year's notice to quit the ground.[40]
The club's fans developed an affinity with the fans of fellow football league clubBrighton & Hove Albion, who themselves had managed to successfully depose their chairman and keep control of their stadium after he had sold the ground for development purposes in almost the same circumstances.[41] On 3 December 2004 the club was placed infinancial administration by the High Court inManchester as the club owed £2,600,000, including £800,000 which was owed to theInland Revenue in unpaid taxes. Wrexham became the first League club to suffer a ten-point deduction under the new rule for being placed in administration, dropping them from the middle of the League One table to the relegation zone after the point deduction, and subsequently condemned Wrexham to relegation.[42]
Despite their financial troubles, Wrexham went on to win the 2004–05Football League Trophy by defeatingSouthend United 2–0 after extra time, in Wrexham's first appearance at theMillennium Stadium inCardiff.[43] The winning goals were scored byJuan Ugarte andDarren Ferguson as Wrexham ran out winners in front of nearly 20,000 Wrexham fans.[44] Wrexham still retained an outside chance of escaping the drop in the 2004–05 season following an end-of-season winning streak; however, their faint hopes of staying up were ended with a 2–1 home loss toBrentford on 3 May 2005. The 10-point deduction proved decisive in determining Wrexham's fate, as the club finished with 43 points compared to 20th-placedMilton Keynes Dons' 51 – a net points tally of 53 after deduction, which had condemned them to relegation.[45]
In October 2005, Birmingham High Court decided that Alex Hamilton's company CrucialMove had improperly acquired the freehold of the ground and the decision went against him.[46] Hamilton then took this to the Appeal Court in London and it ruled on 14 March 2006 that the stadium must remain in the hands of the club's administrators.[47] On 30 April 2006 the administrators reached an agreement with local car dealer Neville Dickens, subject to agreement by the shareholders and creditors (which was achieved on 30 May), for Dickens to take over control of the club and all its assets.[48] Had the club still been in administration by 3 June then Wrexham would have automatically been expelled from the League because of their financial situation.Wrexham Football Club (2006) Ltd is the name of the "phoenix" company that took over the assets of the oldWrexham Association Football Club Limited – technically, the club is no longer known asWrexham Association Football Club due to the takeover of the club by Neville Dickens and Geoff Moss and their associates; this is reflected on new merchandise, although most fans will still refer to it as "Wrexham AFC".[citation needed]
The 2006–07 season started well for Wrexham, as they went 8 games unbeaten.[49] However, the club would then struggle withDenis Smith eventually being sacked in January 2007 with Wrexham in the bottom half of the division and after a poor run of results.[50] He was replaced by coachBrian Carey.[51] Wrexham finished 19th inLeague Two with 51 points[52] after an impressive late run of form which saw them win 4 out of their last 5 games, which included defeating local rivals Shrewsbury in the last derby match at Gay Meadow.[citation needed] Wrexham's league status was saved on the last day of the season with a vital 3–1 victory on 5 May 2007 overBoston United at home which sent their opponents down to theConference Premier and ensured that Wrexham would stay in theFootball League.[53]
Expectations were high for the 2007–08 season, with fans expecting a promotion push.[citation needed] However, the season started badly with the club in 24th by November 2007.[citation needed] Brian Carey was eventually sacked, and on 15 November 2007,Brian Little was named as Wrexham's new manager and the replacement to Carey, who took the role of assistant manager.[54] After a promising start to his reign, Wrexham experienced a run of seven straight league defeats, prompting the club to bring in eleven new players during the January transfer window.[55][citation needed] Wrexham went six matches unbeaten before some poor form which saw defeats against some fellow strugglers.[citation needed] Wrexham were finally relegated to non-League following a 2–0 defeat away atHereford United, ending the club's 87-year stay in the Football League.[56]
The2008–09 season started well, with a 5–0 home victory againstStevenage Borough.[57] However a run of poor results followed, with Wrexham being left in the mid-table battle, only four points above the relegation zone and only keeping two clean sheets all season. Following a 3–0 home defeat againstRushden and Diamonds, and fans calling for his dismissal, Little left Wrexham by mutual consent.[58] Little was replaced byDean Saunders.[59] Wrexham's first full season in the Conference Premier ended in a disappointing 10th place.[60] The following year,2009–10, ended in a similar fashion with Wrexham finishing in 11th position, well off the pace of the promotion battle.[61]
In 2010, the club entered into a ground share at theRacecourse Ground withCeltic Crusadersrugby league club, which lasted until 2016. This ground share was credited with helping Wrexham through its administration with then Chief Executive Paul Retout stating "We can’t survive if only 1,800 fans are coming through the gates".[62]
In March 2011, the ownership of the club became subject to two bids: one from Wrexham Supporters' Trust and another from local businesswomanStephanie Booth.[63] Wrexham's MP and AM indicated that they would prefer Wrexham Supporters' Trust to secure the bid.[64] A third bid later came in, but after WST and Booth came to an agreement, their bid was then re-accepted. In April 2011, the club was served with a winding-up order from HMRC, with an unpaid tax bill of just under £200,000.[65] The team finished the2010–11 season in 4th place, qualifying for a playoff spot, but were beaten 5–1 on aggregate byLuton Town in the semi-final.[66]
During the2011–12 season, Wrexham were invited back into theWelsh Cup after 16 years, entering at the third round stage.[67] New managerAndy Morrell guided Wrexham to a record tally of 98 points but this was not enough to gain automatic promotion, as they ended the season only 5 points adrift of Fleetwood Town, who gained the only automatic place.[68] Wrexham lost in the play-offs to Luton Town again.[69] Wrexham earned themselves places in both theFA Trophy final and theConference Premier play-off final, their first two appearances atWembley Stadium in the club's 150-year history to date, and within five weeks of one another. In the FA Trophy final, Wrexham won on penalties after a 1–1 draw withGrimsby Town.[70] A 5–2 aggregate win overKidderminster Harriers in the two-legged play-off semi-final saw Wrexham through to thefinal versusNewport County, the first play-off final to feature two Welsh teams; Newport defeated Wrexham 2–0.[71]
In June 2013, members of Wrexham Supporters Trust voted on whether they should change the club's name back to Wrexham AFC.[72] As a result, the name was changed.[73]
In February 2014, Andy Morrell stepped down as manager.[74] Billy Barr was appointed as interim manager before being replaced a few weeks later byKevin Wilkin.[75] Wrexham finished the2013–14 season in 17th place.[76] In2018–19, Wrexham finished in 4th place but lost the play-off quarter-final toEastleigh.[77] In2019–20, the club finished 19th on points per game after the season was ended early due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the lowest position in the club's 150-year history.[78][79]
In November 2020, American actorRob McElhenney and Canadian actorRyan Reynolds, through their RR McReynolds Company LLC, bought the club. The deal received the backing of 98.6% of the 2,000 members of the Wrexham Supporters Trust that voted[80][81] and was completed in February 2021. They were included inFIFA 22 as part of the "Rest of World" section, becoming the firstnon-league team to be featured in theseries.[82]
Following the takeover, a docuseries calledWelcome to Wrexham was produced byBoardwalk Pictures forFX. The series debuted on 24 August 2022 on FX andHulu in the United States, followed by a release onDisney+ in the United Kingdom and Ireland the next day.[83][84][85] The acquisition by Reynolds and McElhenney and the attendant publicity fromWelcome to Wrexham had a significant impact on the club's visibility, leading to its acquiring a new global fanbase with no precedent for a team in the fifth tier.[11][86][87] The club's fortunes began to attract dedicated coverage from global sporting media that would not typically be afforded teams outside the Premier League.[88] This, in turn, inspired a debate about the potential replicability of this strategy for other lesser-known clubs and leagues, withThe Guardian remarking that "everybody wants to ‘do a Wrexham’, but not everybody can."[89]
During the2021–22 season, under the leadership of newly hired managerPhil Parkinson,[90] Wrexham finished second before losing the play-off semi-final 5–4 toGrimsby Town after extra time.[91] Wrexham also reached the2022 FA Trophy final which they lost 1–0 toBromley.[92]
During the 2022–23 season, the team progressed to the fourth round in the2022–23 FA Cup, being the only National League team to do so, beatingCoventry City in an upset in the third round, and eventually being knocked out bySheffield United in a replay. The first game against Sheffield United, which ended in a 3–3 draw, wasESPN's most followed football game across its digital platforms.[93] Wrexham tied withNotts County throughout the season to lead the league, trading the first spot back and forth, and both setting newNational League records for wins, goals, and goal difference, while 20+ points ahead of the third place team by the end of the season.[94] Wrexham secured winning their first league title in 45 years, and were promoted to theEFL League Two after a 15-year absence, following a 3–1 win againstBoreham Wood.[95] The club amassed a tally of 111 points that season, a record for the top five divisions of English league football, beating Notts County to the championship and single automatic promotion spot.[96][97] Wrexham's income increased to over £10 million in the year ending in June 2023.[98]
During the2023–24 season, Wrexham secured a second successive promotion, taking the club toEFL League One, the third tier of the English football system[99][100] and ultimately finished second behindStockport County.[101] Wrexham was awarded Category Four status as an EFL academy from the 2023/24 campaign with the short-term aim to reach Category Three status[102] and operate an Under-18 side.Club Necaxa's backers purchased 5% of Wrexham AFC in April 2024[103] and both owners, in turn, purchased a minority stake in Necaxa. The academy was awarded Category Three status as an EFL academy from the 2024/25 season.[104] The football club joined theEuropean Club Association in August 2024.[105]
The2024–25 season began with Wrexham's first League One match in 19 years, and with the 5,000th recorded league match for the club,[106] winning at home 3–2 toWycombe Wanderers. TheAllyn family of Skaneateles, New York was announced as a new minority investor in the club in October 2024,[107] reportedly taking a near-15% stake, and the club's worth rose to £100 million.[108] The club's financial statements for the 2023/24 season revealed in March 2025 that the loans from Reynolds and McElhenney, grown to £15 million, had been fully repaid and that the turnover of £26.7 million set a record for a League Two side.[109] Wrexham AFC joined theFootball for the Goals initiative of theUnited Nations in the same month.[110] On 26 April, Wrexham won promotion to theEFL Championship after beatingCharlton Athletic 3–0 at home and finished second behindBirmingham City. They became the first club in the history of England's top five football divisions to achieve back-to-back-to-back promotions.[7] This led to the club's valuation increasing to about £150 million according to football finance expertKieran Maguire, an increase of 7,400% within 4 years.[111]
Wrexham's home colours are red and white, with the kit itself consisting of a red shirt and white shorts/socks since the late 1930s. Traditional away kit colours have been an inverted colour scheme (i.e. a white shirt and red shorts/socks); however, in recent years several colours have been used. In 2014–15, to celebrate the club's 150th anniversary, Wrexham wore a red and black hoopedNike home shirt as this was the club's first ever recorded home shirt.[112] Following the 2021–22 season, the kit now also has the number "1934" embroidered on the back neck, in remembrance of theGresford disaster.[113]
The club has previously worn five otherbadges on their shirts, prior to their current badge being implemented in 2015. The first, used between 1950–1975, was an adoption of the Wrexham borough coat of arms from the 1850s and featured croziers to represent grazing on the land around.[114] In 1973, a new club badge was adopted, following a design competition in a local newspaper,[114] with three prominent segments:[114][115]
In subsequent years, different iterations of the club crest have involved changes to the team name (i.e. fluctuating betweenWrexham AFC andWrexham FC, depending on club ownership) and the founding year (i.e. changed from 1873 to 1864, following unearthed documents revealing the club was founded earlier[117]).[114] From the 2015–26 season onwards, the club crest has effectively been the 1973 design but with the founding year amended to 1864.
From 2016 onwards,Macron have been the kit supplier of Wrexham AFC.[118][119] On 7 July 2025,Ancestry.com was confirmed as an official club partner and the company logo will feature on the front of 2025–26 training wear.[120]
| Period | Brand | Shirt Sponsor(chest) | Shirt Sponsor(back) | Shirt Sponsor(sleeve) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Patrick | Crosville Buses[121] | none | none |
| 1985–87 | Winning Ways | Marston's[121] | ||
| 1987–88 | Hi-Tec Sports | |||
| 1988–89 | Admiral Sportswear | |||
| 1989–91 | Spall | |||
| 1991–92 | EN-S | |||
| 1992–98 | Wrexham Lager[121] | |||
| 1998–2002 | Super League | |||
| 2002–04 | Vandanel | Gap Personnel[121] | ||
| 2004–06 | Just Go[121] | |||
| 2006–08 | Lease Direct[121] | |||
| 2008–11 | Umbro | |||
| 2011–12 | Puma | Glyndŵr University[121] | ||
| 2012–14 | Adidas | |||
| 2014–15 | Nike | |||
| 2015–16 | Adidas | |||
| 2016–21 | Macron[118][119][122] | Ifor Williams Trailers[123][124][125] | ||
| 2021–22 | TikTok[126] | Expedia[127] | Aviation American Gin[128] | |
| 2022–23 | Vistaprint[129] | |||
| 2023–24[Note 2] | United Airlines[130] | Vistaprint[131] | HP Inc.[132] | |
| 2024–25 | Meta Quest[133] | |||
| 2025–Present |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Between 1988 and 1995 the reserve team of Wrexham played in the Welsh football leagues.[135]
On 2 August 2022, Wrexham announced their participation in theCentral League[136] and remained active in this league as of the 2024–25 season.
For all players with a Wikipedia article, seeWrexham A.F.C. players.
For a complete list of players, see List of Wrexham A.F.C. players with100+ appearances,25–99 appearances and1–24 appearances.
The following are members of the Wrexham A.F.C. Hall of Fame.[137][138] Entry is not restricted to players; anyone who has made a great contribution to the club in any capacity can be considered.
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|
|
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| First-team manager |  Phil Parkinson |
| First-team assistant manager | Steve Parkin |
| First-team coach | David Jones |
| Goalkeeping coach |  Aidan Davison |
| Head of First-Team Operations | Adam Greaves-Smith |
| Head of performance, medicine and sport science |  Kevin Mulholland |
| First team physiotherapist | Jonny Griffiths |
 Catherine Beattie | |
| First team sports therapist | Ryan Murray |
| Ashley Paynter | |
| First team sports scientist | Owen Jackson |
| First team strength and conditioning coach | Richard Hill |
| Performance analyst | Kyle Crutchley |
| George Parkinson | |
| Chief scout | Andy Kidby |
| Kitman | Iwan Pugh-Jones |
| Club doctor | Dr. James Edgerley |
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Academy manager | Gus Williams |
| Head of academy coach development | Pav Singh |
| Head of recruitment | Chris Burn |
| Assistant head of recruitment | Andrew Jones |
| Head of player care | Toby Rossiter |
| Head of education & welfare | Kierenne Baldwin |
| Senior physiotherapist | Dan Jones |
| PDP coach | Dan Moore |
| YDP lead | Gareth Richards |
| FP lead | Finnley Harris |
| Lead sports scientist | Luke Wakeling |
| Lead goalkeeping coach | Harri Lloyd |
| S&C coaches | Greg Kettlewell |
| Sam Prior |
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Club historian | Geraint Parry |
| Head of operations | Julie Greenwood |
| Head of ticketing | Peter Wynne |
| Stadium operations manager | Phil Bennett |
| Safety officer | Martin Bradley |
| Head of partnership management | Jamie Lewis |
| Head of media & communications | Colin Henrys |
| Head of community | Jamie Edwards |
| Head of licensing & retail | Mike Walker |
| Head of safeguarding | Jamie Dixon |
| Commercial executive | Sion Hughes |
| Retail store manager | Emily Lloyd |
| Finance director | Steve Phillips |
| Finance manager | Iwan Jones |
| Head of food & beverage | Gareth Jones |
| Disability liaison officer | Kerry Evans |
| Head groundsman | Paul Chaloner |
| Event co-ordinator | Steph Lloyd |
| Ellie Ross | |
| Media executives | Will Pritchard |
| Matt Waters | |
| Head of procurement | Thomas Patterson |
| Head of accounting | Paul Craven |
| Accounts assistant | Luke Allwood-Reid |
| Stadium doctor | Dr. Adam Khalifa |
| Club chaplains | Josh Smith |
| Sarah Sanky | |
| Supporter liaison officer | Julie Greenwood |
Managerial history for Wrexham AFC from 1912 to present.[145]
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Wrexham is regarded as "the heart and soul of this Welsh community",[11] and has been since the club was founded on 4 October 1864, in The Turf Tavern.[18] In fact, when faced with being expelled from theFootball Conference in 2011,[146] fans rallied and subsequently raised £127,000 in a single day so that the club could play in the forthcoming season.[147] A month later, theWrexham Supporters' Trust (WST) took over the day-to-day running of the club,[148] andfan ownership of Wrexham was officially ratified on 12 December 2011.[149] The Wrexham fans and local community "saved the club" from government administration,[150] and at one point, the Wrexham Supporters' Trust had 4,129 adult members and joint-owners of the club.[151]
In 2020, following the takeover byRob McElhenney andRyan Reynolds from the WST,[10] alongside the global publicity and critical success of theWelcome to Wrexham documentary series, Wrexham AFC experienced a surge in popularity and likewise, an unprecedented new international fanbase for an at the time non-league team.[11]
In addition to the city of Wrexham, support for the club is drawn from nearby towns in North Wales,[152] across the border inShropshire,[153] and exiled supporters clubs inSouth Wales,[154]Manchester andLondon.[155] Notably, Wrexham also have a namesake club in Uganda, i.e. Wrexham F.C. Uganda, established in 2009 by the Welsh charityTeams4U.[156][157][158]
The club's official team mascot is 'Wrex the Dragon', who made his debut when Wrexham playedManchester United in a testimonial match forKevin Reeves andBrian Flynn on 4 August 2001, at the Racecourse Ground.[159] The mascot, along with the team nickname the 'Red Dragons', was introduced in the 2001–02 season in order to help promote the club and broaden the club's Welsh image.[159] This change was made to better differentiate the club fromBristol City,Swindon Town andCheltenham Town, who had the same nickname as Wrexham at the time (i.e. 'The Robins').[159]
In 2024, the role of Wrex was played byAnthony Hopkins in an advertisement for STōK Cold Brew during theSuper Bowl.[160]
Wrexham has a fierce rivalry withChester; the two contest thecross-border derby.[161][162] The clubs are located just 10 miles apart, but areWelsh andEnglish respectively. The first match was held in 1888 with Wrexham running out 3–2 winners at Faulkner Street, the former home ofChester City; the most recent was played in March 2018 with Wrexham winning 2–0 at the Racecourse Ground.[163] Wrexham lead the head-to-head rivalry with 67 wins compared to Chester's 50. Games between the two are classed as "high risk"[164] for the potential of disorder and are generally moved to early kick-offs with a large police presence to prevent it,[165] though arrests do still occur for various offenses surrounding the fans of both clubs.[166][167][168]
Former Chester City playerLee Dixon said of the derby "I'm telling you, Chester versus Wrexham was a real derby! It's difficult to compare if you've not played in each one but there's something special about any derby at any level. I played for Chester v Wrexham and that could get ferocious, it lost nothing in ferocity compared toArsenal v Spurs".[169] FormerWales andLiverpool strikerIan Rush, who played for both clubs, said in 2013 that the cross-border derby between the two clubs is "as intense as they come" and "It is like Wales v England really, it is incredible".[170]
Wrexham also have a fierce rivalry withShrewsbury Town[171][172] andTranmere Rovers due to geographical proximity. The games are often moved to early kick-offs, in accordance with police wishes, to minimize the potential of trouble as has happened between clubs previously. In 2003, 32 hooligans were jailed after a Tranmere v Wrexham match atPrenton Park[173] and trouble was again evident when the two clubs met in a 2013 friendly at theRacecourse Ground.[174] Though not as intense as they once were, due to divisional differences,Crewe Alexandra andPort Vale, as well as fellow Welsh clubsCardiff City,Newport County,[175] andSwansea City are also classed as rivals.[171][176][177][178] Wrexham is represented by a hooligan firm known as the 'Front Line' that have been involved in major disorder around Britain since the early 1980s.[179]
Recent seasons have also seen rivalries cultivated with bothStockport County andNotts County after Wrexham battled Stockport for the2021–22 National League title, narrowly missing out in spite of a late season surge that saw Wrexham beat Stockport at home twice in the FA Trophy[180] and League,[181] before battling Notts County for the title in2022–23 in a season that saw both teams clear the century mark for both goals and points with a 3–2 win on Easter Monday in 2023 for Wrexham, helped by aBen Foster penalty save in the last minute,[182] proving crucial as Wrexham finished 4 points clear of Notts to win the title and promotion back to theEFL. 2023–24 saw Wrexham win another promotion in 2nd place, just behind Stockport who won the league (although Wrexham beat them 2–1 at home on the final day of the season[101]) to ensure the two would be in League One for the2024–25 League One season. Wrexham would beat Stockport to promotion to the Championship in2024–25 as they finished 2nd, 5 points clear of Stockport who were defeated in the playoffs.
Since being promoted to League One for the 2024–25 season, Wrexham have formed a rivalry withBirmingham City, who were relegated inthe previous season from theChampionship. The rivalry has been dubbed the "Hollywood Derby", as Wrexham is owned by American actorRob McElhenney andCanadian-American actorRyan Reynolds while Birmingham is partially owned by formerAmerican footballquarterbackTom Brady.[183]
Wrexham AFC Limited is wholly owned by Wrexham Holdings LLC, which, is then majority owned by the R.R. McReynolds Company LLC.[10] Ownership of the R.R. McReynolds Company LLC is split equally between Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, such that they are jointly ultimate beneficial owners of the majority of Wrexham AFC Limited.[10]
In terms of minor stakes in Wrexham Holdings LLC, five per cent is held by Al Tylis and Sam Porter (who also own around fifty per cent of MexicanClub Necaxa),[10][103] and "up over 10 per cent" is owned by Red Dragon Ventures LLC.[10] Red Dragon Ventures LLC is owned by R.R. McReynolds Company LLC and Wrexham Scope LLC (which, is in turn owned by the Allyn Family), with the latter owning a majority stake.[10][108]
The joint venture (Red Dragon Ventures LLC) further purchased a majority stake in the local firmWrexham Lager in the same month.[184]
| Person / People | Associated company | Shares | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rob McElhenney andRyan Reynolds | R.R. McReynolds Company LLC | 85% (approx.) | [10] |
| Allyn Family | Red Dragons Ventures LLC (via Wrexham Scope LLC) | 10% (approx.) | |
| Al Tylis and Sam Porter | Al Tylis and Sam Porter Investment Group | 5% |
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Rob McElhenney &Ryan Reynolds |
| Directors | Kaleen Allyn,Humphrey Ker,Shaun Harvey, Caroline Hutchinson, Thayer Joyce, George Dewey, Ricky Engelberg |
| Chief Executive Officer | Michael Williamson |
| Chief Business and Communications Officer | Rob Faulkner |
| Chief of Staff | Tina Roberts |
| Advisor to the Board | Peter Moore,Les Reed |
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Club President | Dixie McNeil |
| Vice Presidents | Dave Bennett |
| Dave Griffiths | |
| Spencer Harris | |
| Gavin Jones | |
| Rob Parry | |
| Phil Salmon | |
| Mark Williams |
Wrexham's home stadium is theRacecourse Ground (Welsh:Y Cae Ras), and has been since the club was formed in 1864.[12] It is the world's oldest international football stadium that still hosts international matches, having been the venue for Wales' first home international match in 1877,[12]and has hosted more Wales international matches than any other ground.[185]
In 2011, Wrexham University purchased the stadium and the club training facilities inGresford,[186] adding their name to the stadium for a period: i.e.,The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium.[187] Subsequently, in 2016, the Wrexham Supporters Trust secured a 99-year lease on the ground, and the name reverted to the Racecourse Ground.[188] In 2022, Wrexham AFC Limited purchased the Racecourse Ground freehold from the university.[189]
On 3 March 2025, Wrexham County Borough councillors approved the proposal for the construction of a new 5,500-seater Kop stand at the ground. The club aims to have it ready in time for the 2026/27 season, as the stadium is scheduled to host UEFA European Under-19 Championship matches.[190][191]
The current capacity is 10,500, which made it one of the largest stadiums in the National League.[192] However, the maximum capacity temporarily peaked during the 2024–25 season at 13,341, due to an expanded Kop.[193]
Initially, Wrexham's training ground was the purpose-built Colliers Park, in neighbouringGresford,[194] opened in June 1997 at a building cost of £750,000.[194] It was widely regarded in English football as one of the best training grounds outside the top flight,[195] and has been used by theEngland national team,Barcelona,Rangers and theWales national team for training purposes.[195][196]
In 2011, Colliers Park was bought byGlyndwr University as part of their purchase of the Racecourse Ground.[186] Following the acquisition, Wrexham AFC left the training grounds during the 2016–17 season due to financial costs,[196] and Colliers Park has since been transformed into a National Development Centre by theFootball Association of Wales.[37]
Currently, whilst Wrexham still occasionally train at Colliers Park, the team is now forced to use multiple venues and does not have a permanent training venue.[197][198][199]
European Cup Winners' Cup / UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972–73 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  FC Zürich | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | [200][201] |
| Second round |  Hajduk Split | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | [202][203] | ||
| 1975–76 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  Djurgården | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | [204][205] |
| Second round |  Stal Rzeszów | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | [206][207] | ||
| Quarter-final |  Anderlecht | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | [208][209] | ||
| 1978–79 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Rijeka | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 | [210][211] |
| 1979–80 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  FC Magdeburg | 3–2 | 2–5 | 5–7 | [212][213] |
| 1984–85 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  FC Porto | 1–0 | 3–4 | 4–4 | [214] |
| Second round |  Roma | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | [215][216] | ||
| 1986–87 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  Żurrieq | 4–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | [217][218] |
| Second round |  Real Zaragoza | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | [219][220] | ||
| 1990–91 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  Lyngby | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | [221][222] |
| Second round | Manchester United | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | [223][224] | ||
| 1995–96 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  Petrolul Ploiești | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | [225][226] |
Wrexham's first trophy was theWelsh Cup in 1877–78, which was also the inaugural edition of the tournament.[227] The club went on to win the Welsh Cup a record twenty-three times, in addition to other domestic cups: namely, theFAW Premier Cup a record five times, and the Football League North Cup,Football League Trophy andFA Trophy each once.[227]
In respect to league titles, the club won two titles in theWelsh Senior League and four titles inThe Combination, prior to entering the Football League.[227] In 1977–78, after decades in theEnglish Football League, Wrexham finally won another league title in the form of the Third Division Championship.[227] After an extended period of non-League football, the club won the2022–23 National League and subsequently re-entered the English Football League;[95] where, Wrexham have since finished second in back-to-back seasons (i.e. in the2023–24 EFL League Two, and in the2024–25 EFL League One).
Wrexham AFC's honours include:[5][6][228]
League
Cup
^ Note 1: Following changes made to the Welsh Cup competition in 1995, Welsh clubs playing in the English Football system are no longer permitted to enter.
^ Note 2: During the 2023–24 season, the team's training kit was sponsored by Betty Buzz, a beverage company owned by Blake Lively.[239]
1884 Football Association expels Wrexham for crowd trouble. A month later fans re-form the club as Wrexham Olympic.
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