Recently news broke of an unexpected acquisition of a football. Little known Welsh club, Wrexham Association Football Club made global news headlines when it was reported that they had been bought by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The club was bought by Reynolds and his partner after the supporter’s trust of the club voted in support of the duo’s takeover of the club.
So, what are the things we should know about this modest Welsh side.
1. Oldest Club in Wales
Wrexham AFC is the oldest in Wales and the third-oldest football club world.
The club was founded in October 1864 by the members of the Wrexham Cricket Club based in the town of the same name.
2. Home Stadium
Wrexham currently plays their home matches at the Racecourse ground stadium, currently regarded as the oldest football stadium that hosts international football matches.
Matches have been played at the stadium since the club’s formation in 1864. Currently, the stadium has a capacity for 10000 plus fans.
3. Nicknames
The nicknames of Wrexham AFC are the Red Dragons or Robins.
4. National League
Wrexham currently competes in the National League, which is the fifth tier of the English football league system.
They finished 19th in the league last season.
5. Trophies Won
Wrexham has won the Welsh Cup a record 23 times in their history.
They also won the Third English Division title in 1978.
They also participated in the then European Cup Winners’ Cup in the 1975-1976 season. They lost in the quarter-finals.
6. Current Manager
Their current manager of Wrexham AFC is Dean Keates.
This is his second spell managing the club after first being in charge between 2016-2018.
He began his second stint in 2019. Apart from coaching, Keates had previously played for the Red Dragons for 5 seasons from 2010-2015.
7. Club Badge and Colors
The Wrexham AFC badge is a green and white shield containing 2 red dragons holding a ball on either side.
The team plays in a Red jersey top over white shorts and socks.
8. Club Records
The record for most appearances in a Wrexham shirt belongs to former Welsh international Arfon Griffiths, who played over 550 times for the Robins.
Their all-time highest goal scorer in the league was Tommy Bamford, who scored 174 goals in all his appearances for the Welsh club.
Their biggest recorded win was a 6-0 thrashing of Charlton Athletic FC in an FA Cup tie played in 1980.
Their biggest loss was a 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Brentford FC in a 1963 league match.
Update: On April 22, 2023, Wrexham gained promotion back to Football League after 15-year wait.
