Founded in 1864, Wrexham AFC is the oldest club in Wales and the third-oldest professional association football team in the world. Their long history is rich with traditional Welsh culture and despite how old Wrexham is, they’ve sadly spent most of their time in the shadows of more popular British clubs. Their home stadium, the Racecourse Ground, is said to be the world’s oldest international sports ground.

Their first game was played on October 22, 1864, at the Denbighshire County Cricket Ground against the Prince of Wales Fire Brigade. Since, at the time, the game of football (or soccer as we refer to it) was so new and rules were not prominently set, early matches featured teams with up to 17 players on each side. In these early years, Wrexham were leaders of the campaign to restrict teams to having just 11 players on the pitch at any one time. For their first decade, Wrexham mostly played friendly matches against both Welsh and English opposition, with the Welsh Cup providing most of their competitive football. The year 1883 was significant for the team as it marked their first appearance in the FA Cup.

During the 1929–30 season of the FA Cup, the club recorded their best-ever league win to date when they defeated Rochdale 8–0. In the 1939-40 season of Third Division North, Wrexham AFC appeared in their now iconic red and white stripe kit for the very first time. After World War II, Wrexham reached the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1956–57 where they played Manchester United's Busby Babes in front of a crowd of approximately 34,000 people at the Racecourse, which still remains a club record. Later that season, Wrexham went on to win the Welsh Cup for the first time in 26 years.

Despite finishing at rock-bottom after a disappointing season in the 1966 Football League, the club’s 20^th century ‘glory years’ (as referred to by fans) was just around the corner. The team went on to qualify for the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 by winning the Welsh Cup. A year later, Wrexham changed their badge from the Maelor crest to one that had much more resemblance to their Welsh traditional roots. The new design featured three feathers on the top of the badge and two dragons facing inward. This is still the present badge for the team and is considered iconic among fans. Throughout the 20^th century, Wrexham enjoyed moments of glory, including notable FA Cup appearances and success in the leagues. However, in the 21^st century the club experienced the start of their downfall, being placed in the lower divisions of English football. Since then, the fortunes of Wrexham have been rising and falling due to financial challenges and regulations.

In 2021, Wrexham was taken over by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who invested in the future success and prosperity of the team, seeing an opportunity to create a global force and reviving it for a whole new era. This investment led to a remarkable rise for the team, ending a 15-year absence from the league and the spark of a new generation of fans around the world rooting for them!

Highlights & Fun Facts

From Wrexham men’s soccer team’s humble beginnings to recent revival and outreach around the world, here are some highlights and fun facts that every fan should know about the third oldest team in the world:

• Wrexham plays at the Racecourse Ground in north-western Wrexham, which dates back to construction in 1807 and has a current capacity of just over 10,000 fans. The Racecourse has hosted the most Wales national team matches of any ground.
• The team was purchased by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2021 and brought to popularity by the show Welcome to Wrexham.
• Wrexham AFC is affectionately known as the "Red Dragons" and their team colours are red and white.
• The current club badge debuted for the 1973/74 season and features two dragons on either side, which are the national symbol of Wales, while also boasting the same background colors (green and white) as the Welsh flag.
• The club crest displays the club motto "Ich Dien" which in German means "I serve" but many believe this actually originates from the Gaelic translation "Your Man" which is rumored to be a motto of the Welsh royalty in the 14th century.
• The club was founded in 1864 by Wrexham Cricket Club, as the organization wished to form a group to participate in winter sports while cricket was put on hold.
• Since the team’s resurgence, Hollywood legends like Will Ferrel and Hugh Jackman started showing up to watch games and cheer them on.
• The two co-owners, McElhenney and Reynolds, are selling a minority stake in the club, and also acquiring a local brewery, Wrexham Lager, in a bid to grow the club and its influence even further.

Notable Players

Wrexham AFC has been home to many notable players throughout its long history, with a few becoming iconic figures in the club’s rise to success. The current manager, Phil Parkinson, is leading a new squad of talented players. He made over 360 appearances for Reading as a midfielder before his retirement in 2003. He previously managed Colchester United, Hull City, Charlton Athletic, Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, and, most recently, Sunderland before joining Wrexham.

In recent years, players like Paul Mullin have been crucial to the team’s success. The 29-year-old striker is the club’s current leading goal scorer who joined in 2021-22 from Cambridge United. He has scored 25 goals in 42 league matches for Wrexham and his prolific goal-scoring ability played a key role in their promotion to League One.

Another standout player worth noting is Ben Tozer, who is regarded for his leadership abilities, defensive tactics, and experience in high stake matches. Previously playing with Cheltenham Town in the English Football League has helped him achieve his important status within the Wrexham squad and we can’t wait to see him take the team to success.

Other notable players worth mentioning are Tommy Bamford and Arfon Griffiths who are legendary for making monumental contributions during the club’s glory years in the 20^th century. Griffiths is Wrexham’s record league appearance maker with a whopping 592 appearances during his career. The team’s top goal scorer in history is Tommy Bamford with 175 league goals.

These individuals, along with many others, haven’t only shaped the club’s identity but have also become icons among fans. Whether they’re in the current squad fighting for their place in the top clubs or they previously represented Wrexham during their early years, every name deserves recognition for their spirit and determination.

Are you part of the new global fan base of Wrexham AFC or have you been a fan of the club since the beginning? Either way, head on over to SoccerCards.ca and treat yourself to some club memorabilia. With caps, hoodies, t-shirts, and scarves in a variety of styles--there’s something for every fan to enjoy!