A look at the history of Wrexham from a place for cricket members to play sports in the winter, to a Hollywood documentary success.
Wrexham AFC's history dates back to 1864, making the Red Dragons the oldest professional football club in Wales and one of the oldest football teams in the world.
The Wrexham Cricket Club was set up so that its members could have a sport to take part in during the winter months, and their first games were held at the Racecourse Ground, which is still their home now and is known as the world’s oldest international football stadium that is still hosting international matches.
Wrexham soon secured a place in Welsh football; they won the first Welsh Cup in 1878 and have since won the trophy a record 23 times. Even though the club is located in North Wales, for most of their history they have taken part in the English football pyramid.
In the 1970s the club experienced one of its best periods with John Neal as manager. In 1976 Wrexham made it to the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup before suffering a defeat at the hands of the eventual champions, Anderlecht. Two years afterwards the Red Dragons secured the Third Division title and were promoted to the second tier of English football.
European competitions became a significant element in Wrexham's identity, the Welsh club achieving some notable victories over teams such as FC Porto, and the domestic cup tournaments also saw their share of historic moments.
One of Wrexham's most well-known victories came in January 1992 when, in the third round of the FA Cup, they played against the reigning English champions, Arsenal; Mickey Thomas scored a magnificent free-kick and Steve Watkin then secured an unforgettable 2-1 victory at the Racecourse Ground. This result is still regarded as one of the greatest FA Cup giant-killings.
Financial difficulties and instability later put the club's future in jeopardy. Wrexham were relegated from the Football League in 2008 and thus began a difficult 15-year period in non-league football. The supporters played a vital role in saving the club, the Wrexham Supporters Trust eventually taking over.
A new era was ushered in in 2021 when Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had taken over the club. This change was due to their investment, their ambition and the success of the documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which brought the club and the city to a global audience.
When Phil Parkinson was in charge, Wrexham achieved the National League title in 2022/23 with an record-setting total of 111 points. They obtained promotion out of League Two in the 2023/24 season and then earned another promotion from League One in 2024/25.
Wrexham became the first club to achieve three promotions in a row within the top five divisions of English football, finishing off an amazing progression from the National League to the Championship.
From historic Welsh Cup triumphs and European nights to financial crisis and a remarkable Hollywood-backed revival, Wrexham AFC's history is ultimately a story of resilience, community, and an unbreakable connection between a football club and its supporters.
