Wrexham

Wrexham AFC – Club History

Wrexham Association Football Club was founded in 1864 in Wrexham, North Wales, making it the oldest association football club in Wales and one of the oldest in the world. Playing in red shirts, the Dragons have a history spanning over 160 years and have recently experienced one of football's most celebrated modern transformations – a takeover by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2020 that generated global attention and drove the club from the National League to the English Football League and beyond, while being documented in the hugely popular Disney+ series "Welcome to Wrexham".

Wrexham's history includes periods in the Football League, including sustained Third and Fourth Division competition and multiple FA Cup runs that brought top-flight opposition to the Racecourse Ground. The club's most famous cup moment came in the 1992 FA Cup third round, when Wrexham – then in the Conference – produced one of the competition's greatest shocks by defeating Arsenal 2-1, with Mickey Thomas scoring a stunning free-kick and Steve Watkin heading the winner. This victory against the First Division champions remains one of the FA Cup's most celebrated results.

The Reynolds/McElhenney Era

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's takeover of Wrexham in November 2020 transformed the club from a dormant football institution into a global phenomenon. The owners' investment, ambition, and the documentary series "Welcome to Wrexham" turned the club into an international media story. Under managers Dean Keates and then Phil Parkinson, the club won the National League title in 2023 (the fifth tier of English football), earning promotion to League Two for the first time in 15 years, and won consecutive promotions to League One in 2024. The combination of Hollywood glamour and genuine community football authenticity has made Wrexham the most talked-about club in non-league and lower-league football history.

Racecourse Ground

Wrexham play at the Racecourse Ground, one of the world's oldest international football stadiums. The ground has hosted international matches since 1877, making it the oldest international football stadium still in use, and was the location for some of Wales's earliest home games. Located in the centre of Wrexham, the ground holds approximately 10,500 supporters and has been expanded and modernised since the new ownership's investment. The Racecourse has been the setting for the club's remarkable recent rise and has become one of football's most famous addresses due to the global attention generated by the documentary.

Legendary Players

Wrexham has produced and hosted many respected Welsh players. Joey Jones was a passionate defender who represented both Wrexham and Wales. Mickey Thomas scored one of the FA Cup's most famous goals against Arsenal in 1992. Arfon Griffiths was a long-serving midfielder and manager who epitomised the club's Welsh identity. More recently, Paul Mullin, signed under the new ownership, has been a prolific striker who became the face of Wrexham's National League title campaign. Ollie Palmer and Jordan Davies were important contributors to the promotion-winning sides.

Key Milestones

1864 – Club founded in Wrexham; oldest club in Wales and one of the oldest in the world. 1877 – Racecourse Ground hosts first international football match. 1992 – FA Cup shock victory over Arsenal; Mickey Thomas free-kick. 2008 – Relegated from Football League to Conference. 2020 – Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney take over the club. 2021 – "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary series begins. 2023 – National League title; promotion to League Two. 2024 – League Two title; promotion to League One. 2025 – League One competition.