FC United of Wrexham was established with the ambition of becoming a competitive presence in futsal, ultimately aspiring to qualify for the UEFA Futsal Champions League. From its inception, the club prioritized the development of local talent through its youth futsal academy, providing a foundation for players to advance to elite levels.[3]
The club has historically focused on fostering both male and female players, emphasizing inclusivity and equal opportunities. Efforts to promote women’s futsal alongside the men’s game were central to its mission, ensuring balanced representation and growth within the sport.[4]
Through its youth development programs and competitive opportunities, FC United of Wrexham aimed to contribute to the growth of futsal in Wales. These initiatives were intended to help produce players capable of representing Welsh national futsal teams at the highest levels and elevate the club's status within European futsal competitions.[5]
On 20 January 2023, FC United of Wrexham opened a fundraiser to help their under-12s Futsal side get a new kit representing the key landmarks within Wrexham such as the St Giles parish church. Three days later Ryan Reynolds, actor and co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C., gave a £1,600 donation, above their fundraiser goal of £480.[6][7] In response to this, the club decided to add the Deadpool logo onto the sleeve of the shirt.[6][8][9][10]
The club managed a senior men’s football team which competed in the North East Wales League Championship Division, and male, female and junior futsal teams.[1] The club's youth teams are futsal-focused, although the club has future plans in both football and futsal.[2]
The club had Brad Miguel as a player who later played in the World Cup qualifiers for St Vincent and The Grenadines. The team has also produced players for Crewe Alexandra, Wrexham A.F.C., and Great Britain Futsal[clarification needed],[11] as well as Ruscoe's managing club Prestatyn Town. The team plans to advance into the upper tiers of both Welsh football and futsal, while also securing grants to develop Bronwens Green, their home ground.[1][2]
In May 2023, the club had 80 members, and relied on fundraising efforts to support their £14,072 annual costs.[12] In August 2023, the club played a charity match with Wrexham Police FC, raising £11,000 for the Wrexham Children's ward, with £10,000 coming from Wrexham A.F.C. co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.[13]
The club resigned from the league in June 2023, stating an intention to focus working on reinstating their Men's Futsal side and further strengthening their current youth futsal academy.[14] In November 2023, it announced Red Roach Records as its new sponsor.[15]
In January 2024, the club controversially received a donation of £5,000 from Tristan Tate, brother of Andrew Tate who faced criminal charges at the time. Following criticism on receiving the donation, particularly from local organisations and with sponsors pulling support for the club, the club refunded the donation. The club stated the donation would've substantially helped them as they are not-for-profit and were operating at a loss in most months.[16] However, the club later made the decision to refund the donation reflecting on the club's ethos and values, apologising and then defended the refund. The club's chairman conducted various interviews stating that accepting the donation could not be justified, and was "not morally right".[17][18] Tate described the action as "disappointing" and claimed it was refunded due to a "public outcry".[18]
In February 2024, Jonathan Ross, a renowned television presenter, donated an undisclosed sum to support the purchase of new kits for the club's Under-6 Girls' Futsal team. This generous contribution highlighted the growing recognition and support for the club's efforts to promote futsal at the grassroots level. In September 2024, as a gesture of gratitude, FC United of Wrexham sent a club shirt to Jonathan Ross. The presenter publicly acknowledged and thanked the club, further showcasing his support for their mission of fostering inclusivity and development in the sport.[19]
In March 2024, Welsh actor Michael Sheen donated £5,000 to the club, as part of its £12,000 goal on GoFundMe, set up due to the club's financial difficulties. The club described Sheen's donation as "a lifeline".[20]
In September 2024, FC United of Wrexham launched its official YouTube channel, ''Welcome To The Other Wrexham''. The channel features regular updates on the club, player experiences, highlights of their goals and key moments, as well as discussions on topics such as dyslexia and invisible illnesses. It also promotes local organizations and community projects. By November 2024, the channel had gained 3.06K subscribers and accumulated 83,325 views across 325 videos, making it one of the fastest-growing YouTube channels for a Welsh amateur football club.[21]
In October 2024, former professional footballer and Major League Soccer (MLS) referee Adam Alfi traveled 4,300 miles from Florida to celebrate with FC United of Wrexham Women’s team after their historic victory in the inaugural North East Wales Football Association (NEWFA) Women’s Futsal League. The team secured their first-ever domestic Wales Women's League Futsal title. Inspired by the team’s success, Mr. Alfi paid for a celebratory meal at Levante restaurant in Wrexham.[citation needed]
Mr. Alfi expressed his admiration for the community spirit and passion surrounding Wrexham and Wales, stating, “It’s been an absolute pleasure to meet everyone and immerse myself in the rich culture of Wrexham and Wales. Witnessing this team’s journey to victory has been inspiring—this is what the game is all about: connecting people across borders and celebrating each other’s successes.” He also took the opportunity to explore Wrexham's football culture, touring local grounds and observing the team at Ysgol Clywedog sports hall, where he also refereed the team and assisted an injured player with a concussion.[citation needed]
FC United of Wrexham chairman, Andrew Ruscoe, commented, "Winning this league is a landmark moment for our club. It reflects the immense dedication, passion, and teamwork that define FC United of Wrexham. Mr. Alfi’s visit and his generosity in funding our celebration underscore the global connection and community spirit that futsal can inspire."
The Club Hall of Fame celebrates individuals from FC United of Wrexham who have moved on to achieve professional success or recognition in football, futsal, or related fields.
Bangor City Football Club is a Welsh inactive football club from the City of Bangor, Gwynedd. They started the 2021–22 season in the Cymru North the second level of the Welsh football league system, but on 30 November were suspended from any football activity due to non-payment of wages. On 18 February 2022 the club announced they had withdrawn from the league and the Football Association of Wales confirmed the club's results from the league that season has been expunged. The club subsequently failed to apply for tier 2 or tier 3 licences, leaving them unable to play in any Football Association of Wales league for the 2022–23 season.
Cefn Druids Association Football Club is an association football team based in the village of Cefn Mawr, Wrexham. The club reformed in the 2024–25 season to play in the North East Wales Championship. Before, the club played in the Cymru North after being relegated from the Cymru Premier in 2021–22 but withdrew ahead of the 2023–24 season due to the management and playing staff leaving over unpaid wages and a transfer ban by Fifa.
The New Saints of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club, commonly known as The New Saints or TNS FC, are a Welsh professional football club that play in the Cymru Premier, but are based completely within England, in Oswestry, Shropshire. They are the most successful club in the Welsh league structure, with 16 league titles to their name. Since the 2001–02 season, they have finished as champions or runners-up in every season, apart from 2008–09, where they finished third in the league. They became the first side playing in the Welsh league system to qualify for the group or league stage of any European competition after reaching the league phase of the UEFA Conference League for the first time in the 2024–25 season.
Mold Alexandra Football Club is a football club based in Mold in Wales. The club was founded in 1929 and played in local amateur leagues before joining the Welsh National League after the Second World War. The team enjoyed success in the 1980s and became a founder member of the League of Wales in 1992. The side were relegated from the division in 1995 and had dropped several tiers by the end of the decade. They now play in the Cymru North.
Wrexham Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wrexham, Wales. Formed in 1864, it is the oldest club in Wales and the third-oldest professional association football team in the world. They compete in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system.
Joseph Patrick Jones is a Welsh former footballer who played as a full-back.
Philip Lee Jones is a Welsh football coach and former player who played as a forward.
Flint Town United Football Club is a football club based in Flint, Flintshire, Wales who play in the Cymru Premier.
Gresford Athletic Football Club is a football team based in Gresford in Wrexham, Wales. They are members of the Cymru North and play at The Hollingsworth Stadium in Broughton.
Wesley Baynes is an English semi-professional footballer.
Prestatyn Town Football Club is a Welsh professional football club based in Prestatyn, Denbighshire. They play in the Cymru North.
Wrexham Association Football Club Women, formerly known as NEWI Wrexham Ladies and Wrexham Ladies F.C., is a Welsh semi-professional women's football club that competes in the Adran Premier, the first-tier of women's football in Wales.
The 2019–20 Cymru North was the inaugural season of the Cymru North, which is in the second level of the Welsh football pyramid. The season had been scheduled to finish on 25 April but due to the COVID-19 pandemic no games were played after 7 March. In May 2020 the Cymru North was officially ended after consultation between the Football Association of Wales and the clubs. Prestatyn Town were confirmed as champions but because they failed to gain a Tier 1 licence, runners-up Flint Town United were promoted to the Cymru Premier. Porthmadog, Corwen and Llanfair United were relegated.
Matthew Rhys Sargent is a Welsh footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League North club Radcliffe.
The 2021–22 Cymru North season was the second season of the second-tier northern region football in Welsh football pyramid. Teams were to play each other twice on a home and away basis.
Jordan Andrew Davies is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for EFL League Two club Grimsby Town on loan from EFL League One side Wrexham.
Welcome to Wrexham is an American sports documentary television series that premiered on August 24, 2022, on FX. The series documents the events of Welsh association football club Wrexham A.F.C., as told by the club's owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The series received critical acclaim, winning eight Primetime Emmy Awards and two Critics' Choice Television Awards. The second season premiered on September 12, 2023. In November 2023, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on May 2, 2024. In May 2024, the series was renewed for a fourth season.
Kai Calderbank-Park is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League North club Chester.
The 2024–25 Cymru North season is the fifth season of the second-tier northern region football league in the Welsh football pyramid.
Andrew Lee Ruscoe is a Welsh football and futsal coach known for his contributions to grassroots and semi-professional football in Wales. Ruscoe is the Director of Futsal, co-founder, and manager of FC United of Wrexham, a non-profit football and futsal club established in 2020. The club competes in both football and futsal leagues and has expressed long-term goals of advancing to higher levels in both sports.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
