Wrexham Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wrexham, Wales. The club competes in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system since 2023–24, following promotion from the National League.
The club was founded in 1864, making it the oldest club in Wales and the third-oldest professional team in the world. In 1890, it joined The Combination league, before spells in the Welsh Senior League and Birmingham & District League. They remained in this division before being elected to the Football League in 1921. Wrexham would spend the next 37 years in the Third Division North until they were placed in the Third Division as part of the League re-structuring in 1958. Wrexham would subsequently fluctuate between the Third and Fourth Divisions before earning promotion to the Second Division as champions in 1978. By 1983, Wrexham had experienced two consecutive relegations to leave them back in the Fourth Division once again. In the early 21st century, Wrexham would experience severe financial issues and despite a triumph in the Football League Trophy in 2004–05, they would be relegated from the Football League for the first time in 2008. After five unsuccessful play-off attempts, Wrexham would finally win the National League in 2023 after a 15-year exile in non-League.
Wrexham have won the Welsh Cup a record 23 times, the Football League Trophy in 2005, and the FA Trophy in 2013. They have gained one promotion from the third tier, six promotions from the fourth tier, and one promotion from the fifth tier. Wrexham's record league appearance maker is Arfon Griffiths with 592 appearances, whilst their top goalscorer is Tommy Bamford with 175 league goals. Their highest recorded attendance is 34,445 for an FA Cup tie with Manchester United in 1957.
Wrexham AFC's honours include: [1]
League
Cup
The following Wrexham players have been included in the PFA Team of the Year
Season | Division | Player(s) |
---|---|---|
1974–75 [20] | Third Division | Arfon Griffiths |
1976–77 [21] | Third Division | Arfon Griffiths, Billy Ashcroft |
1977–78 [22] | Third Division | Dai Davies, Mickey Thomas, Bobby Shinton, Dixie McNeil |
1988–89 [23] | Fourth Division | Joey Jones, Kevin Russell |
1991–92 [24] | Fourth Division | Phil Hardy |
1992–93 [24] | Division Three | Gareth Owen |
1994–95 [25] | Division Two | Gary Bennett |
1995–96 [26] | Division Two | Karl Connolly, Bryan Hughes |
2002–03 [27] | Division Three | Carlos Edwards, Andy Morrell |
2003–04 [28] | Division Two | Carlos Edwards |
2005–06 [29] | League Two | Mark Jones |
The following players have been included in the Conference Premier or National League Team of the Year whilst playing for Wrexham:
Season | Division | Player(s) |
---|---|---|
2011–12 [30] | Conference Premier | Mark Creighton, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Lee Fowler |
2012–13 [31] | Conference Premier | Jay Harris, Dean Keates |
2017–18 [32] | National League | Shaun Pearson, Manny Smith |
2018–19 [33] | National League | Shaun Pearson |
2021–22 [34] | National League | Aaron Hayden, Jordan Davies, Paul Mullin |
2022–23 [35] | National League | Ben Tozer, Elliot Lee, Paul Mullin |
The following players have been named Wrexham A.F.C. Player of the Year. [36]
The following players have been named Wrexham A.F.C. Young Player of the Year. [38]
The following players have won the Steve Edwards Goal of the Season award. [39]
Goal counts are formatted with the league total first, and the total for all competitions in parentheses. [40]
The following are members of the Wrexham A.F.C. Hall of Fame. [41] Entry is not restricted to players; anyone who has made a great contribution to the club in any capacity can be considered.
Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972–73 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Zürich | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | [42] [43] |
Second round | Hajduk Split | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | [44] [45] | ||
1975–76 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Djurgården | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | [46] [47] |
Second round | Stal Rzeszów | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | [48] [49] | ||
Quarter-final | Anderlecht | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | [50] [51] | ||
1978–79 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Rijeka | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 | [52] [53] |
1979–80 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Magdeburg | 3–2 | 2–5 | 5–7 | [54] [55] |
1984–85 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Porto | 1–0 | 3–4 | 4–4 | [56] |
Second round | Roma | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | [57] [58] | ||
1986–87 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Żurrieq | 4–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | [59] [60] |
Second round | Real Zaragoza | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | [61] [62] | ||
1990–91 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Lyngby | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | [63] [64] |
Second round | Manchester United | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | [65] [66] | ||
1995–96 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Petrolul Ploiești | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | [67] [68] |
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 Two, the fourth level of the English football league system.
Andrew Jonathan Morrell is an English former professional footballer. A striker, Morrell played 359 games in the Football League for Wrexham, Coventry City, Blackpool and Bury, scoring 96 goals.
Andrew Francis Mangan is an English former footballer who played as a striker. He was most recently caretaker manager at Bristol Rovers.
Paul Anthony Hall is a football coach and former professional footballer who is the head coach of EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers B team.
John Richard Rooney is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Macclesfield.
Barry Ryan Bannan is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for and captains EFL Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.
Thomas Neilson Bannan was a Scottish professional footballer who scored 23 goals from 29 appearances in the Scottish Football League playing for Airdrieonians and Stenhousemuir, and 117 goals from 338 appearances in the English Football League playing for Wrexham, Lincoln City and Barrow. He played as a centre forward or inside right.
Carl Liam Piergianni is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL League One club Stevenage.
Gareth Owen is a Welsh former footballer, who played as a midfielder for various English and Welsh clubs between 1989 and 2011. He is currently the manager of Wrexham AFC Women Under 19s.
Wrexham Association Football Club Women, formerly 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.
Shaun Mark Pearson is an English football coach and former player who is assistant head coach of Grimsby Town.
Paul Philip Mullin is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League Two club Wrexham.
William Sam Douglas Harry Boyle is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL League Two club Wrexham.
Aaron Edward-George Hayden is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL League Two club Wrexham.
Elliott James Durrell is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Gloucester City.
Andrew Ellis Cook is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for League Two club Bradford City.
The 2021–22 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the seventh season as English football's National League, the nineteenth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-third season overall.
The 2022–23 National League season, known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons, was the eighth season under English football's new title of the National League, the twentieth season consisting of three divisions, and the forty-fourth season overall.
Jordan Andrew Davies is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League Two club Wrexham. Born in Wrexham, Davies joined the local team's academy. He joined Cymru Premier side Bangor on a short-term loan the day after his 18th birthday. Following an unsuccessful stint at Brighton, he re-signed for Wrexham in 2020.