Kick Off: 3.00 pm

 

 

The Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham Wales LL11 2AH

 

 

01978 262 129

 

 

Red and White

 

 

The Red Dragons

 

 

The current gaffer at the racecourse is Sam Ricketts. The Aylesbury born defender started his career at Oxford Utd and played over 100 games in the Premier League for Hull City and Bolton. He has notable spells Swansea City, Wolves and Coventry too. He joined Wrexham in May 2018.

 

 

Nice drive this one…….leave the M6 at Junction 10a turning onto the M54. After approximately 21 miles the M54 becomes the A5. Stay on the A5 passing Shrewsbury and when you reach Oswestry turn right at the roundabout (An ESSO Service Station will be on your left), staying on the A5. At the junction of the A5 and the A483 (A blasted McDonalds Drive Through will be on your right) go straight on at the roundabout to join the A483 signposted Ruabon and Wrexham. After approximately 8 miles leave the A483 at the junction of the A541 signposted Wrexham and Mold. At the roundabout turn right towards Wrexham and after going straight over the next roundabout the ground is ahead of you on your left on the A541.

 

 

There is car parking available at the ground for (I believe) £4.00 per car.

 

Street parking is also available.

 

 

Door to door this one, as Wrexham General station is adjacent to the ground. The journey from Euston will take between 3 and 4 hours and may necessitate a change at Birmingham, Crewe and/or Chester.

 

 

Bearing in mind that the first recognised Lager Brewery in Europe was actually founded in Wrexham in 1882, having a beer before the game is very easy and we are spoilt for choices of pubs. One of the best is The Turf, right next to the Kop Terrace and is mainly used by home supporters. Peter Jones from the Wrexham Supporters Trust previously sent this invitation to Bees fans “The Wrexham Lager and Sports and Social Club: You can find the club by walking past the ground towards the town centre. You go over the railway bridge and will then come to a Post Office sorting depot on your left. The club is situated in Union Road opposite only a five-minute walk from the ground. It is friendly and has reasonably priced beer and food with a big screen for SKY Sports. All will be made welcome”. 

 

Many visiting fans have visited for the last few seasons and the feedback I get is excellent so I’ll check it out.

 

At the back of the Yale Stand is the recently refurbished Centenary Club which allows in away fans. It is free to enter, has Sky Sports and also offers food in the form of Pie & Peas, it is also handy for the away turnstiles.

 

According to official club reports “The favoured pub for away fans is the Plas Coch. it is a restaurant type pub, with a large beer garden, that is located past the ground going away from the town centre, near to the Sainsburys Petrol Station. It is about a five minute walk away from the stadium’. The pub is on the Plas Coch Retail Park opposite NEWI, where you can also park for the afternoon, at a cost of £2”

 

Reckless recommendation – in the town centre the Golden Lion, oh yes.

 

 

The ground is recognised as the oldest in the World to still host International Football, the first in 1877. The stadium or at least the site, the clues are there, was built for Horse Racing in 1807 and has also hosted Cricket. For a decade up until 1992 the ground was only 3 sided before the arrival of the Mold Stand with its distinctive curved roof. The original stands here sat some distance from the pitch. Opposite is the main or Yale Stand which was built in 1972. To the right is the very impressive Kop End terrace which sadly is now not used – it is partly covered at the back and once held 6,000 standing – marvellous. To the left is the Glyndwr University Stand another two-tiered affair built in 1978

 

We will be offered seats in the Yale Stand with huge parts of the ground not open as the capacity of over 10,000 within the stadium is very rarely tested in this division.

 

 

Chester City is the most local club and the rivalry has existed for a number of years in footballing terms and for centuries in traditional terms – well they are English and talk in Welsh accent!

 

 

 

 

Our last meeting was in February 2015 in the Conference, it was a long journey home after a narrow 1-0 defeat.

 

It was a happy 48th birthday to me as good old Liam Hatch scored twice in a 2-0 win in October 2008.

 

Our visit in 1993 was very painful as Gary Phillips and his “merry men” played bravely as ever in that fateful Division 2 season but were still soundly beaten 4-0. The return fixture at Underhill was another defeat, a closely fought 2-1 including a rare goal from “The Sidewinder” Peter Scott. A season earlier it was a different story as the dynamic duo of Gary Bull and Mark Carter scored in a thrilling 3-2 victory over the border while Carter, Derek Payne and Micky Bodley scored in a 3-1 win at Underhill – over 4,000 watched.

 

 

Mae hi’n rhy oer yn Wrecsam – bu bob amser wedi bod yno. 2/10

 

 

It is now widely known that the 37th President of the USA Richard M Nixon’s ancestors came originated from Wrexham. His attempts to keep this earth-shattering information quiet were fruitless and consequently, he had to resign the Presidency in shame in August 1974. A rare book “Nixon – Fy Dyffryn Cartref” by Alex Jones gives a fascinating insight into the much-regretted quest to find his Welsh kinfolk.

 

On another American theme, buried in a Wrexham graveyard is Elihu Yale who as one of the first British settlers across the pond founded the world famous Yale University in 1701. Yes, he is responsible for the education of the men and ladies who went on to invent peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and the Burger Drive Through.