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 English Football League Team of the Year at the EFL Awards whilst playing for Wrexham:
Season | Division | Player(s) |
---|---|---|
2023–24 [30] | League Two | Arthur Okonkwo, Elliot Lee |
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 [31] | Conference Premier | Mark Creighton, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Lee Fowler |
2012–13 [32] | Conference Premier | Jay Harris, Dean Keates |
2017–18 [33] | National League | Shaun Pearson, Manny Smith |
2018–19 [34] | National League | Shaun Pearson |
2021–22 [35] | National League | Aaron Hayden, Jordan Davies, Paul Mullin |
2022–23 [36] | National League | Ben Tozer, Elliot Lee, Paul Mullin |
The following players have been named Wrexham A.F.C. Player of the Year. [37]
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. [42] 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 | [43] [44] |
Second round | Hajduk Split | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | [45] [46] | ||
1975–76 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Djurgården | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | [47] [48] |
Second round | Stal Rzeszów | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | [49] [50] | ||
Quarter-final | Anderlecht | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | [51] [52] | ||
1978–79 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Rijeka | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 | [53] [54] |
1979–80 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Magdeburg | 3–2 | 2–5 | 5–7 | [55] [56] |
1984–85 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Porto | 1–0 | 3–4 | 4–4 | [57] |
Second round | Roma | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | [58] [59] | ||
1986–87 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Żurrieq | 4–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | [60] [61] |
Second round | Real Zaragoza | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | [62] [63] | ||
1990–91 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Lyngby | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | [64] [65] |
Second round | Manchester United | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | [66] [67] | ||
1995–96 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Petrolul Ploiești | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | [68] [69] |
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 English Football League Team of the Year at the EFL Awards whilst playing for Wrexham:
Season | Division | Player(s) |
---|---|---|
2023–24 [30] | League Two | Arthur Okonkwo, Elliot Lee |
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 [31] | Conference Premier | Mark Creighton, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Lee Fowler |
2012–13 [32] | Conference Premier | Jay Harris, Dean Keates |
2017–18 [33] | National League | Shaun Pearson, Manny Smith |
2018–19 [34] | National League | Shaun Pearson |
2021–22 [35] | National League | Aaron Hayden, Jordan Davies, Paul Mullin |
2022–23 [36] | National League | Ben Tozer, Elliot Lee, Paul Mullin |
The following players have been named Wrexham A.F.C. Player of the Year. [37]
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. [42] 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 | [43] [44] |
Second round | Hajduk Split | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | [45] [46] | ||
1975–76 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Djurgården | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | [47] [48] |
Second round | Stal Rzeszów | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | [49] [50] | ||
Quarter-final | Anderlecht | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | [51] [52] | ||
1978–79 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Rijeka | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–3 | [53] [54] |
1979–80 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Magdeburg | 3–2 | 2–5 | 5–7 | [55] [56] |
1984–85 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | FC Porto | 1–0 | 3–4 | 4–4 | [57] |
Second round | Roma | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | [58] [59] | ||
1986–87 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Żurrieq | 4–0 | 3–0 | 7–0 | [60] [61] |
Second round | Real Zaragoza | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | [62] [63] | ||
1990–91 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Lyngby | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | [64] [65] |
Second round | Manchester United | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | [66] [67] | ||
1995–96 | Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Petrolul Ploiești | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | [68] [69] |