Home from Home (The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham)

Member Name: merv

Product:	The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
Date:	29/04/02 (116 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Modern stadium, Steeped in history, Plenty of atmosphere

Disadvantages: Needs a team to do it justice, Now the best stadium in the 3rd division

The Nationwide Football season is now officially over (unless you are lucky enough to be a supporter of one of the clubs in the play-offs), and quite frankly I’m bored already.

Actually as a Wrexham supporter my season just about finished on Friday 21 September when we lost 5-nil at Tranmere. From that moment on we always looked relegation material and eventually succumbed without hardly leaving the dreaded zone all season.

So, to cheer myself up and get myself in tune for winning next season’s Third Division Championship, I thought I’d tell you about my second home – ‘The Racecourse’ a stadium which is now undoubtedly the best in the basement division of the Nationwide.

Wrexham Football Club, the oldest club in Wales, was formed in 1872. They have always played at the Racecourse Ground apart from 4 seasons in the 1950’s when the club played on the locale recreation ground because the then owners, Wrexham Cricket Club put the rent up. Before the club was formed the ground was used for both cricket and occasionally, horse racing – hence the name.

In 1952 concrete terracing was laid on the ever-popular Kop end, which is now the oldest part of the ground. Five years later saw the largest ever attendance at the Racecourse when 34,445 people gathered to witness an FA Cup fourth round tie against everyone’s favourites (I don’t think!) Man Utd.

On 30th September 1959 the Racecourse’s floodlights were installed, supposedly the brightest in the Football League.The ground has changed considerably since I started supporting them over thirty years ago and it is now regarded as one of the best grounds in the lower divisionsThe Sainsburys Stand, formerly known as the Yale stand was built in 1972 in preparation for the clubs first venture into Europe, and also provided new dressing rooms, club offices and entertainment suites.

When Wrexham gained promotion to
the old Second Division in 1978 the Border Stand was built, taking its name from the local brewery which owns the ground. This part of the ground is now known as the Eric Roberts Builders Stand and is the away supporters end.

The ground went into freefall decay in the 90’s and was three sided for most of the decade with the old wooden stand, closed down for safety reasons after the horrendous Bradford fire, left to revert back to nature. It was practically a forest by the time they pulled it down and someone claimed to have seen a fox in there during one of the quieter games.

All that changed 1999 after Grant Aid from Sport Lot, the Welsh Development Agency and the Football Trust together with generous local sponsorship allowed for the construction of a new stand on the Mold Road side of the ground. The impressive new Pryce Griffiths stand, named after Wrexham’s long serving chairman has a capacity of 3,500 and also contains hospitality and conferencing facilities.

The development also saw the Paddock areas of the Sainsburys Stand and the Eric Roberts Builders Stand become seated, bringing the current capacity up to 15,500 and thus allowing international football and rugby to once again be played at the Racecourse. Thankfully, what were probably the most archaic toilets in the league were also refurbished, making football at the racecourse a much more enjoyable experience and giving us a ground to be proud of.

Unfortunately the team seems to have declined in proportion to the ground’s elevated status, but nevertheless the Racecourse remains a very enjoyable stadium to visit and I’m sure a lot of third division supporters will get a great deal of pleasure and a warm welcome when they visit Wrexham next year – but hopefully not three points.

For those hardy souls who do venture across the border here are a few facts which may be of use or interest:

GETTING THERE

Despite
being in Wild Wales, Wrexham is within easy travelling distance of most north west and midland teams, the most difficult journeys are probably Swansea and Cardiff (won’t have to worry about that one for a few years!). Typically there are no motorways in Wales travelling between north and south – to get to the Welsh assembly quickly you have to travel through England.

Whether you travel via Chester in the north or Shrewsbury in the south the roads provide excellent access through some incredibly picturesque countryside – a really good day out. The ground is situated just off the bypass, well sign posted, easy to find, plenty of free and cheap parking and adjacent to a station on the Chester to Wolverhampton lines.

WREXHAM TOWN

Wrexham has seen a real transformation over the last few years. It was a venue for just one match in the Rugby World Cup (Japan v. Samoa) and that proved to be a catalyst for over £100m worth of investment, pouring into the town, including the football ground. Remarkable to say the least. Wrexham is now an incredibly vibrant town with excellent shopping facilities, a college close to university status, a regional and modern hospital and much vaunted entertainment, cultural and sporting scenes. Wrexham supposedly is the town with the highest number of pubs per head of population but thanks to extensive CCTV it seems to have lost the cowboy town image of a few years back and away supporters can enjoy themselves in a relatively friendly atmosphere.

THE TEAM

Who knows, we may well have let most of them go by the start of next season because of the financial problems. However our three Tinidadians will be there – The 6.7” Denis Lawrence a centre half of some promise, Carlos Edwards a dribbler of immense footballing skill and Hector Sam who has lightning pace allied unfortunately to no sense of direction. They’ve brought a bit of sunshine to Wrexham and I
217;m sure that next season they’ll bring their own brand of samba to the third division.

THE ATMOSPHERE

Generally excellent, it’s a lovely stadium and Wrexham fans like nothing better than some good natured rivalry and banter. Away fans are allocated an excellent seated and standing stand behind the goal. Look out for ex players Joey Jones (local boy made good and former Liverpool hero) – fingers crossed he’ll still be one of the trainers next year, Mickey Thomas (ex Man U and Walton gaol – for forging banknotes after the famous defeat of Arsenal), and lady Di’s former butler – Wrexham’s most infamous fan.

It’s the only ground in the league with a pub which, until the new stand was built, actually overlooked the ground. There was a balcony where the privileged few could sup there pints and watch the match in really civilized conditions.


Come along and see for yourself, we won’t be in this division long - one way or another.


ESSENTIAL FACTS (courtesy of the Red Passion)

Address: The Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AH

Club Telephone: 01978 262129

Club Fax: 01978 357821

Internet Site: http://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk

E-mail: info@wrexhamafc.co.uk

Ground Capacity: 15,500

Pitch Dimensions: 111 yards x 71 yards

Official Programme: The Robins Review - £2.00

Fanzines: Red Passion - £1.00

Also on sale is the Ancient Druid, which is the fanzine of local League of Wales club Flexsys Cefn Druids and costs 50 pence.

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