The Complete History of Wrexham AFC: The Red Dragons' Journey Through the Ages (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798188463304)

In 1864, a group of cricket players gathered inside The Turf Hotel in North Wales to form a team for the winter months. Few could have imagined that this simple meeting would give birth to Wrexham AFC, the oldest football club in Wales and the third-oldest professional team in the world. From winning the inaugural Welsh Cup in 1878 to claiming unforgettable victories over English football giants, the Red Dragons quickly built a reputation for fearless heart. Generations of supporters filled the terraces at the Racecourse Ground to watch legends like Tommy Bamford set goalscoring records and local hero Mickey Thomas sink reigning champions Arsenal with a single strike.

Yet the road was never easy. The club faced decades of crushing lows, including painful relegations, severe financial collapse, and a terrifying fight for its very survival at the hands of property developers. Forced into a fifteen-year exile in non-league football, the club survived only because its loyal supporters refused to let it die. That fierce community spirit set the stage for an extraordinary modern revival when Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney acquired the team in 2020. Under the guidance of manager Phil Parkinson and powered by the goals of Paul Mullin, Wrexham achieved an incredible three consecutive automatic promotions to march all the way into the EFL Championship.

This book captures the full narrative of a football club that refused to fade away. It brings to life the defining matches, iconic leaders like Arfon Griffiths and John Neal, and the magical European nights against clubs like FC Porto and Anderlecht. From its humble industrial origins to its rise as a global sporting phenomenon, this is the story of a working-class community, its historic home stadium, and an unforgettable journey across three centuries of football history.