Wrexham's players, owners, promotion, coach, stadium, league, achievements

Wrexham's players, owners, promotion, coach, stadium, league, achievements

Ciku Njuguna
May 15, 2024 at 9:29 PM
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From Welsh fame to global acclaim, Wrexham AFC has enjoyed increased popularity and improved performance in recent years. The club got a new lease of life after changing ownership in 2020. Get the complete picture of Wrexham's players, history, and achievements.

Wrexham AFC's players pose for a photo.
Wrexham AFC's players pose for the Starting XI photo ahead of a match against the LA Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 22, 2023, in Carson, California. Photo by Katharine Lotze.
Source: Getty Images

Table of Сontents:

Has Wrexham FC improved since its takeover? Wrexham AFC has taken centre stage in the four seasons of Welcome to Wrexham on Hollywood screens and social media. This article digs into details of the club’s owners, players, and performance in the Football League.

Wrexham’s profile summary

Full name

Wrexham Association Football Club

Nickname

The Town, The Kop, The Robins, The Red Dragons

Year founded

1864

Squad colours

Red, green, white

Squad size

35

League

English Football League Two

League standing

2

Wrexham’s players

At the time of writing, the team has thirty football players on its active roster. Five Wrexham AFC players, Jake Bickerstaff, Billy Waters, Owen Cushion, Dan Davies, and Scott Butler, have left on loan to other teams. Here is a breakdown of Wrexham AFC's players in the 2023-24 season.

Wrexham AFC's players (in red) in action
Wrexham AFC's players (in red) challenge Dan Gore of Manchester United during a friendly match at Snapdragon Stadium on July 25, 2023, in San Diego, California. Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United.
Source: Getty Images

Goalkeepers

  1. Rob Lainton
  2. Mark Howard
  3. Luke McNicholas
  4. Arthur Okonkwo
  5. Liam Hall

Defenders

  1. Callum McFadzean
  2. Ben Tozer
  3. Aaron Hayden
  4. Jordan Tunnicliffe
  5. Eoghan O'Connell
  6. Luke Bolton
  7. Jacob Mendy
  8. James McClean
  9. Will Boyle
  10. Ryan Barnett
  11. Max Cleworth
  12. Aaron James
Wrexham AFC's forward Billy Waters
Wrexham AFC's forward Billy Waters takes a shot during a friendly match against Manchester United at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, on July 25, 2023. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP.
Source: Getty Images

Midfielders

  1. Anthony Forde
  2. Jordan Davies
  3. Luke Young
  4. George Evans
  5. Andy Cannon
  6. Tom O'Connor
  7. James Jones
  8. Elliot Lee

Forward

  1. Ollie Palmer
  2. Paul Mullin
  3. Jack Marriott
  4. Sam Dalby
  5. Steven Fletcher
Jacob Mendy of Wrexham AFC
Jacob Mendy of Wrexham AFC controls the ball during a friendly match against LA Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 22, 2023, in Carson, California. Photo by Katharine Lotze.
Source: Getty Images

Who is the Wrexham AFC captain?

In 2021, Luke Young, a central midfielder who wears the number eight jersey, took on the club's captaincy. However, the club announced their plan to release their skipper at the end of the season.

Team management

Phil Parkinson took over the team's reigns from Dan Keates in 2021. Since Dean Saunders' tenure, he has remained the club's longest-reigning manager (1,045 days).

Who is the Wrexham AFC coach?

The club has fifteen coaching staff members. These include former Manchester United player David Jones, who coaches the Wrexham FC Reserves, and Steve Parkin, the A-team assistant manager.

Wrexham AFC's manager Phil Parkinson
Wrexham AFC's manager Phil Parkinson acknowledges the crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 22, 2023, in Carson, California. Photo by Katharine Lotze.
Source: Getty Images

Former Hull City manager Phil Parkinson has held the club's reins as the head coach since July 1, 2021. He has led the team to two promotions from the fourth and third leagues to English Football League Two. Here are details of his Transfermarkt stats.

Matches

153

Wins

96

Losses

27

Draws

30

Goals scored

339

Goals conceded

174

Points

318

Points per match

2.08

Before taking his current role, Steve Dale, the coach of the women's soccer team, worked with Gresford Athletic Men's first team, Wrexham AFC Boys Centre of Excellence, and Liverpool FC Girls. One of his achievements was Wrexham AFC’s Women's team's promotion to the Genero Adran Premier League in 2023.

Who are Wrexham AFC's owners?

In 2020, 95% of the team's ownership was transferred to R.R. McReynolds Company, LLC, a company equally owned by Hollywood writer and producer Rob McElhenney and actor Ryan Reynolds. The duo also own a stake in the Liga MX’s Club Necaxa Sportico and Variety.

Wrexham AFC's co-owners
Wrexham AFC's co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds pictured on December 09, 2022, in Wrexham, Wales. Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage.
Source: Getty Images

Team performance

Wrexham AFC is the third oldest football club, founded in 1864. Between 1894 and 2008, the club played in the Welsh League, the Birmingham and District League, the new Third Division North and the Football League.

What is Wrexham AFC’s promotion history?

In 2008, the club was relegated to the National League. Following a record-breaking title win in 2023, the Red Dragons ended a 15-year absence in the English Football League with 111 points.

According to People, Wrexham AFC’s promotion to the English Football League helped the owners offset a loss of £10 million ($12.5 million as of May 2024). Through the club's reality show, Welcome to Wrexham, its board advisor, Shaun Harvey, revealed the dire need for promotion,

“The value coming from the global appeal we created is going to offset our additional costs. The biggest thing going to change on promotion is people will see the value of Welcome to Wrexham. Then, the team can generate additional sponsorship revenue.”
Wrexham AFC's player James McClean
Wrexham AFC's James McClean crosses the ball into the box during a match against Newport County at Rodney Parade on January 20, 2024, in Newport, Wales. Photo by Athena Pictures.
Source: Getty Images

What league would Wrexham be promoted to in 2024/25?

Following a 6-0 win over Forest Green Rovers on April 13, 2024, the Red Dragons qualified to Sky Bet League One for the 2024/25 season. The second promotion in two seasons threw fans and players at the Racecourse Ground in a celebratory frenzy.

What is Wrexham AFC's standing?

As of May 7, 2024, the football team is second in the English Football League Two. It has recorded five consecutive wins in its last matches against Stockport County, Crewe Alexandra, Forest Green, Crawley Town, and Colchester United. Here is a summary of Wrexham AFC's league stats at the time of writing.

Matches played in the 2023/24 season

46

Wins

26

Draws

10

Losses

10

Goals scored

89

Goals conceded

52

Points

88

Wrexham AFC's player Elliot Lee
Wrexham AFC's Elliot Lee celebrates a score during a match against Doncaster Rovers at Racecourse Ground on September 9, 2023, in Wrexham, Wales. Photo by Jess Hornby.
Source: Getty Images

Awards

Over the past century and a half since its formation, the team has accrued numerous awards. Here are some of Wrexham AFC's achievements throughout the course of its history.

  • 2022/23 Football Conference Champions
  • 2012/13 Football Conference Playoff Finalists
  • 2012/13 FA Trophy Winner
  • 2004/05 Football League Trophy Winner
  • 1997/98, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2003/04 FAW Premier Cup Winner
  • 1977/78 English 3rd tier Champions
  • 23-time Welsh Cup Winners

Quick Trivia

The story of Wrexham involves a century's worth of history, a burst onto the Hollywood stage and a meteoric rise in English football ranks. Here are some interesting facts about the team.

Wrexham AFC's players
Wrexham AFC's players stand for the national anthem before a match against the Philadelphia Union II at Subaru Park on July 28, 2023, in Chester, Pennsylvania. Photo by Drew Hallowell.
Source: Getty Images

1. Where is Wrexham AFC's stadium?

The Red Dragon's home, STōK Cae Ras or Racecourse Ground, is in Wrexham, Wales, UK. Built in 1807 and opened in 1872, the Ground has a 5,000-standing capacity, 12,789 sitting capacity, and 10,500 covered seats, according to Transfermarkt.

The natural grass stadium has housed various teams, including the Welsh national senior football team, the Under-21 team, and Bangor City.

2. What are the colours of Wrexham AFC's jersey?

During home matches, the Red Dragons proudly wear red jerseys with white, red and green stripes and white shorts with red side patches. The team's white away shirt features a large green strip running down the middle with white and red borders and green and white shorts. Its black third kit with red trimmings pays homage to Wrexham's coal mining history.

3. What is the point of Welcome to Wrexham?

Welcome to Wrexham is an unstructured reality series that gives the team's supporters an inside look at the underdogs, their training, management, and the drama surrounding their pursuit of victory. The sports docu-series, which has recently entered its fifth season, has won various awards, including five Prime Time Emmy awards and one PGA award among several nominations.

Final word

Wrexham AFC’s players' performance over recent years reveals an incredible determination to triumph. Their success is linked to the club's ownership and growing popularity on the global front.

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Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.