Wrexham A.F.C.

Early years (1863–1921)

On 12 October 1863, a group of local businessmen formed a new organisation 'The United Volunteer Services Club' to provide athletic sport for the young men of Wrexham, in order to keep them from spending their spare time in public houses. This organisation provided the ideological basis for the future formation of Wrexham Football Club, which is now the oldest football club 'still in existence today' that was founded according to temperance principles. Evan Morris, Charles Edward Kershaw and Joseph Wilbraham Clark were 3 of the founding members of the United Volunteer Services Club, who were also members of the Denbighshire County Cricket Club; and they used their influence within the cricket club to bring their ideals to fruition.

Wrexham Football Club was formed on 4 October 1864, in The Turf Tavern (named the Turf Hotel by 1872), by members of the cricket club who wanted to provide sporting activity for the young men of the town throughout the winter months. This makes them the fifth oldest association football team, the third oldest professional club and the oldest in Wales. Their first game was played on 22 October 1864 at the Denbighshire County Cricket Ground (later known as the Racecourse Ground), against 10 men of the Prince of Wales Fire Brigade. The 10 founding members who played for Wrexham Football Club in that first ever game were; Charles Edward Kershaw, William Tootell, Thomas Broster, Thomas Hanmer, Edward Ephraim Knibbs,…

Wrexham's first trophy was the Welsh Cup in 1877–78, which was also the inaugural edition of the tournament. The club went on to win the Welsh Cup a record twenty-three times, in addition to other domestic cups: namely, the FAW Premier Cup a record five times, and the Football League North Cup, Football League Trophy and FA Trophy each once. In respect to league titles, the club won two titles in the Welsh Senior League and four titles in The Combination, prior to entering the Football League. In 1977–78, after decades in the English Football League, Wrexham finally won another league title in the form of the Third Division Championship. After an extended period of non-League football, the club won the 2022–23 National League and subsequently re-entered the English Football League; where, Wrexham have since finished second in back-to-back seasons (i.e. in the 2023–24 EFL League Two, and in the 2024–25 EFL League One). Wrexham AFC's honours include: League

Third Division North / Third Division / League One (level 3) Champions: 1977–78 Runners-up: 1932–33, 2024–25 Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4) Runners-up: 1969–70, 1992–93, 2023–24 Promoted: 1961–62, 2002–03 National League (level 5) Champions: 2022–23 Runners-up: 2011–12, 2021–22 The Combination Champions: 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1904–05 Welsh Senior League Champions: 1894–95, 1895–96 Cup

Football League Trophy Winners: 2004–05 FA Trophy Winners: 2012–13 Runners-up: 2014–15, 2021–22 Football…