Born within 100 yards of South Liverpool’s ground, Ashcroft showed little interest in football during his schooldays until the final stretch, when he signed for Blackpool as an associate schoolboy within 12 months. Travel demands and academic priorities saw him leave Bloomfield Road, and trials at Everton and Tranmere yielded nothing.

His breakthrough came after converting from wing-half to centre forward, catching Wrexham’s attention. Signing straight from school in 1968, he received professional terms on his 18th birthday in 1970, making his Football League debut just two days later. He quickly established himself as a crowd favourite during what many consider the club’s most successful period in the 1970s, netting 96 goals.

Former manager John Neal, then at Middlesbrough, returned to sign his star pupil for £120,000. Ashcroft went on to play in Holland with Twente Enschede before returning to England with Tranmere Rovers. After hanging up his boots, he moved into the licensing trade, running a pub in Southport.

Tommy Bamford stands as one of Wrexham’s all-time greats, holding multiple goalscoring records including 174 league goals and 44 league goals in a single season during 1933/34. Starting his league career relatively late at 23 after playing local football around South Wales, his debut campaign got off to a flying start with six goals in his opening seven games at the end of 1928/29.

His international career with Wales began similarly, scoring on debut against Scotland at Hampden Park. His goalscoring prowess attracted bigger clubs, and Manchester United secured his signature in 1934. He went on to win the Second Division Championship before returning to South Wales with Swansea Town, where he remained until World War II broke out.

During the war, he appeared for Wrexham as a guest player, adding another eight goals from 14 appearances to his impressive tally.

Affectionately known as “Psycho”, Gary Bennett stands as one of the Racecourse’s true legends. His remarkable record of 114 goals in just 177 games hadn’t been matched since Tommy Bamford’s era. The likeable Scouser’s direct style and never-say-die attitude made him an instant crowd favourite, particularly impressive given he arrived on a free transfer from local rivals Chester City.

After spells at Wigan Athletic, Chester City and Southend United before his release from Chester, Brian Flynn snapped him up despite initial criticism for signing a “Chester reject”. Flynn’s eye for a bargain paid off spectacularly when Bennett’s 16 goals helped secure promotion to the Second Division. His next two seasons proved even more prolific, delivering 39 and 47 goals respectively.

With play-off positions just beyond reach, his desire to test himself at a higher level prompted a £300,000 move to Tranmere Rovers. Despite averaging a goal every three games, things didn’t work out on the Wirral. A £100,000 switch to Preston North End followed, where he scored once in eight league games to help secure the Third Division Championship.

His love affair with Wrexham wasn’t over. He returned to North Wales on the eve of the club’s FA Cup quarter-final tie against Chesterfield. Things proved more difficult second time around, and with FA Cup glory slipping away, he rejoined Chester City for £50,000 to finish his career. His goalscoring feats remain unforgettable amongst Wrexham supporters.

A native of Liverpool, Connolly was playing for Napoli in the Warrington Sunday League when Wrexham scout Keith McKeown spotted him. Following a trial, he initially signed on non-contract terms before securing a three-month contract at the start of the 1991/92 season.

To his surprise, he made his debut in the opening match against Hereford United and never looked back. Initially a forward, he was soon deployed on the left wing where his trickery tormented opposing defenders. He featured in the epic FA Cup victory over Arsenal and helped the side secure promotion to Division Two in 1992/93.

He won a Welsh Cup Winners medal in 1995 when Wrexham beat Cardiff City in the final at the National Stadium. The 1995/96 season saw him selected for the PFA’s Second Division team after switching to his favoured centre-forward position following Gary Bennett’s departure, where he netted 21 goals. At the end of the 1999/2000 season, he moved on a Bosman free to Queens Park Rangers seeking a fresh challenge.

Davies came to football late, attending rugby-only school Amman Valley Grammar in South Wales. He played in goal for his local side Ammanford Town during his schooldays, where Swansea Town spotted him. He played for them whilst continuing his education until signing professional forms in 1969.

Everton became interested, signing the Welshman for £25,000. He remained on Merseyside until 1977 when Wrexham manager Arfon Griffiths paid £8,000 for his services. He proved an inspirational signing, helping the club to the Third Division Championship. A commanding figure, Davies became an extra defender with superb organisational skills and control of his area.

After 144 appearances, he moved to Swansea and then Tranmere Rovers where he finished his career. He appeared for Wrexham again in the mid-1980s when manager Dixie McNeil asked him to play in goal for Welsh Cup fixtures as the regular keeper was cup-tied. Davies lifted the cup that season and remains a keen supporter, often found watching from the stands.

A mainstay of the most successful side in the club’s history, Davies’ unassuming efficiency at the back was fundamental to the glory days of the 1970s. Signed by Alvan Williams as a centre forward after being spotted playing for the Welsh Youth team, he was converted to centre back by John Neal and went from strength to strength.

Only Arfon Griffiths made more appearances for the club as Davies managed over 600 games, with nobody playing more often in Europe. In a 16-year first-team run, he collected three Welsh Cup winners medals and played his part in memorable runs to the quarter-finals of both the FA and League Cups in 1977-78.

That campaign was capped by the Third Division championship, after Davies had been fundamental to the side that came agonisingly close to reaching the Second Division for the first time the previous season. That wasn’t his first promotion though, as he was also part of the team that finished runners-up in the Fourth Division eight years earlier. Davies also earned three Welsh caps, though this list of achievements and career longevity hardly does justice to a player whose elegant consistency was almost taken for granted at the back, or a man who exuded quiet dignity.

Dwyer was spotted playing for Halewood Youth Club in his native Liverpool by the productive scouting network Wrexham employed under John Neal’s astute management. Starting as a forward, he was soon moved to left-back, which he made his own during his time at the Racecourse.

A great passer of the ball, a succession of niggling injuries scuppered his chances of a big move whilst costing him many appearances. He helped the club to promotion in 1978 whilst reaching the quarter-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup. He also played in two European campaigns before being released in 1981, after which he had trials with Chesterfield and Leicester City before signing for Stockport County.

Griffiths’ place in the Wrexham Hall of Fame is assured after becoming the first manager to guide the club to the old Second Division. Before management though, he was an outstanding player for the club. Spotted playing local football by former Wrexham player Frank Blew, he was signed on amateur forms in 1957, making his first-team debut at 17 against Darlington in an FA Cup match, coming on for Brian Cripsey.

After becoming a regular, bigger clubs took interest and Arsenal snapped him up for £15,500 in 1961. After 14 appearances for the North London club, he was allowed to leave and returned to Wrexham, beginning a 19-year link with the club.

He was involved in arguably the best years in the club’s history: guiding the club to promotion in 1963 and 1970, winning the Welsh Cup four times, playing in three European campaigns (reaching the quarter-finals in 1976), making a club record 591 Football League appearances, and scoring 120 goals. These successes led to international recognition with Wales, earning 17 caps.

Horne enjoyed considerable success during his school days, winning numerous trophies and representing district teams. On leaving school, he received several offers from league teams but decided to prioritise his education, studying Chemistry for three years at Liverpool University. Upon leaving with a BSc and a Masters Degree in Engineering, he signed for Northern Premier League side Rhyl.

There he caught the eye of Wrexham manager Bobby Roberts, who signed him on professional terms in 1984. Going straight into the first team, he missed just two league games in his remaining three years at the club. He collected a Welsh Cup Winners medal in 1986 and played in two European campaigns, including the famous victory over FC Porto where he scored one of the most important away goals in the club’s history.

He moved to Portsmouth before a £700,000 switch to neighbours Southampton. A move to Everton followed, where he scored one of the most important goals in their history against Wimbledon to save the club from relegation. He later played against Wrexham in an FA Cup game for Birmingham City, a match the Red Dragons won 3-1 before stumbling at the quarter-final stage.

Still only 17, Hughes became a regular over the following season, even helping the club to the Welsh Cup Final where a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City enabled the club to lift the trophy for a record 23rd time. After a frustrating 1995/96 due to a dip in form, he returned to the team the next season following an injury to Phillips.

His career blossomed with outstanding performances helping the club to the FA Cup quarter-finals, beating Birmingham City along the way. This persuaded Birmingham boss Trevor Francis to splash out £900,000 for the talented midfielder. Hughes went on to play in a League Cup Final against Liverpool whilst attracting attention from Premiership clubs.

After over 250 appearances for the Blues, he moved on a free transfer to Charlton Athletic when his Birmingham contract expired in 2004. The Valley was his home for three seasons as he racked up nearly another 100 games before managerial changes and inevitable relegation sparked a major squad shake-up. His latest move saw him leave London to take up the challenge of assisting Hull City in their quest for Premiership football.

Jones is a true Wrexham legend who will forever retain a prominent part in the club’s history. His affinity with the club began when he left school in 1971 to become one of manager John Neal’s crop of promising youngsters. He progressed quickly, called up for his first-team debut at 17 in a local derby against Chester in a Welsh Cup tie, which Wrexham lost 1-0.

Shrugging off that disappointment, he made his Football League debut in the next match, a 1-1 draw at Rotherham. He immediately established himself at right-back, becoming a member of the Wrexham team that reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the club’s history during 1973/74, beating Second Division sides Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough, and First Division Southampton before going out to Burnley.

He won his first domestic honour in 1975 when Wrexham beat Cardiff City in the Welsh Cup Final, but before he could make his European debut, was sold to Liverpool, the club he supported as a boy, for £110,000. After winning two League Championships and the European Cup on Merseyside, he returned to Wrexham for £210,000, a fee which still stands as a club record.

Spells at Chelsea and Huddersfield followed, picking up another League Championship along the way, before rejoining Wrexham for a third spell in August 1987. In December 1989, he was appointed player/coach to new manager Brian Flynn before announcing his retirement from first-team football in March 1992. He is, and always will be, remembered for his 100% effort on the football field and his famous clenched fist salute.

The sight of Kinsey receiving his Hall of Fame certificate at the Racecourse in 2002 was a welcome reminder to supporters who recalled his contribution. He was a cult hero in that era, making a huge contribution as the foundations for 1970s success were being laid.

A powerful centre forward with an eye for the spectacular, his charismatic leading of the line endeared him to team-mates and terrified opponents alike. His zenith came in 1969-70 when he finished top scorer in the Fourth Division as Wrexham were promoted. Furthermore, 12 goals in the last 16 games gave the side the impetus required to force their way into the Third Division.

The step up in class didn’t diminish his threat in the penalty area, as he notched 17 goals in 32 games the following campaign. The season after that, he scored in both legs of the Welsh Cup Final, including the winning goal to overcome Cardiff. This earned Wrexham their first tilt at the European Cup Winners Cup, and who scored the Robins’ first goal in Europe? Silly question really. Kinsey now lives in Australia, but his heroics for the club, with only six men having scored more goals in its history, ensure he’ll never be forgotten in this corner of the Northern Hemisphere.

Initially on Leicester City’s books, McNeil signed for Fourth Division Exeter City after his release from Filbert Street. Despite finishing as top scorer with 11 goals, he was also released by the South Coast club and joined Corby Town. Spells at Northampton Town, Lincoln City and Hereford United followed before a move to the Racecourse at the start of the 1977/78 season.

He became an instant success, scoring on debut in a 2-1 victory over Swindon Town. His scoring exploits proved a major influence as the club stormed to the Third Division Championship. McNeil remained in prolific form over the next four seasons before being released to rejoin Hereford United.

After retirement, he returned to the Wrexham area and was appointed the club’s manager in 1985, succeeding Bobby Roberts. He remained in the hot seat until 1989, guiding the club to the brink of promotion and into European competition along the way before his resignation.

Signed by Wrexham as a 14-year-old schoolboy, Niedzwiecki made his debut in August 1977, replacing the out-of-favour Brian Lloyd. Despite playing in several games during the 1978 promotion campaign, he was regularly behind in-form Dai Davies in the battle for the number one jersey.

This changed in 1981 when Davies moved to Swansea, allowing his fellow Welshman to retain the coveted spot for the following two seasons. Ex-Wrexham manager John Neal was alerted to his outstanding performances and didn’t hesitate in splashing out £45,000 to take him to Chelsea, where he went straight into the first team.

His playing career came to a somewhat premature end in 1988 after sustaining a knee injury two years earlier against QPR. After various coaching roles with Arsenal and Chelsea whilst helping out with the National side, he teamed up with Mark Hughes at Blackburn Rovers and then both Manchester City and QPR.

Before signing for Wrexham, Shinton had spells with Walsall and Cambridge United. It was at the Racecourse though that he achieved his greatest success, finishing fifth in his first season before powering to the Third Division Championship in his second. Add to this the succession of giant-killing cup feats, and it’s easy to understand why he was so popular in North Wales.

His silky skills and spectacular goals soon led to a £300,000 move to Manchester City in 1979, but he never settled there and found himself out on loan to Millwall before a move to Newcastle United. After failing to reproduce the form he showed at the Racecourse, he re-signed for Millwall where he finished his league career.

What can one say about Mickey Thomas’ football abilities that hasn’t already been said? He was a tenacious midfielder, full of flair and eagerness, who would always give 100% wherever he played. However, his career was all too often offset by problems off the field.

Thomas’ football career began with Wrexham, having been spotted playing for Conwy, Clwyd and North Wales Schoolboys. His all-action style and elusive runs down the flank finally helped Wrexham to promotion to the Second Division for the first time in the club’s history in 1978. Prior to that, he had played in many of the Red Dragons’ cup exploits, both at home and abroad.

This prompted Manchester United to shell out £300,000 to prize him away from the Racecourse. Spells at several other clubs followed, notably Everton, Chelsea and Stoke City, before returning to North Wales. His second spell with Wrexham proved just as fulfilling as his first, as he hit the national headlines with a superbly taken free-kick to pave the way towards knocking Football League Champions Arsenal out of the FA Cup in January 1992.

The next season was to be his last, making only eight league appearances for Wrexham as the side clinched promotion to the Second Division. Thomas will always be remembered at Wrexham for his achievements for the club.

When you chat to ex-Wrexham players from the 1950s, they all speak with awe about one particular man: Billy Tunicliffe. A cursory glance at the statistics reveals just why he was held in such high esteem. A record of better than a goal in every three matches is nothing to be sneezed at, yet that’s not half the story.

Tunicliffe wasn’t a centre forward; he maintained that fine strike rate from the flanks. A wiry left winger, he was the highest-scoring wide player in the entire Football League in his first season at the Racecourse, having arrived from Bournemouth. His style delighted Wrexham supporters, and his powerful shot was legendary. Tales of long-distance screamers are recalled whenever Tunicliffe’s name is mentioned, and remember those were the days when the balls weighed a ton. The velocity he might have achieved with modern balls doesn’t bear thinking about.

Tunicliffe’s impact was felt after he left as well. His departure for Bradford as the 1952-53 season was drawing to a close was seen by many as a crucial point in the campaign, Wrexham losing momentum as their promotion challenge faltered. They missed out on the first promotion in their history by a mere three points and, who knows, if this Racecourse legend had played a full season, history might have been achieved.

Whittle was another product of Wrexham manager John Neal’s successful youth policy, having been spotted playing football in his native Liverpool for Hartshill Boys’ Club. He made his Football League debut in 1971 at Aston Villa, deputising for Arfon Griffiths in a memorable 4-3 victory.

He went on to play a major role in Wrexham’s rise to the Second Division and starred in the club’s many giant-killing encounters of the 1970s. He became a firm favourite with Wrexham fans due to his fierce determination and big powerful shot which was feared by many a goalkeeper.

Combining with Billy Ashcroft to form a deadly strike partnership during 1976/77, he ended the campaign as the club’s top scorer with 28 goals. The following season, he formed another lethal partnership, this time with Dixie McNeil, as the club galloped to promotion. Sadly however, Whittle’s career came to an early end due to a persistent knee injury which forced him to retire before his 28th birthday.

Filmed on April 2nd 1906, it features the Welsh team taking to the Racecourse pitch before a 4-4 draw with Ireland. As the players clamber over the pitchside bar in front of their changing room in The Turf, they are led out by Horace Blew, a man who stood out for Wrexham in the time before the club’s acceptance into the Football League.

Blew was a Wrexham man through and through, from his birth in the town, through his role as mayor in the 1920s, to receiving the freedom of the borough in 1948. Throw in 14 years playing for the club and another 18 serving as director, and you have a man who clearly had to be included in the Hall of Fame.

Blew won three Welsh Cup winners medals, three runners-up medals and four Combination Leagues with Wrexham as a rugged full-back, and was also a key player for his country, winning 22 Welsh caps. For such a major figure in pre-Great War football, he surprisingly only played two games in the Football League, one of which was for Manchester United as he helped them gain promotion to the First Division, after which a special gold medal was presented to him by the club in recognition of his efforts.

Blew’s loyalty to his home town meant he would devote his career to Wrexham though, a fact that illustrates just how much the game, and indeed the world, have changed since those days.

Fox’s promise was apparent from an early age, making his debut aged just 17 at Crewe Alexandra. The difference between the game in those days and the modern player’s lot was illustrated when he was dropped off at the Racecourse on the team’s return from the night match and left to find his way home to Holywell despite the last train having already gone.

Fox was already a Welsh youth international and went on to win Under-23 caps before getting to the fringe of the full squad. Indeed, he was named in the preliminary squad for the 1958 World Cup Finals which saw Wales get to the quarter-finals. A cultured centre-half, he attracted the interest of Arsenal but showed commendable loyalty to Wrexham, for whom he stands in 11th place in the list of all-time appearances.

Another change in the approach adopted to the game since Fox’s career is the fact that he didn’t miss a game from 1958 to 1963, a stretch of 198 consecutive games. In this time, he was a key part of the side which gained promotion in 1962 and picked up three Welsh Cup winners medals. In 1964, Fox moved on to play for Hartlepool, but Wrexham has clearly retained a place in his heart, and he remains a valued friend of the club and the Supporters Association from his home in the North East.

Jones was a redoubtable figure at right-back for Wrexham between the wars, a man who was accepted wholeheartedly by the Racecourse faithful despite coming from Chester. Indeed, Jones was variously known as “Our Alf” and “The Pride of Wrexham” as the North Walians took him to their hearts.

Jones’ contribution to the club can best be summed up by the sort of longevity that modern managers can only dream of. When his career ended, he held the record for the most senior appearances for the club, a figure only surpassed by Arfon Griffiths and Gareth Davies in the intervening 66 years. Indeed, the fourth-placed player in the list, Phil Hardy, stands exactly 90 matches behind him. Also, his 575 appearances were thought to be a record for the Third Division North at the time.

He racked up that number of appearances through a determination to be on the pitch whenever he could. He didn’t miss a game from 1925 to 1929, a run of 159 games which is the sixth-longest run of consecutive appearances in the club’s history. That was just a preamble though, as he set off on another streak of games between 1930 and 1935, not missing a game for five years: a total of 236 games. This club record was only beaten by Brian Lloyd in the mid-1970s. What would Our Alf have made of squad rotation, I wonder?

A towering figure for Wrexham as they established themselves in the old Third Division at the start of the 1970s, May was an inspirational figure. He not only accumulated over 400 appearances for the club between 1968 and 1976, the 12th-highest total in the club’s history, but he also chipped in with a remarkable 44 goals from his position at the back.

May first made his mark at Southend United, where Alvan Williams converted him into a central defender. When Williams was appointed manager at Wrexham, he brought Eddie with him, beginning a purple patch in the big man’s career and Wrexham’s history. May was captain of the side which enjoyed its first two runs in the European Cup Winners Cup and also led the team to the FA Cup quarter-finals. He had already played a crucial part in Wrexham’s 1969-70 promotion campaign and picked up a Welsh Cup winners medal in 1972. Surprisingly, he was released in 1976 and moved on to Swansea.

His influence on the club wasn’t quite finished though. May subsequently returned to the Racecourse as manager of Cardiff, and during a brief spell in charge of Newport County, he sold Andy Thackeray to Dixie McNeil.

McGowan’s years of service to the club were characterised by a redoubtable commitment to the cause of Wrexham Football Club. Wrexham certainly profited from St Johnstone’s decision to give 25 players free transfers in 1953. McGowan was working down the mines when he signed for Wrexham and gave sterling service to the club as a tough-tackling full-back, totting up the fifth-highest number of appearances in the club’s history.

In the process, he earned three Welsh Cup winners medals, was part of the side which got to the last 16 of the inaugural League Cup (beating First Division Blackburn in the process), and lined up in the legendary FA Cup game against the Busby Babes which attracted Wrexham’s record attendance to the Racecourse. He even managed a couple of goals on the rare occasions he was allowed over the halfway line.

After a leg break prematurely ended his career, McGowan continued to give sterling service to the club as a groundsman and coach, handed the tricky job of making young Joey Jones and Mickey Thomas toe the line.

Readers of Peter Jones and Gareth Davies’ excellent histories of Wrexham Football Club can hardly have failed to notice an easily recognisable figure cropping up in team pictures throughout the first half of the 20th Century. In trademark Macintosh and flat cap, Ted Robinson was always in the background, a stalwart at the Racecourse from the years before Football League status was earned, who worked tirelessly to maintain that position.

Robinson was well thought of as a centre-back in 13 years of service on the pitch for Wrexham, starting in the late 19th Century. Three Welsh Cup winners medals and five unsuccessful appearances in the final were augmented by four Combination League titles, but his contribution to the club was only just beginning.

When he finally hung up his boots, he continued to devote himself to Wrexham FC, working as secretary and then financial secretary as the club entered the Third Division North, and becoming synonymous with the fortunes of the North Walian side to the extent that it’s widely regarded to be in his honour that the club nickname, for so many years, was “The Robins”.

Few clubs can survive without the good fortune of attracting loyal servants like George Showell, whose years at the club were characterised by his willingness to take on a number of roles with good-natured professionalism. Arriving in 1966 as a full-back of some repute who had played for Wolves in their 1960 FA Cup final victory, his opportunities to make an impression on the pitch were limited by injury, and he had to retire when a persistent knee injury finally got the better of him. Ironically, that was when Wrexham got the best out of him.

Showell took on the role of assistant to manager Alvan Williams, and when he left at the end of the season, Showell became John Neal’s right-hand man as well as physio. Showell’s calming influence was an essential component behind the scenes as Wrexham enjoyed the greatest period in the club’s history. Runs to the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup, FA Cup and the League Cup, as well as promotion from the Fourth to the Second Division followed, with Showell continuing his role as lieutenant to Arfon Griffiths.

He was unable to halt the slide back to the Fourth Division under Mel Sutton and Bobby Roberts, although he did have a brief spell in charge of the team and would have been a popular permanent choice as he turned around a miserable season, registering 2-0 wins over Chester and eventual champions Chesterfield and handing over to Dixie McNeil having set off on a six-match run of wins. Showell was assistant to McNeil and continued in that capacity under Brian Flynn, but sadly his association with the club was to end in unfortunate circumstances, leaving because he didn’t meet new requirements for physiotherapists’ qualifications.

Sutton’s tireless effort in midfield made him one of the unsung heroes of Wrexham’s golden era, as he put in the miles without seeking the limelight. A player who was universally appreciated by his team-mates, Sutton arrived for £15,000 in 1972, which at the time was a record fee for Wrexham. He arrived in time to provide backbone for a side about to embark on a memorable adventure. Sutton was part of both runs to the last eight of the FA Cup, as well as the quarter-finals of the League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup.

Indeed, no-one played more games in Europe for Wrexham than Sutton, who has made the 10th-highest number of appearances for the club. Throw in a Third Division Championship medal for good measure, and you have a list of honours which few players in Wrexham’s history can approach.

Sadly, his spell at the Racecourse was to end in unfortunate circumstances. The departure of Arfon Griffiths led to Sutton taking over as manager in 1981, but financial reality was beginning to catch up with the club, and he was unable to prevent a slide to relegation, although he did steer the side to a memorable FA Cup victory over Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest. Sutton was dismissed once relegation was assured, ending 10 years of loyal service to the club.