Sandy Domingos-Shipley (second left) is one of Wrexham’s many international fans
By Matthew Richards
BBC News
Fans have begun flocking to Wrexham ahead of the club’s return to the Football League after 15 years.
Wrexham AFC play their first game in football’s fourth tier since 2008 when they host MK Dons later.
It is a dream come true for long-suffering fans, as well as those drawn to the club via their celebrity owners.
“I’m continuing the party I had at the last game in Wrexham and ended at 4am,” said Sandy Domingos-Shipley, from Toronto in Canada.
She added: “We’re here for the first game of the season and I wanted to party with some of the locals again – we’ve been here a few times last season so hopefully it will be a good win today and we can do some more partying later.”
Sandy said she had lived in the UK for a few years and liked to “get some Canadians together and use Wrexham as a meeting place”.
She said the group started with about 60 people and now has 180, with members from “around the world”.
She added: “The community have been very welcoming.”
Community groups have also been given plenty to shout about too as many have been given free tickets to matches to make the club as accessible as possible.
Sam Jones from Dynamic Wrexham, a charity that works with young people with disabilities, said: “In terms of Rob and Ryan, what is going on on the pitch is grand, but everything that’s happening off the pitch for me is way more important.
“It’s absolutely fantastic. I think it’s 56 different community groups that they’ve reached with the ticket scheme, so that’s about 5,000 tickets in total.”
Image source, Getty Images
Wrexham played in front of huge crowds during their pre-season tour in the US
While the team is looking forward to a new season in the Football League, the “Wrex-factor” has encouraged some to look back at the city’s footballing history.
The Football Museum for Wales has launched a guided heritage tour to highlight the places in Wrexham where significant sporting moments occurred, including the founding of the FAW in 1876.
It also looks at the impact women and diverse communities have had on the sport.
Football coach Anne-Marie Withers, who has taken part in the tour, said: “I found it all really interesting and it gave me a massive insight into the history of football in Wrexham.”
Delwyn Derrick, one of the tour guides, said re-joining the Football League was another huge moment for Wrexham fans.
“I think that’s a huge point of pride for everyone who supports the club or just generally from the town to see Wrexham back in the Football League where we have always believed they belong.”
