Racecourse Ground
Encyclopedia
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium
located in Wrexham
, North Wales
. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League
team who play in the engage Super League
. In the past, the ground has also seen rugby union
, cricket
, horse racing
and concerts performed before good crowds.
The stadium is recognised as the world's oldest international football stadium that still hosts international matches by Guinness World Records
, having hosted Wales' first ever home international match in 1877, and has hosted more Wales international matches than any other ground.
The Racecourse is the largest stadium in North Wales
and the fifth largest in Wales. The ground is sometimes used by the FAW
for Wales' home international games. The ground was also used by Scarlets rugby union team, and formerly Liverpool F.C. Reserves
. There are also ideas to install under soil heating at The Racecourse, after Wrexham had not played a game in 49 days between 6 December 2009 and 17 January 2010.
public house in September 1872. There were however four seasons in the 1880s when the club played at the Recreation Ground in Rhosddu
due to an increase in rent from the then owners, Wrexham Cricket Club. Before the club was formed the ground was mainly used for cricket and occasionally, horse racing.
1952 saw the laying down of concrete terracing on the ever-popular Kop end, which is now the oldest part of the ground. Five years later was to see the largest ever attendance at the Racecourse when 34,445 people gathered to witness an FA Cup fourth round tie against Manchester United. On 30 September 1959 the Racecourse saw the switching on of the newly installed floodlights.
After promotion to the old Second Division in 1978 the Border Stand was built, taking its name from the Border Breweries
which owned the ground. This part of the ground is now known as the Eric Roberts Builders Stand, where visiting supporters are normally seated.
The latest addition to the ground was achieved in 1999 after Grant Aid from Sport Lot, the Welsh Development Agency and the Football Trust together with generous local sponsorship allowed for the construction of a new stand on the Mold Road side of the ground. The impressive new structure was originally named the Pryce Griffiths Stand after the then chairman (but since renamed the Mold Road Stand after the then chairman sold the club to Alex Hamilton
) has a capacity of 3,500 and also contains hospitality and conferencing facilities.
The development also saw the Paddock areas of the Sainsbury
's Stand and the Eric Roberts
Builders Stand become all-seated, bringing the current capacity up to 15,500 and thus allowing international football and rugby union to once again be played at the Racecourse.
In 2002 then Wrexham FC chairman William Pryce Griffiths secured a 125-year lease on the Racecourse with Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries for £750,000, and a peppercorn annual rent of £1. The club hosted TNS
vs Liverpool F.C.
in a UEFA Champions League
qualifier in 2005.
On 26 June 2002 the freehold to the Racecourse Ground was acquired by Wrexham AFC from Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries for the sum of £300,000. On the same day the ownership of the freehold was transferred by the Chairman, Alex Hamilton
, from Wrexham AFC to another of his companies, Damens Ltd, for a nominal fee. After this controversial change in ownership the 125-year lease on the Racecourse held by Wrexham FC was renegotiated. The new lease stated that Damens Ltd could evict Wrexham FC from the Racecourse Ground upon 12 months' notice and payment of £1,000,000. The new lease also saw the club's annual rent increase from £1 to £30,000. In 2004 Wrexham FC was given a years' notice to quit the ground; this triggered a furious reaction from fans - in a legal case running through to March 2006 the High Court ruled that the ownership of the freehold of the ground had been improperly transferred, and ownership of the ground reverted to the clubs' then-Administrators (the club having gone into Administration in December 2004 with debts of £2,600,000).
With the clubs' emergence from Administration in May 2006, ownership of the ground passed new company, Wrexham Football Club (2006) Ltd, owned by Geoff Moss and Ian Roberts. They passed ownership of the football ground to a new holding company Wrexham Village Ltd, which owned both the new football club company, and later purchased the Rugby League
club Crusaders
from its owners in Bridgend
, South Wales
. Thus the new company had two tenants for the stadium.
In order to put a permanent cash injection into the sporting clubs, Wrexham Village proposed in 2008 a joint venture development with a yet to be chosen third party, to develop a student village area near the site of the KOP stand. The £40 million project would be developed in conjunction with Glyndŵr University to house over 800 students, and take place in two phases. The club would benefit from either land-lease income, or joint ownership within the development and hence rental income direct from the tenants. However, due to the global recession, the company found it hard to find a development partner, and the land and project was eventually sold freehold in 2009 to another company owned by Moss and Roberts.
In August 2011, after a period of instability at Wrexham Village Ltd, the owning company of the stadium and both the football and Rugby League clubs, the company agreed to sell the stadium and associated training grounds to Glyndŵr University. The proposed deal, subject to completion and contract under the financial terms agreed by both parties, will allow both sporting teams to continue using the facilities.. The purchase of the ground also resulted in the re-branding of the stadium, incorporating the Universities name.
, as many grounds in the UK used to have ends named similarly. Behind the goal, it is known officially as the Crispin Lane End or "Town End". With a capacity of 5,000, the Spion Kop was the largest all-standing terrace in the English Football . The status of the stand is currently unknown. It was shut down to be demolished as part of Phase 3 of the proposed Wrexham Village developments around the ground, but has seen no activity in the past 2 seasons.
The Yale, backing onto where Yale College
used to be. It was built in 1972 in preparation for the club's first venture into Europe, and also provided new dressing rooms, club offices and entertainment suites. The Centenary Club is also located here. The stand is officially sponsored by Marstons beer. The club held a lottery during the 2009-10 season with the winner getting to name the stand for a season. The winning ticket resulted in the stand being called the Loyal Canadian Red Stand. For the 2010-11 season it has been renamed the Cash4Gold Stand.
The Eric Roberts Builders Stand: formerly the Marstons Stand/Tech End. It holds 3,800 spectators and provides the supporters with excellent views of the pitch and excellent acoustics. From the 2007–2008 season home fans will be located in this stand and away fans moved to the wing of the Yale Stand, with the exception of games where a large away attendance is anticipated.
The Mold Road Stand: the newest stand, was secured with lottery funding, and built over the old Mold Road stand in 1999. The stand possesses a TV studio and eight fully equipped private boxes, and has a restaurant called "The Changing Rooms"; there is also a club shop which is run by the Supporters' Trust adjacent to the stand. The stand was initially named after the chairman Pryce Griffiths, but was renamed as the Mold Road Stand, following Pryce Griffith's endorsement of Alex Hamilton's redevelopment scheme. A family area, sponsored by Nandos was introduced in the 2009-10 season, located to the area of the stand nearest to the Kop. For the 2010-11 season, as part of the Crusaders presence, the stand was renamed the Greene King Stand
railway station is adjacent to the ground.
club Crusaders Rugby League since 2010 after their departure from South Wales Brewery Field
in Bridgend
they were hoping to play at Newport
s Rodney Parade
but the deal fell through and they then decided to move to North Wales and a new franchise was created.
The Crusaders have enjoyed some well attended games at The Racecourse during 2010 with their opening engage Super League match against Leeds Rhinos attracted over 10,000 people, with large local support.
International Rugby League games have also been staged at the ground.
The Racecourse has also played host to the Wales 'A' squad on numerous occasions, which provided the North Wales supporters the chance to watch fringe and youth players ply their trade.
34,445 v Manchester United, FA Cup, 4th Round, January 26, 1957.
Average attendance - Wrexham FC
Average attendance - Crusaders Rugby League
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
located in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team who play in the engage Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. In the past, the ground has also seen rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and concerts performed before good crowds.
The stadium is recognised as the world's oldest international football stadium that still hosts international matches by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, having hosted Wales' first ever home international match in 1877, and has hosted more Wales international matches than any other ground.
The Racecourse is the largest stadium in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
and the fifth largest in Wales. The ground is sometimes used by the FAW
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
for Wales' home international games. The ground was also used by Scarlets rugby union team, and formerly Liverpool F.C. Reserves
Liverpool F.C. Reserves
Liverpool F.C. Reserves are the reserve team of Liverpool.-Reserve team:Liverpool Reserves play in the FA Premier Reserve League. In their division, the reserves became Champions in 2000. They competed in the Lancashire Combination from 1896 to 1911, with the exception of the 1898–99 season, in...
. There are also ideas to install under soil heating at The Racecourse, after Wrexham had not played a game in 49 days between 6 December 2009 and 17 January 2010.
History
Wrexham Football Club have played at the Racecourse Ground since being formed in the local Turf HotelTurf Hotel
The Turf Hotel is a public house in Wrexham, North Wales. The location of the pub on the corner of Wrexham AFC's Racecourse Ground is what makes this pub famous not just in Wales but in the footballing supporters fraternity across the whole of the United Kingdom.-Introduction:Local historians are...
public house in September 1872. There were however four seasons in the 1880s when the club played at the Recreation Ground in Rhosddu
Rhosddu
Rhosddu is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is situated in the north-western suburbs of the town of Wrexham.-Administrative history:...
due to an increase in rent from the then owners, Wrexham Cricket Club. Before the club was formed the ground was mainly used for cricket and occasionally, horse racing.
1952 saw the laying down of concrete terracing on the ever-popular Kop end, which is now the oldest part of the ground. Five years later was to see the largest ever attendance at the Racecourse when 34,445 people gathered to witness an FA Cup fourth round tie against Manchester United. On 30 September 1959 the Racecourse saw the switching on of the newly installed floodlights.
After promotion to the old Second Division in 1978 the Border Stand was built, taking its name from the Border Breweries
Border Breweries (Wrexham)
Border Breweries Ltd was a brewery firm formerly based in Wrexham in the United Kingdom which at its peak was a significant element of the Welsh brewing industry....
which owned the ground. This part of the ground is now known as the Eric Roberts Builders Stand, where visiting supporters are normally seated.
The latest addition to the ground was achieved in 1999 after Grant Aid from Sport Lot, the Welsh Development Agency and the Football Trust together with generous local sponsorship allowed for the construction of a new stand on the Mold Road side of the ground. The impressive new structure was originally named the Pryce Griffiths Stand after the then chairman (but since renamed the Mold Road Stand after the then chairman sold the club to Alex Hamilton
Alex Hamilton
Alex Hamilton is a British property developer who became the chairman of Wrexham Association Football Club in May 2004, when he took over from his former business associate, Mark Guterman, who also uses the alias Mark Gutterman....
) has a capacity of 3,500 and also contains hospitality and conferencing facilities.
The development also saw the Paddock areas of the Sainsbury
Sainsbury
Sainsbury may refer to:* Sainsbury * Sainsbury family, in British business and philanthropy- See also :* Sainsbury's, British business centered on supermarket chain* Harry Arthur Saintsbury , English actor...
's Stand and the Eric Roberts
Eric Roberts
Eric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
Builders Stand become all-seated, bringing the current capacity up to 15,500 and thus allowing international football and rugby union to once again be played at the Racecourse.
In 2002 then Wrexham FC chairman William Pryce Griffiths secured a 125-year lease on the Racecourse with Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries for £750,000, and a peppercorn annual rent of £1. The club hosted TNS
TNS
TNS can stand for:* Taylor Nelson Sofres, a market research company* Tao Nan School, a primary school in Singapore* Taran Noah Smith, an American actor* Temporal noise shaping, an audio encoding technique* The Natural Step, a sustainability framework...
vs Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in a UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifier in 2005.
On 26 June 2002 the freehold to the Racecourse Ground was acquired by Wrexham AFC from Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries for the sum of £300,000. On the same day the ownership of the freehold was transferred by the Chairman, Alex Hamilton
Alex Hamilton
Alex Hamilton is a British property developer who became the chairman of Wrexham Association Football Club in May 2004, when he took over from his former business associate, Mark Guterman, who also uses the alias Mark Gutterman....
, from Wrexham AFC to another of his companies, Damens Ltd, for a nominal fee. After this controversial change in ownership the 125-year lease on the Racecourse held by Wrexham FC was renegotiated. The new lease stated that Damens Ltd could evict Wrexham FC from the Racecourse Ground upon 12 months' notice and payment of £1,000,000. The new lease also saw the club's annual rent increase from £1 to £30,000. In 2004 Wrexham FC was given a years' notice to quit the ground; this triggered a furious reaction from fans - in a legal case running through to March 2006 the High Court ruled that the ownership of the freehold of the ground had been improperly transferred, and ownership of the ground reverted to the clubs' then-Administrators (the club having gone into Administration in December 2004 with debts of £2,600,000).
Wrexham Village Ltd
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
from its owners in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. Thus the new company had two tenants for the stadium.
In order to put a permanent cash injection into the sporting clubs, Wrexham Village proposed in 2008 a joint venture development with a yet to be chosen third party, to develop a student village area near the site of the KOP stand. The £40 million project would be developed in conjunction with Glyndŵr University to house over 800 students, and take place in two phases. The club would benefit from either land-lease income, or joint ownership within the development and hence rental income direct from the tenants. However, due to the global recession, the company found it hard to find a development partner, and the land and project was eventually sold freehold in 2009 to another company owned by Moss and Roberts.
In August 2011, after a period of instability at Wrexham Village Ltd, the owning company of the stadium and both the football and Rugby League clubs, the company agreed to sell the stadium and associated training grounds to Glyndŵr University. The proposed deal, subject to completion and contract under the financial terms agreed by both parties, will allow both sporting teams to continue using the facilities.. The purchase of the ground also resulted in the re-branding of the stadium, incorporating the Universities name.
Stadium details
Stands
The Kop: the all-standing home stand, is named after the Battle of Spion KopBattle of Spion Kop
The Battle of Spion Kop was fought about west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa from 23–24 January 1900...
, as many grounds in the UK used to have ends named similarly. Behind the goal, it is known officially as the Crispin Lane End or "Town End". With a capacity of 5,000, the Spion Kop was the largest all-standing terrace in the English Football . The status of the stand is currently unknown. It was shut down to be demolished as part of Phase 3 of the proposed Wrexham Village developments around the ground, but has seen no activity in the past 2 seasons.
The Yale, backing onto where Yale College
Yale College Wrexham
Yale College of Wrexham is a further education college in Wrexham, northeast Wales.-History:The history of Yale College can be summarised in three phases: Yale Grammar and Technical School, Yale Sixth Form, Yale College...
used to be. It was built in 1972 in preparation for the club's first venture into Europe, and also provided new dressing rooms, club offices and entertainment suites. The Centenary Club is also located here. The stand is officially sponsored by Marstons beer. The club held a lottery during the 2009-10 season with the winner getting to name the stand for a season. The winning ticket resulted in the stand being called the Loyal Canadian Red Stand. For the 2010-11 season it has been renamed the Cash4Gold Stand.
The Eric Roberts Builders Stand: formerly the Marstons Stand/Tech End. It holds 3,800 spectators and provides the supporters with excellent views of the pitch and excellent acoustics. From the 2007–2008 season home fans will be located in this stand and away fans moved to the wing of the Yale Stand, with the exception of games where a large away attendance is anticipated.
The Mold Road Stand: the newest stand, was secured with lottery funding, and built over the old Mold Road stand in 1999. The stand possesses a TV studio and eight fully equipped private boxes, and has a restaurant called "The Changing Rooms"; there is also a club shop which is run by the Supporters' Trust adjacent to the stand. The stand was initially named after the chairman Pryce Griffiths, but was renamed as the Mold Road Stand, following Pryce Griffith's endorsement of Alex Hamilton's redevelopment scheme. A family area, sponsored by Nandos was introduced in the 2009-10 season, located to the area of the stand nearest to the Kop. For the 2010-11 season, as part of the Crusaders presence, the stand was renamed the Greene King Stand
Disabled facilities
Wrexham have 45 disabled places available at the front of the Mold Road Stand. There are 22 parking spaces and two disabled toilets with dedicated refreshment kiosks. Admission is £10 for disabled supporters (£5 concessions) and helpers are admitted free.Location
The ground is located on Mold Road close to the A483 dual carriageway. Wrexham GeneralWrexham General railway station
Wrexham General railway station is a main line railway station and the main railway station serving Wrexham, north-east Wales. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, but services are also provided by Virgin Trains who operate a service to London Euston...
railway station is adjacent to the ground.
Rugby League
The ground is home to European Super LeagueSuper League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
club Crusaders Rugby League since 2010 after their departure from South Wales Brewery Field
Brewery Field
Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity...
in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
they were hoping to play at Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
s Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, south Wales. Located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre it is primarily used for rugby matches and is the home ground of Newport RFC and the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.-History:...
but the deal fell through and they then decided to move to North Wales and a new franchise was created.
The Crusaders have enjoyed some well attended games at The Racecourse during 2010 with their opening engage Super League match against Leeds Rhinos attracted over 10,000 people, with large local support.
International Rugby League games have also been staged at the ground.
Rugby Union internationals
The Racecourse ground has held four rugby union internationals, with three of those matches being between Wales and Romania:| Date | Competition | Home team | Away team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 August 1997 | Friendly | 70 | 21 | ||
| 3 October 1999 | 1999 Rugby Union World Cup (Pool 4) | 9 | 43 | ||
| 1 November 2002 | Friendly | 40 | 3 | ||
| 27 August 2003 | Friendly Warm up for (2003 Rugby World Cup 2003 Rugby World Cup The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World... ) |
54 | 8 |
The Racecourse has also played host to the Wales 'A' squad on numerous occasions, which provided the North Wales supporters the chance to watch fringe and youth players ply their trade.
Attendances
All time highest attendance34,445 v Manchester United, FA Cup, 4th Round, January 26, 1957.
Average attendance - Wrexham FC
- 2010-2011: 3,171 (Football Conference)
- 2009-2010: 2,706 (Football Conference)
- 2008-2009: 3,115 (Football Conference)
- 2007-2008: 4,234 (League Two)
- 2006-2007: 5,030 (League Two)
- 2005-2006: 4,477 (League Two)
- 2004-2005: 4,750 (League One)
- 2003-2004: 4,439 (Division Two)
- 2002-2003: 4,263 (Division Three)
- 2001-2002: 3,802 (Division Two)
- 2000-2001: 3,645 (Division Two)
Average attendance - Crusaders Rugby League
- 2010: 7,751 (High: 10,334 vs Leeds RhinosLeeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
) (European Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
)
Modernisation
- The Club Megastore, which was previously behind the Yale stand, has moved to the old Dickens Showroom.
- New offices have been moved to above the new shop for the Accounts Team.
- A new club reception for special guests is to be built in the old shop for Yale Stand ticket collection.
- A new ticket system will soon be in operation; this includes the move to the new shop. In the not-too-distant future you will be able to book and pay online, and eventually print your tickets. They are also hoping to revitalise the season ticket system by replacing the current season tickets books with a single card.
- A new designated family area has been placed in the Mold Stand at the Kop end.
- A possible improvement of catering services as the existing catering contract runs until the end of the season.