RECKLESS GUIDE TO WREXHAM

WREXHAM v BARNET

Vanarama Premier League

Saturday 14th February 2015

Kick Off 3.00pm

Stadium The Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AH

Telephone 01978 262 129

Club Colours Red and Black

Nickname The Dragons

Key Personnel:

Cambridge born Kevin Wilkin 47, is the current Manager at Wrexham. Striker Kevin who played for Northampton Town, Nuneaton Borough and Cambridge United amongst others had his first taste of managing at Nuneaton Town in 2006. He was joined the Dragons in March 2014.

Kevin Wilkin

Brief Directions by Road:

Nice drive this one.......leave the M6 at Junction 10a turning onto the M54. After approximately 21 miles the M54 becomes the A5. Stay on the A5 passing Shrewsbury and when you reach Oswestry turn right at the roundabout (An ESSO Service Station will be on your left), staying on the A5. At the junction of the A5 and the A483 (A blasted McDonalds Drive Through will be on your right) go straight on at the roundabout to join the A483 signposted Ruabon and Wrexham. After approximately 8 miles leave the A483 at the junction of the A541 signposted Wrexham and Mold. At the roundabout turn right towards Wrexham and after going straight over the next roundabout the ground is ahead of you on your left on the A541. Thanks to the Unofficial Wrexham website for these directions.

Car Parking:

There is car parking available at the ground for (I believe) £4.00 per car.

Street parking is also available.

Directions by Train:

Door to door this one, as Wrexham General station is adjacent to the ground. The journey from Euston will take between 3 and 4 hours and may necessitate a change at Birmingham, Crewe and/or Chester.

Supporters Coach:

The supporters coach will leave the Hive at 8.30am with earlier pick up points at Potters Bar Station, Barnet (3 separate places), Whetstone and Edgware starting at 7.30am. The price is £30.00 return.

For further information on the Bees Travel Club, please call the ticket office on 020 8381 3800 and select option two or visit The Hive in person.

Eating and Drinking Locally:

Bearing in mind that the first recognised Lager Brewery in Europe was actually founded in Wrexham in 1882 having a beer before the game is very easy and we are spoilt for choices of pubs. One of the best is the The Turf right next to the Kop Terrace and is mainly used by home supporters. Peter Jones from the Wrexham Supporters Trust sends this invitation to Bees fans “The Wrexham Lager and Sports and Social Club. You can find the club by walking past the ground towards the town centre. You go over the railway bridge and will then come to a Post Office sorting depot on your left. The club is situated in Union Road opposite only a five-minute walk from the ground. It is friendly and has reasonably priced beer and food with a big screen for SKY Sports. All will be made welcome”. Many visiting fans have visited for the last few seasons and the feed back I get is excellent.

Wrexham Lager Sports and Social Club

At the back of the Yale Stand is the recently refurbished Centenary Club which allows in away fans. It is free to enter, has Sky Sports and also offers food in the form of Pie & Peas, it is also handy for the away turnstiles.

According to official club reports”The favoured pub for away fans is the Plas Coch. it is a restaurant type pub, with a large beer garden, that is located past the ground going away from the town centre, near to the Sainsburys Petrol Station. It is about a five minute walk away from the stadium'. The pub is on the Plas Coch Retail Park opposite NEWI, where you can also park for the afternoon, at a cost of £2”

Reckless recommendation - in the town centre the Golden Lion, oh yes.

Ground Description:

For some seven seasons up until 1992 the ground was only three sided as the current Mold stand, with its distinctive curved roof, replaced the original twin stands which were demolished in 1985. They sat behind a wide flat paddock and some distance from the pitch. The new stand is less of an eye sore than most new structures and seats 3,500. Opposite is the main or Yale Stand which was completed in 1972, its two tiers seat around 4,200. Part of this area will be our home for the afternoon. To the right is the wonderful old Kop Terrace which was covered in 1978 and once accommodated 10,000 standing – it is now no longer used, a real shame. Finally to the left is the Glyndwr University Stand which only opens its top tier 2,800 seats when required. The view from here is excellent. The current capacity is around 10,500.

The Kop

Admission Prices:

Adults £19, Concessions £14, Over 80's/Under 16's £5, Under 11's £2

Previous Meetings and Memories:

Our last visit to the Racecourse was in February 2014 when a Jake Hyde goal grabbed 3 points in a 1-0 win. It was a happy 48th birthday to me as good old Liam Hatch scored twice in a 2-0 win in October 2008. Liam and I shared a “gallon” or so on the strength of that feat!

Our visit in 1993 was very painful as Gary Phillips and his “merry men” played bravely as ever in that fateful Division 2 season but were still soundly beaten 4-0. The return fixture at Underhill was another defeat, a closely fought 2-1 including a rare goal from “The Sidewinder” Peter Scott. A season earlier it was a different story as the dynamic duo of Gary Bull and Mark Carter scored in a thrilling 3-2 victory over the border while Carter, Derek Payne and Micky Bodley scored in a 3-1 win at Underhill - over 4,000 watched.

The Sidewinder -  Peter Scott

Celebrity watch:

It is now widely known that the 37th President of the USA Richard M Nixon’s ancestors came originated from Wrexham. His attempts to keep this earth shattering information quiet were fruitless and consequently he had to resign the Presidency in shame in August 1974. A rare book “Nixon - Fy Dyffryn Cartref” by Alex Jones gives a fascinating insight into the much regretted quest to find his Welsh kinfolk.

John Akinde one -nil get in

On another American theme, buried in a Wrexham graveyard is Elihu Yale who as one of the first British settlers across the pond founded the world famous Yale University in 1701. Yes he is responsible for the education of the men and ladies who went on to invent peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and the Burger Drive Through.

Elihu Yale