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Racecourse Stadium

My Racecourse
Full name	Racecourse Ground
Location	Mold Road Wrexham LL11 2AH Wales
Coordinates	53°3′7″N 3°0′13″W / 53.05194°N 3.00361°W / 53.05194; -3.00361Coordinates: 53°3′7″N 3°0′13″W / 53.05194°N 3.00361°W / 53.05194; -3.00361
Public transit	Wrexham (0.2mi)
Owner	WST Assets Ltd
Operator	Wrexham AFC
Capacity	10,771[1] (Football)
Field size	102 m × 68 m (335 ft × 223 ft)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	1807, 1864 for football
Construction cost	£3,500,000 (Mold Road Stand)
Architect	Ward McHugh Associates (Yale Stand)
Tenants
Wrexham F.C. (1864–present) North Wales Crusaders (2012–2016)
Website
http://myracecourse.co.uk/

The Racecourse Ground (Welsh: Y Cae Ras) is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham AFC. As of August 2016, the stadium has been known as My Racecourse.^[2]

The stadium is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest international football stadium that still hosts international matches, having hosted Wales' first home international match in 1877,^[3]and has hosted more Wales international matches than any other ground (91).^[4] The record attendance at the ground was set in 1957, when Wrexham hosted a match against Manchester United in front of 34,445 spectators.^[5]

The Racecourse Ground 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 has also been used by North Wales Crusaders rugby league club, Scarlets rugby union club and Liverpool Reserves. In the early days, the ground was used for cricket and horse racing. Music concerts returned to the Racecourse in 2016 when the Stereophonics performed.

History

Wrexham Football Club have played at the Racecourse Ground since being formed in the local Turf Hotel public house in October 1864. However, Wrexham played their home games in the 1881–82 and 1882–83 at the Recreation Ground in Rhosddu due to an increase in rent from the then owners, Wrexham Cricket Club, while also changing the name to Wrexham Athletic for one season. Before the club was formed the ground was mainly used for cricket and occasionally, horse racing.^[6]

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^{[clarification needed]} local sponsorship allowed for the construction of a new stand on the Mold Road side of the ground. The impressive^{[clarification needed]} 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 F.C. 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 in a UEFA Champions League qualifier in 2005.

On 26 June 2002 the freehold to the Racecourse Ground was acquired by Wrexham A.F.C. from Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries for £300,000. On the same day the ownership of the freehold was transferred by the chairman, Alex Hamilton, from Wrexham A.F.C. 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 F.C. was renegotiated. The new lease stated that Damens Ltd could evict Wrexham F.C. 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 F.C. was given a years' notice to quit the ground;^[7] 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).

On 19 May 2014, work began at the Racecourse,^[8] this included; a new pitch and sprinkler system, changing rooms for players and officials. The medical and treatment facilities will also be upgraded, together with improved seating for disabled supporters, better floodlighting and removal of cambers at the ‘Kop’ end of the ground. The results mean the stadium has been reclassified to Category 3 level, meaning it will be able to host international football matches.^[9]

Wrexham Village Ltd

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.

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.^[10] The purchase of the ground also resulted in the re-branding of the stadium, incorporating the university's name.^[11]

Wrexham AFC signs a 99-year Racecourse Stadium lease

In August 2016 Wrexham Glyndwr University and Wrexham AFC signed a contract that signaled a new future for the Racecourse.

The university – which purchased the landmark in 2011, saving it from possible extinction – handed operational control of the ground over to the football club as part a 99-year lease.^[12]

Stadium details

The Kop

Yale Stand

Glyndwr University Stand

Mold Road Stand, looking towards the Kop

Stands

The Kop: the all-standing home stand, is named after the Battle of Spion Kop, 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 League.

Bkoncepts Stand, capacity 4,200, 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 Marston's 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.

University End: formerly the Marston's Stand/Tech End. It holds 2,800 spectators and provides the supporters with excellent views of the pitch and excellent acoustics. From the 2007–08 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.

Hays Travel Stand: the newest stand, capacity 3,500, 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 Nando's 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, low-counter refreshment kiosks, with steward assistance if required. Admission is £10 for disabled supporters (£5 concessions) and helpers are admitted free of charge.

The stadium has 8 allocated spaces for those who are Visually Impaired, providing commentary, which is also broadcast to the local hospital.

In October 2013, the stadium hosted the United Kingdom's first 'Autism friendly' football match. A group of around 50 attended the Racecourse to watch the Reds play against Woking.^[13]

Thanks to funding from the Wrexham Disabled Supporters Association (DSA), in August 2015, a new viewing platform was opened by Lord Faulkner of Worcester,^[14] located at the rear of the Mold Road Stand, this further increased the number of places available to disabled fans, as well as providing protection from the elements.

After the platform was opened, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson praised the cub in the House Of Lords, saying “This is a club, my Lords, that genuinely cares about its spectators. My Lords, the big clubs are hiding.”^[15]

Rugby League

The ground was home to former European Super League club Crusaders Rugby League from 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.^[16]

Crusaders have enjoyed some well attended games at the Racecourse Ground during 2010 with their opening engage Super League match against Leeds attracted over 10,000 people, with large local support.

In 2011 Crusaders withdraw their Super League licence application and ultimately folded citing financial invalidity.

2012 saw the birth of a new club, born from the ashes of the old club. North Wales Crusaders currently play in the Co-operative Championship 1 competition. They are seen as a separate entity from the former club, and are starting their own chapter in rugby league history. From 2016, North Wales Crusaders no longer play at the Racecourse Ground.

International Rugby League games have also been staged at the ground. The stadium hosted Wales' clash with England in the 2012 Autumn International Series. In 2013, it held Wales' 2013 Rugby League World Cup home game with the USA on Sunday 3 November 2013, with the Tomahawks causing a boil over by ending the home sides chance of a quarter finals appearance with a 24–16 win. The win by the USA, a team expected to be easy beats in their first ever Rugby League World Cup,^{[citation needed]} would see them return to Wrexham for a quarter-final clash against tournament favourite Australia, on Saturday 16 November 2013. As expected, the Kangaroos (who would go on to win the World Cup) ran out easy 62-0 winners over the gallant Hawks.

2014 European Cup

As part of the 2014 Rugby League European Cup, the Racecourse Ground was to host the match between Wales and Ireland on 2 November.

Summary

The Racecourse Ground has hosted nine Wales internationals. The results were as follows;^[17]

Date	Opponents	Result	Attendance	Part of
29 October 2000	Cook Islands	38 - 6	5,016	2000 World Cup
29 July 2001	England	33 - 42	6,373
6 October 2010	Italy	6 - 13	2,971	2010 European Cup
13 November 2011	Australia	14 - 56	5,233	2011 Four Nations
16 June 2012	France	16 - 28	1,464
27 October 2012	England	12 - 80	4,014	2012 Autumn International Series
29 October 2013	United States	16 - 24	8,019	2013 Rugby League World Cup
2 November 2014	Ireland	14 - 46	1,293	2014 European Cup
16 October 2015	Scotland	18-12	1,253	2015 European Cup

It also hosted a 2013 World Cup Quarter-Final match 3 November 2013 between Australia and the United States with Australia annihilating the United States 62 - 0 with 5,762 in attendance.

Rugby Union internationals

The Racecourse Ground has held four rugby union internationals. Three of them were Wales’ friendlies against Romania and won all three of them (70 - 21 30 August 1997, 40 - 3 on 3 October 1999 and 54 - 8 on 27 August 2003 which was a warm up game before the 2003 Rugby World Cup. It also hosted a 1999 Rugby Union World Cup Pool 4 match between Japan and Samoa on 3 October 1999 with Samoa winning 43 - 9.

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.

Music concerts

The first concert held at the stadium was held in July 1982. Motörhead headlined, with support from Budgie and Twisted Sister.^[18]

In July 2016, the Stereophonics headlined on their Keep The Summer Alive tour, supported by Catfish and the Bottlemen. Around 20,000 fans attended.^[19]

For 2017, it was announced that UB40 would be using the Racecourse on their 'Grandslam Tour' in May, they will be supported by Level 42 and The Original Wailers.^[20] In June, Olly Murs will perform as part of his 20 date UK tour, promoting his new album.

Film and television

The stadium was used as a filming location in the 2015 Television film Marvellous (starring Toby Jones) about the life of Neil Baldwin.^[21]

Location

The ground is located on Mold Road close to the A483 dual carriageway. Wrexham General railway station is adjacent to the ground.^[22]

Attendances

The five biggest attendances for Wrexham matches at the Racecourse have been:

References