Wrexham Association Football Club is an association football club based in Wrexham, Wales. Founded in October 1864, it is the oldest football club in Wales and the third-oldest professional association football team in the world.[1] After playing in the Combination and regional leagues for several years, Wrexham joined the Football League shortly after the First World War, as a founding member of the new Third Division North. The club remained in the Football League for over 85 years, before they were relegated to the National League in 2008.[2] They remained in the fifth tier of English football for the next 15 seasons, missing out on promotion through the play-offs on five separate occasions.[3] Wrexham were promoted in two consecutive seasons between 2022 and 2024, and will play in League One for the first time since 2005.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Elliot_Lee_2014.jpg/220px-Elliot_Lee_2014.jpg)
Wrexham's first team has competed in numerous nationally and internationally organised competitions. As of the end of the 2023–24 season, a total of 209 players have appeared in 100 or more such matches for the club. Arfon Griffiths holds the record for the greatest number of appearances for Wrexham. In two spells between 1959 and 1979, the Welsh winger played 721 times in all competitions for the club.[5] As of 2001, eleven other players have made more than 400 appearances for Wrexham.[6] The club's goalscoring record is held by Tommy Bamford, who scored 209 goals in all competitions between 1929 and 1934.[7] To date, Bamford is the only player to have scored 200 goals for Wrexham.[7] He also holds the club records for most goals in a season (51 in 1933–34) and most goals per game (0.855).[8][9] Ten players on this list went on to manage Wrexham – Ken Barnes, Arfon Griffiths, Mel Sutton, Dixie McNeil, Brian Flynn, Joey Jones, Brian Carey, Andy Morrell, Dean Keates and Bryan Hughes.[10]
Key
edit- The list is ordered first by date of debut, and then if necessary in alphabetical order.
- Appearances as a substitute are included. This feature of the game was introduced in the Football League at the start of the 1965–66 season.[11]
- Statistics are correct up to and including the match played on 27 April 2024. Where a player left the club permanently after this date, his statistics are updated to his date of leaving.
Pre-1960s | 1960s– | ||
---|---|---|---|
GK | Goalkeeper | ||
FB | Full-back | DF | Defender |
HB | Half-back | MF | Midfielder |
FW | Forward |
- Nationality
- Unless otherwise noted, the nationality of a player is determined by the country/countries which he has played for, or if said person has not played international football, their country of birth.
- Position
- Playing positions are listed according to the tactical formations that were employed at the time. Thus, the change in the names of defensive and midfield positions reflects the tactical evolution that occurred from the 1960s onwards.
- Club career
- Club career is defined as the first and last calendar years in which the player appeared for the club in any of the competitions listed below.
- Total appearances and Total goals
- Total appearances and goals comprise those in the Combination, Welsh Senior League, Birmingham & District League, English Football League, National League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Welsh Cup, FA Trophy, EFL Trophy, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and Scottish Challenge Cup. Matches in wartime competitions are excluded.
Players
editPlayers highlighted in bold are still actively playing at Wrexham.
Player | Nationality | Pos | Club career | Starts | Subs | Total | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances | |||||||
Horace Blew | Wales | FB | 1899–1811 | 142 | — | 142 | 0 |
Llewelyn Griffiths | Wales | FW | 1899–1808 | 106 | — | 106 | 49 |
Llewelyn Davies | Wales | FB | 1901–1919 | 309 | — | 309 | 11 |
Ernie Huffadine | Wales | HB | 1906–1915 | 370 | — | 370 | 7 |
Pryce Williams | Wales | HB | 1907–1909 1910–1915 |
264 | — | 264 | 17 |
Fred Cook | England | FW | 1908–1915 | 214 | — | 214 | 20 |
George Devaney | England | GK | 1910–1915 | 195 | — | 195 | 0 |
Bertram Goode | England | FW | 1910–1926 | 275 | — | 275 | 148 |
Tommy Matthias | Wales | HB | 1912–1928 | 389 | — | 389 | 26 |
Edward Roberts | Wales | HB | 1919–1923 | 130 | — | 130 | 9 |
Noel Edwards | Wales | FB/FW | 1919–1926 | 174 | — | 174 | 43 |
George Godding | Wales | GK | 1919 1921–1926 |
188 | — | 188 | 0 |
Bobby Simpson | England | FB | 1919–1922 | 104 | — | 104 | 0 |
Billy Cotton | England | FW | 1921–1924 | 106 | — | 106 | 47 |
Ted Regan | Wales | HB | 1921–1928 | 216 | — | 216 | 15 |
George Savage | England | HB | 1922–1925 | 127 | — | 127 | 2 |
Dick Finnigan | Wales | GK | 1923–1924 1929–1932 |
118 | — | 118 | 0 |
Alfred Jones | England | FB | 1923–1936 | 581 | — | 581 | 6 |
Archie Longmuir | Scotland | FW | 1924–1930 | 254 | — | 254 | 39 |
Bert Lumberg | Wales | FB | 1925–1930 | 190 | — | 190 | 0 |
Bob Graham | England | HB | 1926–1930 | 146 | — | 146 | 3 |
Gordon Gunson | England | FW | 1926–1929 1935–1936 |
149 | — | 149 | 45 |
Billy Rogers | Wales | HB | 1926–1932 | 197 | — | 197 | 29 |
Roland Woodhouse | England | FW | 1927–1930 | 129 | — | 129 | 27 |
Tommy Bamford | Wales | FW | 1929–1934 | 241 | — | 241 | 209 |
Jack Hughes | England | FW | 1930–1939 | 103 | — | 103 | 19 |
Tommy Lewis | England | FW | 1930–1933 | 121 | — | 121 | 45 |
Jack Mustard | England | FW | 1930–1932 1935–1936 |
103 | — | 103 | 22 |
Matt Lawrence | Wales | HB | 1930–1937 | 152 | — | 152 | 4 |
Jim Bulling | England | HB | 1932–1935 | 138 | — | 138 | 4 |
George Frewin | England | FW | 1932–1936 | 102 | — | 102 | 34 |
Harry Waller | England | FW | 1932–1935 | 108 | — | 108 | 37 |
Hugh McMahon | Scotland | HB | 1932–1936 | 165 | — | 165 | 7 |
George Snow | England | FW | 1933–1939 | 235 | — | 235 | 47 |
Jimmy Hamilton | Scotland | FB | 1933–1937 | 185 | — | 185 | 1 |
Jack Lewis | Wales | HB | 1933–1938 | 111 | — | 111 | 2 |
Pat McMahon | Scotland | GK | 1935–1939 | 126 | — | 126 | 0 |
Archie Burgon | England | FW | 1935–1939 | 160 | — | 160 | 43 |
Eddie Tunney | England | FB | 1937–1951 | 256 | — | 256 | 0 |
Gib Bellis | Wales | HB | 1938–1939 1946–1949 |
104 | — | 104 | 1 |
Ron Jackson | England | FB | 1945–1949 | 122 | — | 122 | 0 |
Norman Sharp | England | FW | 1946–1949 | 133 | — | 133 | 18 |
Jack Boothway | England | FW | 1946–1950 | 112 | — | 112 | 67 |
Les Speed | Wales | FB | 1947–1955 | 242 | — | 242 | 1 |
Billy Tunnicliffe | England | FW | 1947–1953 | 265 | — | 265 | 88 |
Bev Wilson | England | HB | 1947–1950 | 109 | — | 109 | 0 |
Dennis Grainger | England | FW | 1947–1951 | 111 | — | 111 | 13 |
Ron Wynn | Wales | HB | 1948–1956 | 203 | — | 203 | 17 |
Archie Ferguson | Scotland | GK | 1948–1953 | 140 | — | 140 | 0 |
George Spruce | England | HB | 1948–1952 | 158 | — | 158 | 3 |
Johnny Tapscott | England | HB | 1950–1956 | 192 | — | 192 | 5 |
George Jones | Wales | HB | 1950–1953 | 128 | — | 128 | 8 |
Tommy Bannan | Scotland | FW | 1951–1959 | 260 | — | 260 | 104 |
Ron Hewitt | Wales | FW | 1951–1957 1959–1960 |
267 | — | 267 | 109 |
Albert Parker | England | FB | 1951–1959 | 247 | — | 247 | 1 |
Glyn Hughes | Wales | FW | 1952–1955 | 107 | — | 107 | 24 |
Gordon Richards | Wales | FW | 1952–1958 | 107 | — | 107 | 28 |
Ally McGowan | Scotland | FB | 1953–1965 | 478 | — | 478 | 2 |
Alan Fox | Wales | HB | 1954–1964 | 412 | — | 412 | 3 |
Bernard Evans | England | FW | 1954–1960 | 126 | — | 126 | 58 |
Fred Davis | England | HB | 1955–1961 | 263 | — | 263 | 14 |
Gren Jones | England | FW | 1955–1961 | 281 | — | 281 | 43 |
Billy Waters | Wales | GK | 1955–1960 | 119 | — | 119 | 0 |
John Anderson | Scotland | FW | 1956–1959 1961 |
116 | — | 116 | 30 |
George Evans | Wales | HB | 1957–1963 | 208 | — | 208 | 10 |
Mike Metcalf | England | FW | 1957–1963 | 144 | — | 144 | 73 |
Arfon Griffiths | Wales | MF | 1959–1961 1962–1979 |
713 | 8 | 721 | 143 |
Reg Holland | England | FB | 1960–1965 | 144 | — | 144 | 0 |
Peter Jones | England | DF | 1960–1966 | 271 | 0 | 271 | 8 |
Ken Barnes | England | HB | 1961–1965 | 156 | — | 156 | 30 |
Ron Barnes | England | FW | 1961–1963 | 102 | — | 102 | 29 |
Clive Colbridge | England | FW | 1962–1965 | 133 | — | 133 | 35 |
Ernie Phythian | England | FW | 1962–1965 | 161 | — | 161 | 48 |
David Powell | Wales | DF | 1963–1968 | 152 | 2 | 154 | 5 |
Sammy McMillan | Northern Ireland | FW | 1963–1967 | 170 | 0 | 170 | 61 |
Stuart Mason | England | DF | 1966–1973 | 200 | 17 | 217 | 4 |
Steve Stacey | England | DF | 1966–1968 | 115 | 4 | 119 | 6 |
Albert Kinsey | England | FW | 1966–1973 | 292 | 8 | 300 | 100 |
Mickey Evans | Wales | DF | 1966–1978 | 463 | 17 | 480 | 25 |
Steve Ingle | England | DF | 1967–1972 | 172 | 6 | 178 | 8 |
Ray Smith | England | FW | 1967–1972 | 193 | 15 | 208 | 71 |
Alan Bermingham | England | DF | 1967–1970 | 134 | 3 | 137 | 2 |
Ian Moir | Scotland | MF | 1968–1972 1973–1975 |
189 | 11 | 200 | 25 |
Gareth Davies | Wales | DF | 1968–1982 | 604 | 8 | 612 | 21 |
Eddie May | England | DF | 1968–1976 | 406 | 4 | 410 | 43 |
Brian Tinnion | England | MF/FW | 1969–1976 | 317 | 19 | 336 | 66 |
David Gaskell | England | GK | 1969–1972 | 117 | 0 | 117 | 1 |
Bobby Park | Scotland | MF | 1969–1972 | 121 | 4 | 125 | 9 |
Tom Vansittart | England | DF | 1970–1975 | 99 | 2 | 101 | 2 |
Billy Ashcroft | England | FW | 1970–1977 | 246 | 27 | 273 | 95 |
David Fogg | England | DF | 1971–1976 | 198 | 4 | 202 | 1 |
Graham Whittle | England | FW | 1971–1980 | 372 | 24 | 396 | 118 |
Brian Lloyd | Wales | GK | 1971–1977 | 333 | 0 | 333 | 0 |
Mickey Thomas | Wales | MF | 1972–1978 1991–1993 |
331 | 18 | 349 | 43 |
Mel Sutton | England | MF | 1972–1981 | 463 | 8 | 471 | 26 |
David Smallman | Wales | FW | 1972–1975 | 122 | 3 | 125 | 51 |
Joey Jones | Wales | DF | 1973–1975 1978–1982 1987–1992 |
476 | 3 | 479 | 22 |
Alan Dwyer | England | DF | 1974–1981 | 227 | 13 | 240 | 7 |
Alan Hill | England | DF | 1975–1983 | 236 | 31 | 267 | 8 |
John Lyons | Wales | FW | 1975–1979 | 86 | 29 | 115 | 34 |
John Roberts | Wales | DF | 1976–1980 | 191 | 2 | 193 | 5 |
Bobby Shinton | England | FW | 1976–1979 | 177 | 0 | 177 | 58 |
Wayne Cegielski | Wales | DF | 1976–1982 | 151 | 15 | 166 | 1 |
Les Cartwright | Wales | MF | 1977–1981 | 150 | 4 | 154 | 14 |
Eddie Niedzwiecki | Wales | GK | 1977–1983 | 143 | 0 | 143 | 0 |
Dai Davies | Wales | GK | 1977–1981 1985–1987 |
199 | 0 | 199 | 0 |
Dixie McNeil | England | FW | 1977–1983 1985 |
220 | 2 | 222 | 88 |
Steve Buxton | England | FW | 1978–1984 1986–1990 |
230 | 74 | 304 | 67 |
Steve Fox | England | MF | 1978–1982 | 173 | 8 | 181 | 19 |
Mick Vinter | England | FW | 1979–1982 | 117 | 15 | 132 | 42 |
Frank Carrodus | England | MF | 1979–1982 | 116 | 1 | 117 | 8 |
Ian Arkwright | England | MF | 1980–1984 | 132 | 3 | 135 | 11 |
Neil Salathiel | Wales | DF | 1980 1983–1990 |
324 | 1 | 325 | 3 |
Steve Dowman | England | DF | 1981–1983 | 109 | 0 | 109 | 6 |
Simon Hunt | England | MF | 1981–1984 | 133 | 9 | 142 | 24 |
David Gregory | England | FW | 1982–1986 | 183 | 12 | 195 | 45 |
Andy Edwards | Wales | FW/MF | 1982–1986 | 125 | 29 | 154 | 35 |
Jack Keay | Scotland | DF | 1982–1986 | 199 | 0 | 199 | 11 |
Jake King | Scotland | DF | 1982–1984 | 121 | 1 | 122 | 11 |
John Muldoon | England | MF/FW | 1982–1985 | 91 | 28 | 119 | 16 |
Shaun Cunnington | England | MF/DF | 1982–1988 | 267 | 3 | 270 | 17 |
Jim Steel | Scotland | FW | 1983 1984–1987 |
230 | 0 | 230 | 73 |
Barry Horne | Wales | MF | 1984–1987 | 184 | 0 | 184 | 28 |
Mike Williams | Wales | DF | 1984–1990 | 232 | 6 | 238 | 5 |
Steve Charles | England | MF | 1984–1987 | 146 | 5 | 151 | 44 |
Paul Comstive | England | MF/DF | 1984–1987 | 126 | 7 | 133 | 11 |
Mark Morris | England | GK | 1986–1993 | 138 | 0 | 138 | 0 |
Roger Preece | England | MF/DF | 1986–1990 | 116 | 26 | 142 | 15 |
Darren Wright | England | DF | 1986–1990 | 140 | 10 | 150 | 9 |
Mike Salmon | England | GK | 1987–1989 | 126 | 0 | 126 | 0 |
Geoff Hunter | England | MF | 1987–1991 | 146 | 11 | 157 | 15 |
Kevin Russell | England | FW | 1987–1989 1995–2003 |
336 | 37 | 373 | 80 |
Jon Bowden | England | MF | 1987–1991 | 185 | 12 | 197 | 26 |
Brian Flynn | Wales | MF | 1988–1992 | 121 | 10 | 131 | 6 |
Nigel Beaumont | England | DF | 1988–1991 | 150 | 5 | 155 | 4 |
Andy Thackeray | England | DF | 1988–1992 | 183 | 17 | 200 | 18 |
Vince O'Keefe | England | GK | 1989–1992 | 108 | 0 | 108 | 0 |
Chris Armstrong | England | FW | 1989–1991 2003–2005 |
94 | 54 | 148 | 35 |
Gareth Owen | Wales | MF | 1989–2001 | 408 | 68 | 476 | 45 |
Waynne Phillips | Wales | MF | 1990–1998 1999–2002 |
286 | 35 | 321 | 23 |
Mark Sertori | England | DF/FW | 1990–1994 | 140 | 7 | 147 | 2 |
Phil Hardy | Republic of Ireland | DF | 1990–2001 | 481 | 4 | 485 | 1 |
Steve Watkin | Wales | FW | 1990–1997 | 221 | 45 | 266 | 80 |
Lee Jones | Wales | FW | 1990–1992 1996 1997 2002–2004 |
87 | 53 | 140 | 43 |
Brian Carey | Republic of Ireland | DF | 1991–1992 1996–2004 2006 |
381 | 10 | 391 | 20 |
Karl Connolly | England | FW/MF | 1991–2000 | 451 | 25 | 476 | 122 |
Jonathan Cross | England | DF | 1991–1997 | 115 | 37 | 152 | 17 |
Mel Pejic | England | DF | 1992–1995 | 127 | 3 | 130 | 5 |
Tony Humes | England | DF | 1992–1999 | 247 | 8 | 255 | 10 |
Barry Jones | England | DF | 1992–1997 | 237 | 15 | 252 | 7 |
Gary Bennett | England | FW | 1992–1995 1997 |
174 | 2 | 176 | 114 |
Dave Brammer | England | MF | 1992–1999 | 158 | 25 | 183 | 16 |
Barry Hunter | Northern Ireland | DF | 1993–1996 | 118 | 4 | 122 | 7 |
Andy Marriott | Wales | GK | 1993–1998 | 269 | 0 | 269 | 0 |
Bryan Hughes | England | MF | 1994–1997 | 100 | 27 | 127 | 21 |
Deryn Brace | Wales | DF | 1994–2000 | 107 | 11 | 118 | 2 |
Mark McGregor | England | DF | 1995–2001 | 309 | 9 | 318 | 14 |
Craig Skinner | England | MF | 1995–1998 | 87 | 25 | 112 | 11 |
Peter Ward | England | MF | 1995–1999 | 157 | 4 | 161 | 18 |
Martyn Chalk | England | MF | 1996–2002 | 181 | 61 | 242 | 15 |
David Ridler | England | DF | 1997–2001 | 151 | 19 | 170 | 2 |
Dean Spink | England | FW/DF | 1997–2000 | 105 | 20 | 125 | 12 |
Steve Thomas | Wales | MF | 1997–2004 | 105 | 41 | 146 | 15 |
Neil Roberts | Wales | FW | 1997–2000 2006–2008 |
138 | 28 | 166 | 40 |
Stephen Roberts | Wales | DF | 1998–2005 | 178 | 9 | 187 | 9 |
Robin Gibson | England | MF | 1999–2002 | 65 | 39 | 104 | 9 |
Andy Morrell | England | FW | 1999–2003 2010–2013 |
189 | 80 | 269 | 96 |
Paul Barrett | England | MF | 1999–2004 | 121 | 29 | 150 | 9 |
Kevin Dearden | England | GK | 1999–2001 | 100 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Craig Faulconbridge | England | FW | 1999–2002 | 116 | 25 | 141 | 44 |
Danny Williams | Wales | MF | 1999–2001 2004–2008 |
192 | 6 | 198 | 13 |
Darren Ferguson | Scotland | MF | 1999–2007 | 349 | 7 | 356 | 34 |
Lee Roche | England | DF | 2000–2001 2005–2007 |
101 | 3 | 104 | 0 |
Hector Sam | Trinidad and Tobago | FW | 2000–2005 | 102 | 87 | 189 | 47 |
Carlos Edwards | Trinidad and Tobago | MF/DF | 2000–2005 | 169 | 28 | 197 | 28 |
Lee Trundle | England | FW | 2001–2003 | 85 | 26 | 111 | 34 |
Dennis Lawrence | Trinidad and Tobago | DF | 2001–2006 | 219 | 10 | 229 | 19 |
Shaun Pejic | Wales | DF | 2001–2008 | 191 | 18 | 209 | 2 |
Jim Whitley | Northern Ireland | MF | 2001–2006 | 155 | 7 | 162 | 2 |
Mark Jones | Wales | MF | 2002–2008 2009–2010 |
156 | 40 | 196 | 34 |
Matt Crowell | Wales | MF | 2003–2007 | 87 | 27 | 114 | 5 |
Chris Llewellyn | Wales | MF/FW | 2003–2005 2006–2008 |
195 | 4 | 199 | 37 |
Simon Spender | Wales | DF | 2004–2009 | 105 | 23 | 128 | 6 |
Mike Williams | Wales | DF | 2005–2010 | 112 | 27 | 139 | 6 |
Marc Williams | Wales | FW | 2006–2011 | 65 | 35 | 100 | 21 |
Chris Maxwell | Wales | GK | 2009–2012 2013 |
108 | 0 | 108 | 0 |
Adrian Cieślewicz | Poland | MF/FW | 2009–2014 | 64 | 109 | 173 | 21 |
Curtis Obeng | England | DF | 2009–2012 | 102 | 8 | 110 | 2 |
Johnny Hunt | England | DF | 2010–2015 | 104 | 31 | 135 | 16 |
Neil Ashton | England | DF | 2010–2015 | 243 | 1 | 244 | 16 |
Jay Harris | England | MF | 2010–2015 2020–2021 |
239 | 17 | 256 | 20 |
Dean Keates | England | MF | 2010–2015 | 168 | 16 | 184 | 15 |
Joe Clarke | England | MF | 2011–2015 | 157 | 24 | 181 | 19 |
Rob Evans | Wales | MF | 2011–2017 | 97 | 39 | 136 | 7 |
Mark Carrington | England | MF | 2013–2021 | 245 | 29 | 274 | 6 |
Connor Jennings | England | FW | 2014–2016 | 95 | 7 | 102 | 23 |
Manny Smith | England | DF | 2014–2016 2017–2018 |
161 | 0 | 161 | 7 |
Paul Rutherford | England | MF | 2016–2021 | 154 | 45 | 199 | 8 |
James Jennings | England | DF | 2017–2020 | 130 | 4 | 134 | 10 |
Shaun Pearson | England | DF | 2017–2021 | 140 | 1 | 141 | 12 |
Akil Wright | England | DF | 2017–2020 | 78 | 24 | 102 | 8 |
Rob Lainton | England | GK | 2018–2023 | 143 | 0 | 143 | 0 |
Luke Young | England | MF | 2018–2024 | 223 | 36 | 259 | 22 |
Max Cleworth | England | DF | 2019– | 92 | 8 | 100 | 3 |
Jordan Davies | Wales | MF | 2020– | 102 | 47 | 149 | 37 |
Paul Mullin | England | FW | 2021– | 133 | 7 | 140 | 105 |
James Jones | Scotland | MF | 2021– | 104 | 28 | 132 | 16 |
Ben Tozer | England | DF | 2021–2024 | 137 | 4 | 141 | 7 |
Ollie Palmer | England | FW | 2022– | 92 | 33 | 125 | 41 |
Elliot Lee | England | MF | 2022– | 87 | 19 | 106 | 31 |
References
editGeneral
- "Player Appearance Totals". Wrexham Archive. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
Specific
- ^ Jones, Peter. "Wrexham AFC History". Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ King, Ian (10 January 2023). "Welcome to Wrexham, where celebrity ownership follows years of decline and false hope". Football365. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "National League: Wrexham's 33-year play-off hoodoo". BBC Sport. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Wrexham secure promotion to League One". Sky Sports. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Find out which Wrexham FC legend scored his first ever goal for the club at Coventry City on Christmas Day 1959". The Leader. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Player Appearance Totals". Wrexham Archive. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Wrexham AFC's Paul Mullin and his love affair with Reds fans". The Leader. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "All Time Records". Wrexham AFC Archive. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Player Goals per Game". Wrexham AFC Archive. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "Wrexham Manager History: Past & Present". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ Watts, Nick. "1963 to 1988". English Football League. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2024.