A couple from Texas is packing up their lives for a 4,800-mile move to Wrexham, all because of a missing hoodie. Jeff Ivey, 62, and his wife Janice are leaving New Braunfels, Texas, for North Wales after falling in love with Wrexham AFC and its community.
How a documentary led to a life change
The couple became fans after watching the Disney+ documentary Welcome to Wrexham, starring Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Jeff's late brother recommended the show. Jeff said: "My younger brother, who passed away last January, was a huge English football fan. We were both big Rob McElhenney fans too, so when the documentary came out, my brother was like, 'You should really watch this.'"
But it was a local band, The Declan Swans, that truly drew them in. After seeing an episode featuring the band and its singer Michael "Scoot" Hett, who battled cancer on screen, Jeff ordered merchandise. When the package arrived with only one sweatshirt instead of two, Jeff emailed the band. Scoot replied, "You should come over."
First match and community embrace
Jeff flew to Wrexham in early 2024 for his first match at the Racecourse Ground against Shrewsbury Town. "We went to the match and I met the other guys in the band. They're just great guys," Jeff said. "The football team's great, but we started to get a real sense of community."
The couple began visiting regularly, and after Jeff retired in December, they decided to make the move permanent. "We didn't want to stay where we were. We started kicking it around and I said, 'What about Wrexham?'" Jeff said. "Our kids are all for it - they're all older and out of the house. We decided that life's an adventure, so let's take one."
Building a new life in North Wales
Jeff has UK citizenship through his Scottish grandmother, easing the relocation. But explaining the move to Americans has been tricky. "It's funny because a lot of Americans don't know where Wales is - they assume it's all England," Jeff said. "I don't know of any other Americans who have made the move yet."
The couple, from working-class Pennsylvania mining towns, feel at home in Wrexham. "When Rob [Mac] said it reminded him of south Philadelphia and the working-class community, that's what it's like," Jeff said. "The pubs are centres of society. People are friendly and that's what's so different."
Despite friends questioning the weather, Jeff sees benefits. "The weather is one that people always raise, but some of the pros were that the cost of living is less here and the healthcare is free."
Volunteering and settling in
The couple volunteers at the Wrexham Miners Project and raises money for Hope House Children's Hospice in Oswestry. Jeff has put a deposit on a season ticket and is learning Welsh online. "I'm taking a Welsh course online and it is amazingly difficult. I knew I was in trouble during the first lesson when they were going through the different sounds, but I would love to be able to have a small conversation in Welsh. That's my goal."
With their Texas house on the market, Jeff is house-hunting in North Wales while Janice awaits her visa. Local pub landlord Wayne Jones has been offering advice. Jeff is committed: "Even if Wrexham get relegated, that's my team and I'm going to support them. I'm excited about where Wrexham's going as a community."
