Wrexham welcome Premier League Chelsea to the Racecourse Ground on Saturday in the FA Cup fifth round, a fixture that underlines the remarkable trajectory of the Welsh club since Mickey Thomas's famous free-kick beat Arsenal in 1992.
Thomas, who also spent 20 months at Stamford Bridge, described the current era as surreal. The club's Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have attracted stars such as Channing Tatum, Hugh Jackman, Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd. Wrexham currently occupy a Championship playoff place and harbour ambitions of a fourth consecutive promotion.
The club's history is etched with cup glory and despair. On 4 January 1992, fourth-tier Wrexham shocked the reigning champions Arsenal. However, a decade ago they were knocked out by eighth-tier Stamford, and in 2011 non-league Wrexham nearly went out of business before fans saved the club. Six years later, a qualifying tie against Blyth Spartans was broadcast live on ESPN in the United States.
Club historian Geraint Parry noted the global attention: "Suddenly we had the Sydney Herald and Los Angeles Times wanting to get in contact with us." He added that Wrexham has become a tourist attraction, with Welsh government officials bringing business leaders to the club. Thomas said: "The real fans from the start, who've been through all the difficult times, can enjoy it more because they have seen the dark days."
This is Wrexham's first fifth-round appearance since 1997, when they reached the quarter-finals. As recently as 2020, they exited in the fourth qualifying round to Solihull Moors. With a stand behind one goal absent due to stadium development, the atmosphere will be different, but the club remains focused on a possible trip to Wembley in both the cup and playoffs.
