Wrexham A.F.C. Women
Women's association football club based in Wrexham, Wales From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wrexham Association Football Club Women (Welsh: Merched Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Wrecsam), formerly known as NEWI Wrexham Ladies and Wrexham Ladies F.C., is a Welsh semi-professional women's football club that competes in the Adran Premier, the first-tier of women's football in Wales.
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| Full name | Wrexham Association Football Club Women | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Red Dragons, The Robins | |||
| Founded | 2003[1] | |||
| Ground | The Rock, Rhosymedre, Wrexham | |||
| Capacity | 3,000 (500 seated) | |||
| Owners | RR McReynolds Company LLC (Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney) | |||
| Manager | Steve Dale | |||
| League | Adran Premier | |||
| 2024–25 | Adran Premier, 4th of 8 | |||
| Website | wrexhamafc.co.uk/women | |||
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Since 2009 and after their reformation in 2018, the club has been affiliated with Wrexham A.F.C., which competes in EFL League One, the third division of English football. As NEWI Wrexham Ladies, they helped found the North Wales Women's Football League in 2003 and as Wrexham Ladies F.C. the Welsh Premier Women's League in 2009.
History
Summarize
Perspective
2003–2018: NEWI Wrexham Ladies to Wrexham Ladies FC
In 2003, the NEWI Wrexham Ladies Football Club was formed, becoming part of the new North Wales Women's Football League. The initial squad drew players from the North East Wales Institute (NEWI) and the Yale College, Wrexham[2] and played their home games next door to the Racecourse Ground.[3]
In 2008, they reached the finals of the FAW Women's Cup for the first time. In 2009, they became part of Wrexham F.C.,[4] helped to found the Welsh Premier Women's League as one of four teams in the Northern Division and adopted the new name Wrexham Ladies FC. In the 2011-12 season, they won the division but lost the Championship Final against Cardiff Met WFC.[5] The Welsh Premier League went national during the 2012-13 season and the team finished in third place.[6]
They finished 6th in both of the following campaigns.[5] During the 2015-16 season, they had a difficult time maintaining a full roster and withdrew from the Premier League mid-season.
2018–2020: As Wrexham A.F.C. Women
In 2018, the club reformed as Wrexham A.F.C. Women, joining the North Wales Women's Football League to compete against teams across North Wales. Penycae F.C.’s Afoneitha Road was chosen for home matches and former Racecourse Community Foundation coach Luke Wynne became the manager.[7] The League was split into Division One and Division Two in North Wales; Wrexham entered the bottom tier as a new club of Division Two. In that season, Wrexham won the North Wales Women's Division Two league cup, beating Rhyl Development 3–2 in a cup final hosted at Bala Town's Maes Tegid but lost the League’s Supplementary Cup to Amlwch Town Ladies.[8] They finished the season 4th in the league and gained promotion to Division One.
In the 2019/20 season, the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short with Wrexham in 8th place after losing all league games. The Football Association of Wales decided to use points per game (PPG) calculation to work out the finishing positions for the teams in all leagues with no female teams being relegated.[9]
2020–2023: New owners, promotion to Adran Premier
In November 2020, Canadian-American actor Ryan Reynolds and American actor Rob McElhenney, through their RR McReynolds Company LLC, bought Wrexham A.F.C.[10][11] Due to the Christmas 2020 second lockdown, the 2020/21 season was canceled with no games being played.[12]
Before the start of the 2021/22 season, the FAW announced a restructure of Women's football in Wales, with a new Tier 2 league split into Adran North and Adran South with specific criteria needed to enter. The FAW opened up both tiers to all clubs to apply to join. Wrexham applied for the Tier 2 North and completed a successful first campaign as an inaugural member that new second tier, finishing runners-up to Llandudno Ladies F.C. after losing to the champions in a winner-takes-all game on the final day of the season at Maesdu Park.[13]
On 9 February 2023, Wrexham announced they had applied for a Tier 1 license, and would become semi-professional if promoted to the Adran Premier for the 2023/24 season.[14] They won the Adran North championship trophy on March 26 after winning all their league games and earned promotion after winning the playoff game 1-0 against Briton Ferry Llansawel, on April 16 in Latham Park.[15]
2023– present: Adran Premier and turning semi-professional
On 27 June 2023, the club announced that ten players have signed semi-professional contracts, a first in club history,[16] making them the first Adran Premier team to feature semi-professional players. Cardiff City F.C. did the same on 29 June and Swansea City Ladies F.C. on 16 August. At the start of 2024, they were third in the league with striker Rosie Hughes leading the league in scoring.[17] They finished 3rd and reached the finals of the FAW Women's Cup for the second time. The club was granted its first UEFA license in March 2024.[18] In June 2024, the team participated in the very first separate women's tournament of The Soccer Tournament where they failed to exit the group stage.[19] In July 2024, the club made its first-ever tour abroad when it played three games in the USA through a sponsorship with Ally Financial,[20] playing against SoCal FC (0-9), the U19 team of Tigres Femenil (1-6) and the academy team of Portland Thorns FC (0-7).[21] The club finished 4th in the 2024–25 season, only one point behind The New Saints FC, after losing to them in the final game of the season and reached the finals of the FAW Women's Cup for the third time.
Stadium
They first played their home games at the North East Wales Institute, moved to Penycae F.C.’s Afoneitha Road after their reformation in 2018[22] and later played their home games at the Brymbo Sports & Social Complex in Wrexhmam.
For the 2023–24 season, the team moved to The Rock in Rhosymedre after reaching a multi-year agreement with Cefn Druids A.F.C. to see the women’s section train and play their home games at The Rock Stadium.[23] The capacity is 3,000 (500 seats).
Sponsorship
In May 2023, the team's training kit was announced to be sponsored by Betty Buzz, a beverage company owned by Blake Lively, for the 2023–24 season.[24]
Kit manufacturers and sponsors
| Period | Brand | Shirt Sponsor (chest) | Shirt Sponsor (back) | Shirt Sponsor (sleeve) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Macron[25] | TikTok[26] | Expedia[26] | Aviation American Gin[27] |
| 2022–23 | Betty Buzz[28] | |||
| 2023–24 | United Airlines[26] | VistaPrint[29] | ||
| 2024–present | Meta Quest |
Players
Squad
- As of 3 October 2024[30]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Player records
Women's Player of the Season
- 2021-22 -
Rosie Hughes[35] - 2022-23 - Rosie Hughes[36]
- 2023-24 - Rosie Hughes[37]
Women's Young Player of the Season
Women's Players' Player of the Season
Women's Top Goalscorer
Seasons
| Season | League | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | ||
| as Wrexham Ladies FC | ||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Welsh Premier Women's League - Northern conference | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 4th | |
| 2010–11 | Welsh Premier Women's League - Northern conference | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 3rd | |
| 2011–12 | Welsh Premier Women's League | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 13 | 19 | Runner-up | |
| 2012–13 | Welsh Premier Women's League | 20 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 67 | 27 | 41 | 3rd | |
| 2013–14 | Welsh Premier Women's League | 20 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 34 | 35 | 24 | 6th | |
| 2014–15 | Welsh Premier Women's League | 20 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 42 | 40 | 29 | 6th | |
| 2015–16 | Welsh Premier Women's League | withdrew mid-season[5] | ||||||||
| as Wrexham AFC Women | ||||||||||
| 2018–19 | North Wales Women's League, Div. 2 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 49 | 18 | 19 | 4th[citation needed] | |
| 2019–20 | North Wales Women's League, Div. 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 31 | 0 | 8th[38] | |
| 2020–21 | season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| 2021–22[39] | Adran North | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 77 | 28 | 33 | 2nd | |
| 2022–23[40] | Adran North | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 6 | 36 | 1st | |
| 2023–24 | Adran Premier | 20 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 41 | 37 | 35 | 3rd | |
| 2024–25 | Adran Premier | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 0 | NA | |
Team records
- Attendance – 10,379 v Portland Thorns FC Academy, Friendly, 26 July 2024[41]
- League Attendance – 9,511 v Connah's Quay Nomads Women, Adran North, 26 March 2023[42]
- Highest league win – 19-1 v Cybi, Welsh Premier Women's League, 11 September 2011[43]
- Worst league defeat – 1–12 v Llanfair United, North Wales Women's League, Div. 1, 8 September 2019[44]
- Highest league finish - 2nd, Welsh Premier Women's League, 2011–12 Welsh Premier Women's League[45]
- Lowest league finish - 4th, North Wales Women's League, Div. 2, 2018–19
- Biggest cup win - 13–0 v Pwllheli, 2023–24 FAW Women's Cup, 15 October 2023[46]
- Most league wins in a season 13, 2012–13 Welsh Premier Women's League[47]
- Most goals in a season – 77, Adran North, 2021–22[48]
- Most clean sheets in a season – 27, 2011–12 Welsh Premier Women's League[49]
Club officials
- As of 21 July 2024[50]
Women's Coaching Staff
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| First Team Manager |  Steve Dale |
| First Team Assistant Manager |  Josh Evans |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Zoe Clair |
| Performance Analyst | Connor Hindley |
| Goalkeeping Coach | David Williams |
| Sports Therapist | Lindsay Morris |
| Under 19's Manager | Gareth Owen |
| Under 19’s Assistant Manager | Gary Evans |
| Women's Football Operations | Gemma Owen |
Honours
League
- Adran Premier
- Runners-up (1): 2011–2012
- Genaro Adran North
- NWWFL Division Two
- Promoted (1): 2018–19.[53]
Cups
Literature
- Champions 2022/23 – The Story Of A Record-Breaking Season, Wrexham A.F.C., 2023
Documents the campaigns of both teams.
See also
- Welcome to Wrexham First featured in S2.
References
External links
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