Retro Wrexham Shirts – The Dragons of the Racecourse

Wrexham's history is as rich and layered as any club in Britain, beginning formally in 1864 when the club was established, making them the third oldest professional football club in the world. They were founder members of the Football League of Wales and have won the Welsh Cup a record number of times — more than any other club — a testament to their long dominance of the domestic Welsh scene.

For much of the 20th century, Wrexham operated in the lower tiers of the English Football League, but they punched far above their weight on the cup circuit. The club reached the FA Cup quarter-finals as recently as 1997, and their history is studded with giant-killing acts that became part of football folklore. None is more celebrated than the 1992 FA Cup third-round victory over reigning First Division champions Arsenal. Trailing 1-0 and seemingly headed for defeat, Wrexham equalised through Steve Watkin before Mickey Thomas — a veteran Welsh international in the twilight of his career — drilled a ferocious free kick past David Seaman to complete one of the greatest upsets in the competition's history. The clip of that goal remains one of the most replayed moments in FA Cup lore.

Wrexham also made their mark in European football, competing in the European Cup Winners' Cup on multiple occasions by virtue of their Welsh Cup victories. Their European campaigns brought famous nights against sides like Porto, Roma, and Anderlecht — a remarkable achievement for a club of their size.

The early 2000s brought darker times. Financial turmoil led to administration, and the club eventually suffered the indignity of relegation from the Football League in 2008, dropping into the Conference (now National League). For 15 agonising years, they toiled in non-league football, but the fanbase never abandoned them. The 2020 takeover by Reynolds and McElhenney — documented in the acclaimed series *Welcome to Wrexham* — injected fresh investment and global attention. Back-to-back promotions in 2023 and 2024 saw them climb from the National League through League Two and into League One, completing a fairytale return to the EFL.

Wrexham's roll call of great players reads like a who's who of Welsh football royalty and hard-nosed journeymen who gave everything for the red shirt.

Mickey Thomas is arguably the most beloved figure in the club's modern history — his 1992 FA Cup goal against Arsenal immortalised him forever in North Wales. A combative, skilful midfielder who had played for Manchester United and Chelsea, Thomas returned to Wrexham and produced the defining moment of his career in front of a disbelieving Racecourse crowd.

Joey Jones, the rugged Welsh international defender who famously won the European Cup with Liverpool in 1977, was a Wrexham man through and through — playing for and later managing the club, becoming a symbol of the bond between player and community. Barry Horne, a tenacious midfielder capped over 59 times for Wales, came through the Wrexham ranks before going on to greater things, always acknowledging the club that shaped him.

Dixie McNeil was the great goalscorer of Wrexham's most successful league era in the late 1970s, firing them to the old Third Division title in 1978 and earning legendary status at the Racecourse. Mark Hughes — who would become one of Wales's greatest ever players — had early associations with the club before his stellar career at Manchester United and Barcelona.

In the managerial ranks, Arfon Griffiths guided the club through their purple patch in the late 1970s, while Brian Flynn later built a team that competed admirably in the second tier. Phil Parkinson has overseen the modern Hollywood-era rise with considerable tactical acumen, earning back-to-back promotions.

The Wrexham shirt has always been defined by its bold red — a colour worn with pride from the Victorian era to the present day. Through the decades, the design has evolved considerably while the identity has remained constant.

The 1970s and 1980s kits are among the most sought-after for collectors, with classic admiral and umbro designs featuring the thick hoops, contrasting collars, and sponsor-free simplicity of the era. The late 1970s kits — worn during Wrexham's Third Division title-winning campaign and their European adventures — carry enormous historical weight. A retro Wrexham shirt from this period feels genuinely connected to the club's proudest chapter.

The early 1990s saw more adventurous designs with bolder graphics and the arrival of shirt sponsors, with local and regional businesses appearing on the chest. The kit worn during the immortal 1992 FA Cup giant-killing of Arsenal — a clean red design with white trim — is perhaps the single most iconic piece of Wrexham kit history and commands significant interest among collectors.

Into the 2000s and through the non-league years, the designs became more varied, with some striking away kits in white and yellow keeping supporters' spirits alive during difficult times. The Hollywood-era kits from 2021 onwards have attracted global buyers who discovered Wrexham through the documentary, making even relatively recent replica shirts highly desirable.

With 25 retro Wrexham shirts available in our shop, there is something for every era of supporter.