An appeal has been launched for memorabilia to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Wrexham Football Club.
Club legend Joey Jones is backing the creation of a pop-up museum which will be open from May 29-31 at the town’s Eagles Meadow shopping centre.
The club, established in 1864, is the oldest in Wales and the third oldest in the world.
Organisers say the anniversary celebrations are particularly appropriate with the World Club looming because as the Racecourse is the world’s oldest international football ground still in use. The first international match was played there in 1877 when Scotland played Wales.
Joey, who is now Wrexham’s youth team coach and reserve team manager, says the pop-up museum is a great idea.
Joey, 59, said: “Wrexham Football Club means everything to me – after all I signed for the club not once but three times!
“It’s always been a great club with fantastic, loyal supporters who are staunch reds. If the pop-up museum at Eagles Meadow helps fans celebrate a big milestone for the club and helps raise the club’s profile it has to be a good thing.”
Joey, who played 376 times for Wrexham scoring 19 goals in between stints at Liverpool, Chelsea and Huddersfield Town, added: “I have always been happy here at Wrexham.
“And even though I have played in Merseyside derbies when I was at Liverpool, London derbies, Yorkshire derbies and even Wales against England matches, it’s the Wrexham against Chester games that were always my favourite matches.
“It would be great to see just what memorabilia fans have tucked away in their cupboards whether it’s some long-forgotten programme, match tickets or one of those old rattles that were all the rage when I was a lad.
“The pop-up museum will be the perfect place to get all these things together and share some memories of Wrexham Football Club. I will definitely be taking my granddaughters, Mia and Maisie along to have a look at what’s on display.”
Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley is keen to help fans celebrate the football club’s 150th anniversary in style.
He said: “The football club is woven into the fabric of the town and we know just how much the club means to so many people in the area. Wrexham folk are passionate about the club and we want to help play our part in the celebrations of the club’s 150th birthday.
“I’d ask all fans to have a look at any historical items or memorabilia they might have at home that would be of interest to other supporters.
“We’re looking for all manner of interesting artefacts including photographs, posters, football shirts, balls, clothing, equipment.
“We’d also love to see any cups, medals, sashes, certificates that may be out there.
“If they can loan it to us we will put it on display for the three day’s at the end of May that the museum will be open.”
The idea has also been given the seal of approval by the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust.
Trust chairman Peter Jones is delighted Eagles Meadow is backing the club which was founded at the Turf Hotel on October 4, 1864.
He said: “Wrexham FC is the oldest football club in Wales and the third oldest professional football club in the world after Notts County (1862) and Stoke City (1863).
“And The Racecourse Ground, where the club first played, is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest international football stadium in the world that’s still in use.”
He added: “The pop-up museum is a great idea and I will back any positive scheme designed to raise the profile of Wrexham Football Club. And it will actually compliment a website the Trust is committed to build.
“The Trust aims to raise the awareness and understanding of the club’s heritage and its central place in the social and community history of Wrexham and North Wales by looking to establish an online archive, including adding photographs and other historic documents to the project.
“We are also asking supporters for any artefacts, the older the better, that we can include on the website. I hope supporters are able to support the Eagles Meadow pop-up museum and loan whatever suitable memorabilia they might have to both projects.”
Fans who have any memorabilia they would like to share should ring 07970 318081 or email wrexhamfootball@bakehousefactory.co.uk and meanwhile, the Supporters Trust website will be available soon, if you have any artefacts you can either photograph or scan, then please e-mail them to heritage@wst.org.uk
