A view from Plaid Cymru’s North Wales Member of the Senedd

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home – you can find them all here. ​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In this month’s column Llyr Gruffydd MS writes: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘Wrexham is the name’ – that’s certainly the case if you’re looking for brand recognition these days.

Not just regionally or nationally but now Wrexham has gone global following the last month’s publicity that has seen hordes of TV crews and journalists descend on the town.

The success of Wrexham AFC’s youth, women’s and men’s teams has combined with the Hollywood frenzy surrounding the owners to create a new-found pride among locals that is truly heartening.

The club has always had an appeal beyond the town itself – it’s the team for all of north Wales as well as reaching across the border to the Shropshire Reds. It’s difficult to quantify the impact that the past two years have had on the community, which has stood with the club during the toughest of times, but there’s a beaming smile on the face of Wrexham.

There’s no doubt that bumper crowds at the Racecourse – currently selling out every home game – has been a boost to the town’s economy. Equally the unexpected bonus of international tourists as a result of the documentary series “Welcome to Wrexham” has been welcomed by a town unused to such attention.

These opportunities don’t happen often and they don’t last forever either. That’s why it’s good to see work on the Wrexham Gateway proceed that should mean the new Kop redeveloped in time for the start of the 2024-25 season.

For many fans currently unable to get tickets, many of whom are lifelong supporters, that can’t come soon enough – seeing all existing Season Tickets being renewed is a sign of how even the cost-of-living crisis can’t dent the club’s core support.

It’s also good to know that the deal forged between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government going back to 2018, where we negotiated funding for a new National Football Museum as well as a National Art Gallery, is finally bearing fruit.

The football museum, which will be located in an extension to the existing county museum, will undoubtedly be a draw for the many thousands of new visitors coming to Wrexham.

There were doubters that didn’t believe there was a need for the museum and also doubters who questioned the location. But those who understood the beautiful game knew that Welsh football took root in Wrexham, where we have the oldest international ground and third oldest club in the world still going strong. Where better to open a museum and what better time than one where there’s an uncontainable buzz surrounding the club and town?

And, who knows, when the international men’s team next plays a game at The Racecourse, could we see a certain Paul Mullin among those wearing the red of Wales?

Like the best Hollywood script, it writes itself.