It has been a while since I last wrote a Memory Match column. I spent 2015-2018 writing these articles for the Wrexham AFC matchday programme when we were proud to be a community club.
Unfortunately, the club’s treatment of disabled supporters is nothing short of a disgrace, while the treatment of the proactive Disabled Supporters Association leaves a lot to be desired. I am therefore withdrawing my support of the club until ALL disabled supporters are given adequate and inclusive facilities from which to enjoy the football served up at the Racecourse.
Instead I will go to watch 90 minutes of action, wherever I feel I am welcomed. It goes without saying that I will always have one ear on the Wrexham result as it is not the actual club that I have fallen out with. It is merely the way the club is being run that I have an issue with. I will continue to attend matches when it is my turn on the platform rota and away matches, but I am not wasting any more time at the bottom of the stand with an abysmal view of the action while exposed to the elements. It is a disgrace that disabled supporters are being treated in such a way at the start of the 21st century.
I still want to continue with these Memory Match articles as they proved popular. I also enjoy writing them and remembering a time when it was enjoyable to visit the Racecourse and watch a decent standard of football.
25/08/28
Wrexham v Chesterfield
League Division Three (Northern Section)
Racecourse Ground
Result: 4-3
Wrexham: Greatrex, Jones, Lumberg, Read, Bellis, Graham, Longmuir, Rogers, Mays, Woodhouse, Gunson
Goalscorers: Mays (4)
Chesterfield: Bilcliff, Beeson, Bicknell, Wass, Fell, Neale, Bloxham, Roseboom, Cowan, Taylor, Lee
Goalscorers: Roseboom, Bloxham, Cowan,
Attendance: 5,463
Following yet another anonymous season in mid-table, Wrexham excelled in 1928/29 and finished third in the League table. Chesterfield visited the Racecourse on the opening day of the season and the club were hopeful that the arrival of Albert ‘Billy’ Mays from Merthyr Town would help propel them to greater heights. The centre-forward had previous League experience with Bristol City, Plymouth Argyle and the South Wales club, so hopes were high.
Writing in the Leader, ‘XYZ’ summed up his impression of the new marksman following this first match of the season:
“Mays made a favourable impression and scored four goals. This was the best individual performance in League football on Saturday and the great ovation he received from the spectators was fully deserved.”
Mays gave Wrexham the lead after 15 minutes, but just 10 minutes later Chesterfield equalised when Jack Lee raced away from Teddy Read and Alf Jones, to deliver a fine centre. Ken Greatrex punched clear, but the ball only found Teddy Roseboom, who got his name on the scoresheet.
Worse was to follow before the interval, as another attack down the left flank by Lee, led to William Cowan scoring a second for the visitors.
Wrexham fought back in the second period and showed plenty of aggression. Archie Longmuir fired in a couple of first-time shots, while Billie Rogers was very unlucky not to score with a ferocious cross-shot. Eventually, Mays restored parity from a Gunson centre, but Chesterfield were not to be outdone. Albert Bloxham was the man to put the visitors back in control, but this sensational game was still far from over. Gunson and Mays combined, before the centre-forward drew the keeper out and completed his hat-trick.
The fat lady hadn’t started to sing yet though and Wrexham carried on attacking. That man Mays headed home the winning goal from a corner in the last minute.
We were off to a winning start. Things would continue in a positive vein, with six more wins and three draws before we fell to our first defeat of the season, against Stockport County at Edgeley Park (6-2).
Bradford City eventually won promotion from the Third Division North that season. They finished a single point ahead of Stockport County, and 11 points clear of third placed Wrexham.
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Billy Mays ended the season with 32 League goals. This was not the last time that he secured a 4-goal haul, as he repeated this trick on January the 5th 1929, in a 5-0 home thrashing of Barrow.
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Season 1928/29 was also significant as it saw the first Wrexham goal by a certain Tommy Bamford. He struck in a 4-0 crushing of Accrington Stanley at the Racecourse, on the 30th of March 1929.
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Unfortunately, our success in the League did not transfer to the Cup competitions. We were knocked out of the FA Cup at the First Round stage, when Carlisle United visited the Racecourse and scraped a 0-1 victory. It was a similar story in the Welsh Cup, as Rhyl secured a 2-4 victory at the Cae Ras at the Fifth Round stage. We had received byes for the previous rounds.
