Wrexham AFC have started demolishing part of their famous Racecourse Ground stadium. The Kop will be replaced with new seats and will add around 5,500 seats to the capacity. Plans to upgrade the arena were previously approved in November.
Games keep selling out despite renewal
Although demolition continues, Wrexham played its most recent match at the Racecourse Ground on Tuesday. The Red Dragons won the game, 2-1, to help close the gap on league leaders Notts County. Wrexham are still three points behind the Magpies. However, the Welsh club has played two fewer games.
Attendance at the Racecourse Ground for the game still reached 9,807. This was technically a sell-out considering the alterations being made to the stadium. The normal capacity for arena soccer matches is usually around 10,000. Following completion of the new stand, Wrexham will be able to sell around 15,500 match day tickets.
The Wrexham Kop finish has been a problem for years
The club and its fans have been wanting to replace the Kop for years. Reports suggest the stand has been falling apart for over a decade. However, new owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were eventually able to close the deal to do the renovations.
“The abandoned state of the Kop has long been an eyesore and we hope that by the start of the 2024/25 season, it will be brought back into use, with a further 5,500 fans able to watch the matches live, as well as providing excellent backdrop for those who watch television,” the acting duo said earlier in a joint statement on the matter.
As well as being home to Wrexham, Racecourse Ground will now also attempt to host Wales national team matches. The stadium previously hosted Welsh international matches, but the dilapidated state of the Kop had prevented matches from being hosted at Wrexham in recent years.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Sportimage
