Racecourse Ground – design description

Why should a new stand be built at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham?

In late 2020 and early 2021, two American actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, became the new owners of Wrexham AFC club. One of their priority tasks was to restore the stand behind the east goal at the Racecourse Ground.

The east stand was erected in the 1950s by fans, using wheelbarrows and shovels, without the aid of heavy equipment. It earned the nickname Spion Kop (or Kop for short), like many other terraced stands in British stadiums (the most famous is at Liverpool's Anfield), in reference to the Battle of Spion Kop in South Africa, which took place in January 1900.

The Kop stand, partially covered and equipped with concrete steps, with distinctive red and white (the club's colors) railings, over time became the oldest stand in the stadium, the only one with standing room. Due to failure to meet safety requirements, it was taken out of service in 2008. High attendances at the Racecourse Ground, however, make the provision of more seats for spectators a real need.

What steps have been taken to build a new stand in Wrexham?

Restoring the eastern part of the stadium to fans means demolishing the old stand and building an entirely new one in its place. In the summer of 2021, the distinctive railings were removed from the Kop. Things took a turn for the better in June 2022, when the club became the owner of the stadium again, renderings of the new stand were published, and local authorities authorized the demolition of the old one.

The old stand was removed in late 2022 and early 2023, and the new stand was supposed to be ready before the start of the 2024/25 season, but its construction did not start at all due to “additional complications”, as the club stated.

Instead of building a new stand, a temporary metal structure was erected behind the east goal in late 2023 to allow more fans to watch games at the stadium. Earlier, lighting poles were also replaced at the Racecourse Ground.

An account of the initial work carried out at the Racecourse Ground, which included the demolition of the old The Kop and the construction of a temporary stand, is presented on a separate subpage

What were the original plans for the new stand at the Racecourse Ground to look like?

According to the concept developed by AFL Architects, the new stand was to accommodate 5,500 spectators, of which 500 seats, located in the upper section, were to be business seats. The stand was also to include barrier seating directly in front, so fans could also watch matches standing up.

The new stand was to have a typically English character – free-standing, without corners, fully covered. Its exterior facade was to be mostly covered with black panels, which the designers intended as a reference to Wrexham's mining traditions. It was also to be by far the tallest stand in the stadium.

The space under the stand was planned so that it could be used outside match days for exhibitions and other events. Offices and a club store were also to be located under the stand. The project included new lighting poles as well. The construction of the new stand would increase the venue's capacity to around 16,000 spectators, confirming its status as the premier football venue in North Wales.

Will the project for a new stand at the Racecourse Ground be realized?

The club has had difficulties with the project, which did not get off the ground on schedule. In the meantime, however, a partnership has been established with renowned architectural practice Populous, which has developed a new design for the stand (thus rejecting an earlier concept from AFL Architects). The new renderings were released on February 3, 2025.

New stand, to be built already according to the new plans from Populous, should be ready in the summer of 2026, in time for the U-19 European Championships.