Four legends, 'Four' stands..

[aussiejackoinsaudi]

Be lovely to have something that recognises Ally McGowan. A great stalwart of the club.

[eastsussex]

Originally Posted by WasanActonlad

Returning to a serious note, though I know Redsussex, may not agree I firmly believe the gentleman who I hold responsible for the founding of this club, and was the first honorable secretary and that is EDWARD MANNERS...
He certainly should be recognised...

I would not dispute that Edward Manners announced his intention to buy a football in the course of the week, back in October 1864, WAL. And certainly, he initially took on the role as the first Hon Secretary of the club, although I would say that this was just a continuation of his role as the secretary of the cricket club.
In the early days, both cricket and football were regarded as just being different aspects of athletic sport, and it should be remembered that the football club was actually started as an athletics club, with football being just one of the sporting activities that the new club would experiment with.
In his end of season speech at The Turf Tavern in October 1864, Manners announced his intention to buy a football after he had spoken with the Mayor, and the mayor had stated that he wanted to see an athletic club formed in the town. But this desire to start an athletic club was part of a much larger movement which was sweeping through industrial towns in particular, due to major social issues.
Wrexham had been undergoing enormous changes throughout the industrial revolution, and public disorder, especially disorder caused through alcohol, was a massive concern for the authorities and civic leaders in the mid 19th Century.
The Wrexham Races had been abandoned just 6 years earlier due to such disorder, and athletic sport was now widely being championed as a new healthier pastime for the masses, rather than spending their spare time drinking. Athletic sport clubs were the new health craze that was being promoted by the authorities and civic groups throughout industrial towns, and this is the reason why so many of the early football clubs retained the name of ‘athletic’ including Wrexham Football and Athletic Club.

Back in January 1863, The Provincial Welsh Insurance Company had become the first organisation in the town to open its own gymnasium (at its offices) and as you know, most of those clerks would soon become founding members of the football club. But this gymnasium was only available to Provincial office staff, and so in October 1863, cricket club members-Charles Edward Kershaw and Evan Morris (with a few others) started a new organisation ‘ The United Volunteer Services Club’ for the specific purpose of bringing athletic sport to the masses in the winter evenings.
At the inaugural meeting, they started a fund to raise money to pay for premises where athletic sport could take place.
Now, Edward Manners was the Hon Sec and chairman of the new cricket club (The Denbighshire County Club) which was also founded in 1864, but Kershaw was the Vice Chairman, who also sometimes stood in as chairman, as too did Evan Morris, and so it is inevitable that they would be instrumental in bringing their ideas about a new athletic club to The Racecourse.
The speeches made at the inaugural meeting of the UVSC are remarkably similar to that made by Edward Manners at the Turf Hotel in 1864, both in grammar and content, but the fact that the United Volunteer Services Club disbanded as soon as Wrexham Football and Athletic Club was created, just confirms that C. E. Kershaw and Evan Morris had achieved their aim, by bringing athletic sport for the masses to The Racecourse: or else they would have continued with their quest in the UVSC.
Edward Manners was much more focused on the cricket club and The Denbighshire County Cricket Club (formerly Wrexham Cricket Club) was his real baby. Whereas Charles Kershaw was the first club captain and that sole report of our first ever game even recorded those 10 men of Wrexham Football and Athletic Club as ‘Mr Kershaw’s side’.
I think that Edward Manners was more of an early figurehead for the club, which was started during a period of social changes in the town, but in terms of the founding of the new club itself, then, this was really initiated by Charles Kershaw and Evan Morris (imo).
A stand named after Edward Manners would certainly be a good testament to our history and recognition of his involvement, WAL, although I think that he only got involved after messrs Kershaw and Morris had started the ball rolling.

That aside, I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year WAL.

[Wxm boy]

Gary Bennett Stand

Psycho Stand

Benno Stand

Chester Reject Stand (Away End)
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[eosceiriog]

Originally Posted by aussiejackoinsaudi

Be lovely to have something that recognises Ally McGowan. A great stalwart of the club.

The problem is many of the younger fans have never had the opportunity to see the likes of Ally and many other great players play.

If anyone wants to have a secretarial legend Cliff Lloyd would be head and shoulders above anyone else. He was also both Secretary and Manager for a spell. He put a decent team together resulting in our highest ever capacity crowd v Man U.

He was also a one of the most pleasant and decent men I have ever met.

The club's back office was far more efficient back then than it ever has been under the WST.

[Prodigal Dragon]

Cliff Sear is another who deserves some recognition.

The list is lengthy, so we could maybe name blocks of seats after them!

[wafc1926]

Originally Posted by eosceiriog

The problem is many of the younger fans have never had the opportunity to see the likes of Ally and many other great players play.

If anyone wants to have a secretarial legend Cliff Lloyd would be head and shoulders above anyone else. He was also both Secretary and Manager for a spell. He put a decent team together resulting in our highest ever capacity crowd v Man U.

He was also a one of the most pleasant and decent men I have ever met.

The club's back office was far more efficient back then than it ever has been under the WST.

Aly and Cliff both in original 20 Hall of Famers.

[wafc1926]

A permanent tribute to John Neal is a priority.

[deeside_dragon]

Originally Posted by Captain

Surely Mickey Thomas gets a stand at the end the free kick went in?

I'm sure people forget that wasn't the winner. Watkin scored the winner !!!

[Prodigal Dragon]

Originally Posted by wafc1926

A permanent tribute to John Neal is a priority.

Absolutely spot on. Nearly all my fond memories were due to this modest but great person, who transformed our club into something way beyond what could ever be realistically expected.

Some great memories of his time at the helm. Like me, I am sure John would love someone even better than himself to pitch up at the Racecourse to better his achievements. Our younger fans deserve the opportunity to see great football from a Wrexham team and, to be honest, we older buggers need something to refresh our ageing memories, too!

If and when the kop is redeveloped, it would be so appropriate to name it after John Neal. Fingers crossed, eh!