New (and old) RP'ers Introduce Yourselves...

[Virtual-Dragon]

Hi all (or should I say, those few who have not yet ignored, or hurriedly scroll past my painfully large and/or tiresomely unfunny posts! )

I appreciate that, now we are firmly in the run-up to Christmas, people might be struggling to book the additional work leave required to have enough time to read this! Joking aside though, I would estimate about 10-15 mins will be required!

This is my long overdue and somewhat avoided introduction! Which has been sat securely in my email drafts for a substantial length of time, so has benefitted from many an update and revision.

Finally posting this for a few reasons...

Firstly, based on our upcoming rivals, who were the opponents for the first away game that I can properly remember.

Secondly, partly triggered as well, by the most recent discussions around the enduring bromance between the Welsh and English! Let me specify... I am just talking in relation to the World Cup, as I intend to stay as far away from any politics as possible (as I am definitely here on RP, for the footie and the bantz!... although the chess does somewhat intrigue the 'Queeg 500' in me!)

I am also conscious of the fact that a substantial proportion of RP veterans have been rightly cautious of me, having very little tangible background detail to work from and in the VIRTUAL world nothing is ever really tangible...except for bitcoin and NFT's obviously!!

I am most certainly not trying to upset the tremendous ecosystem of RP and will gladly take comments under advisement, and adjust accordingly, if that is the case, either now, or ever in the future.

When I finally made the jump, registered, and promptly received my automated email from Rob about adding to this thread (if I felt like it!), my instinctive reaction was 'avoid!'. I still can't determine if this was so that I could try and integrate myself in, off of my own back somewhat, purely based on the content of my posts, or alternatively, was through being worried that posting the below would lead to me getting automatically banned!

I have been a Wrexham supporter since the late 80's (admittedly, ashamedly and unforgivably) on and off! I have never taken up support of another team though. This is due to my dad, who is North Walian and has been an avid supporter of Wrexham AFC since the mid 60's and is probably the most significant factor for this post.

I cannot think of a time, in around the last two decades, that my dad has ever had a day where he wasn't checking, reading or telling everyone what's going on here on RP, other than when away on holiday (as his mobile phone doesn't even have snake!).

He only posts stuff on the odd occasion, when having useful/beneficial information. He is the reserved, yet... informed, sophisticated and most importantly, devoted hero of this post. As opposed to me... the villainous, half-English, towel-throwing, sarcy, smart alec, gobsh!te!

One side of my family is from Conwy Town (or Conway, as it was back then!) and the other side is from Notts! My taid, was what they call a Jackdaw, which is someone who was born at home in a house within the walls of Conway. My dad was also born at home, on the Morfa, a stone's throw away from where the Y Morfa Stadium now lies.

My dad was yards away from never existing, as one night in March 1941 while my gran and taid were tucked up in bed, the below happened!...

Site of bombed farm, Bryn Morfa, Conwy - History Points

My Dad went to school at John Bright's and then went on to study in Liverpool and was privileged enough to witness The Beatles' rise to stardom and Paul McCartney still owes him sixpence! During that time, he spent 4 summers working on the station at the Junction and when not working, would be found playing football or drinking in the Maelgwyn Hotel (the old one) or in the 'The Killer'. Nowadays though, you are more likely to find us both (on the odd occasion), in The Albion in Conwy or in the Picture House in Colwyn Bay (appreciate these are like chalk and cheese!)

As a child, I would have to spend hours stood around on the Conwy Quay, as my gran and taid nattered with the likes of Keith the Fish and Margaret from the Smallest House. My taid was more into snooker and crown green bowls than football and both him and my dad played bowls with the likes of Jim Paton when he was just a young lad (for any locals or fellow bowls fanatics!)

My dad then spent a year in Bangor, learning how to teach! And then promptly moved to England, which gave him the platform to tell every Englishman he met, that he had arrived in their country on incredibly difficult missionary work... trying to educate them! After a brief spell teaching in Essex, he moved to Notts where he met my mother.

I had a very difficult, 'on and off' relationship with Football from an early age! My Dad managed my primary school team for a while!... I was definitely no Darren... but comparably, my dad was also not quite Sir Alex!

Additionally at school in Notts, I struggled explaining to my peers that I supported Wrexham, when the flavours of the time were Liverpool, Arsenal and Forest (as this was just before Man U's golden generation). I suppose I could have chosen Donny Rovers, or Notts, but it never seemed right! At break time, I would choose to play as Brian Flynn resulting in befuddled looks, while ironically half of those perplexed kids would then argue who was going to bang a load of goals in, playing as Ian Rush!

As I could never bring myself to support another team, I have almost never been to see a game played above tier 5, other than to see Wrexham.

According to my dad, my first game was at the Racecourse, when I was probably about 5 or 6 and I sat on the floor eating sweets. I think I can just barely remember this.

Over the years we have tried to get to as many away games as possible, such as the likes of Notts, Chesterfield, York, Lincoln, Mansfield, Ssilly billyhorpe, Doncaster, Rotherham, Gainsborough, Sheffield. (Sorry les.gtfc if you read this, we are yet to make it to Cleethorpes...but fingers crossed!) We have also been to finals in both Cardiff and at Wembley.

Every trip out is a joy (for me at least!) irrespective of the match result. You can pretty much guarantee some form of hijinks will ensue! Two recent games of note for this are detailed below.

The first, was while we were walking down the road, out of Meadow Lane in October. As we discussed the game, some young teenage lad started walking right up close to us, a camera at his side. He heard my Notts accent and thus felt comfortable asking for an interview. He began to film, as my dad hurriedly reeled off how he thought the opposing team looked poor, played cynically, won't win the league, and that we were the much better team over the 90! I think the penny had already dropped for the lad, but it certainly did when my dad finished it with "and we definitely should not have lost!". I cannot imagine that video made it onto YouTube!

The second was 2 weeks later, for the Spartans replay. I took a day off work (as it was the last really good day of weather this year) and before the match we found ourselves scrambling under electrified fencing, to escape a cowpat peppered field, on a walk in the hills north of Wrexham, before then heading to TenPin Wrexham, for the best £10 I have ever spent... giving my Dad a double masterclass, that Bill Murray would be proud of!

One of my dad's favourites, still to this day, is from the LDV Final, where after hours of trawling the internet, he managed to find a photo of us in the crowd, where I am just starting to scoff a pie! This portrait of pastry gorging (no I am not Mark Griffiths!), he then subsequently used as his PC desktop background for about 5 years! Which was fantastic, for the endless number of times he has needed me to pop round to provide IT support!

My favourite player of all time is a difficult one, as I could pick a few for differing reasons. If it has to be just one, then it would be Carlos Edwards, for the obvious!

My memory is poor, both long and short term nowadays, but one of the first games that bizarrely sticks in my mind from my teens, and that I can give a definitive date for, was a depressing 0-0 draw at Saltergate on 8th February 1997, as I remember us being back there again just a month later!

The ball hardly touched the ground all game, much to the disapproval of my Tad! I remember some young Spirerite lad was overly loud and animated, gesticulating heavily while also having his arm round his (you have to expect!?) girlfriend. She looked a lot like posh spice and had all the clobber and haircut to match! It was not long before melodic chants were coming from Wrexham fans enquiring about whether she was forthcoming in accommodating things in the same location suggested to the Blues for the safe keeping of their Crooked Spire!

Playing that day (although I can only barely remember!) were the likes of Marriott, Bennett, King Karl and Steve Watkin.

Another game that sticks in my memory, was an away game in Mansfield. I remember it had not started particularly well and my dad was giving grief to Big Den about needing to play the ball on the floor more. Just for a second, Dennis casually glanced over and looked straight at us...well I sh4t myself! and I am pretty sure my Dad did too! Probably enough to still be weighing up whether we should attend the Cov game or not (if we are lucky enough to get tickets!) I'm not saying the old boy is any kind of motivation or tactics guru, but the game definitely picked up second half!

Due to my half-Englishness, I have always had a bit of an internal struggle with supporting Wrexham. This is reflected somewhat in my "Down the Wings!" profile picture, contrasted with my choice of username and number of years lurking on RP! (Although I did nearly post once, while pie-eyed in spoons (TN&SWB) after a match, in the days of Tapatalk!)

My dad (even though his accent has faded significantly) is still a poster boy for the fact there is a certain amount of anti-English sentiment about, and even now (i.e. post R&R), we still sometimes experience people literally moving away from being sat next to us when they hear my accent!

This reaction may well also be because (holding my hands up!) I am in the 1% who, after picking the exact seats from a seating plan on an away club's web site (e.g. Notts, Scunny, etc.), expect to end up sitting in that seat for the game. However, if their web site just allocates randomly (e.g. Wealdy, Eastleigh, etc.) or they are ones bought through the WAFC site (so again, random allocation), then I appreciate and agree it should be first over the line on the day.

I imagine at least a few of you may have come up against me in the past due to this! Nowadays, with my Dad being 80 and me just being idle! we want to be nearer to the front, with the others who prefer, or need to sit for the majority of the game.

The subtext and historical significance of a presumed Englishman, walking up and saying he is taking your bit of land is not lost on me, and after having fought for my seat, I am then somewhat nervy for the duration of the match! To be honest though, these interactions have always gone really well.

We tried once sitting in a home stand for an away game, which was a horrific experience and felt sickeningly unnatural and I would not recommend it to anyone and will never do it again! (I suppose this is personal preference and may be dependent on people's circumstances).

I suppose R&R and WtW are partly to thank (or blame, depending on your stance!?) for me now appearing out of the woodwork!

You have all been very forgiving of me on here though, for which I am thankful! Possibly you are all just very good at biting your tongues?!

I'd like to think that when the time comes, the baton of family responsibility, for avidly supporting this magnificent football club will be safe in my hands. Until such time that it then needs to get passed down again!

I once again apologize for the length of this post (as happens with most of them!) and I am going to calm it down a bit with both the size and frequency of posting, before I either burn out, or burn bridges!

I intend to keep up with the Upcoming Opposition threads though (and will post the Chesterfield one tomorrow) and when I no doubt drop massive clangers in them, I am happy to have these pointed out... as we are all on a learning journey together! :barf!

[East Carolina Red]

Hello everyone!

I'm another one of those "foreign fans" that Footballfan1862 loves so much! My name is Brandon and I live in Louisiana, though I'm originally from North Carolina. I, like so many others, stumbled upon "Welcome to Wrexham" and gave it a watch. I enjoy documentaries about different sports, especially ones like "Hard Knocks" on HBO, because it gives you insight into the players, how everyone gets along in the locker room, etc. So, I watched "Welcome to Wrexham" with no preconceived notions about the team, the town, or Wales.

I will say that I 100% did not expect to become a fan of Wrexham, but here we are. Most of the teams I support, I cultivated that fanhood over years and years. But there was just something about these players, the people in the town, and the history behind Wrexham football that made me (again, unexpectedly) emotionally invested in how the club performs, and I find myself checking results, watching games on TV when they're on, and researching the players.

My wife, who has never watched football in her life, was screaming and jumping off the couch when Mullin had his first goal against Farnborough. She only reacts that way for her Dallas Cowboys, so I was pleasantly surprised.

You reds have something special going on, and the next time I visit friends in London, I'm taking a few days to come see Wales, and Wrexham in particular. Might have to get breakfast at the food truck outside the Turf.

Most sincerely,

Brandon Frisby
Lafayette, Louisiana

[Wiltshire_Red]

Originally Posted by East Carolina Red

Hello everyone!

I'm another one of those "foreign fans" that Footballfan1862 loves so much! My name is Brandon and I live in Louisiana, though I'm originally from North Carolina. I, like so many others, stumbled upon "Welcome to Wrexham" and gave it a watch. I enjoy documentaries about different sports, especially ones like "Hard Knocks" on HBO, because it gives you insight into the players, how everyone gets along in the locker room, etc. So, I watched "Welcome to Wrexham" with no preconceived notions about the team, the town, or Wales.

I will say that I 100% did not expect to become a fan of Wrexham, but here we are. Most of the teams I support, I cultivated that fanhood over years and years. But there was just something about these players, the people in the town, and the history behind Wrexham football that made me (again, unexpectedly) emotionally invested in how the club performs, and I find myself checking results, watching games on TV when they're on, and researching the players.

My wife, who has never watched football in her life, was screaming and jumping off the couch when Mullin had his first goal against Farnborough. She only reacts that way for her Dallas Cowboys, so I was pleasantly surprised.

You reds have something special going on, and the next time I visit friends in London, I'm taking a few days to come see Wales, and Wrexham in particular. Might have to get breakfast at the food truck outside the Turf.

Most sincerely,

Brandon Frisby
Lafayette, Louisiana

Welcome to Wrexham Brandon

[Wrexy]

Originally Posted by East Carolina Red

Hello everyone!

I'm another one of those "foreign fans" that Footballfan1862 loves so much! My name is Brandon and I live in Louisiana, though I'm originally from North Carolina. I, like so many others, stumbled upon "Welcome to Wrexham" and gave it a watch. I enjoy documentaries about different sports, especially ones like "Hard Knocks" on HBO, because it gives you insight into the players, how everyone gets along in the locker room, etc. So, I watched "Welcome to Wrexham" with no preconceived notions about the team, the town, or Wales.

I will say that I 100% did not expect to become a fan of Wrexham, but here we are. Most of the teams I support, I cultivated that fanhood over years and years. But there was just something about these players, the people in the town, and the history behind Wrexham football that made me (again, unexpectedly) emotionally invested in how the club performs, and I find myself checking results, watching games on TV when they're on, and researching the players.

My wife, who has never watched football in her life, was screaming and jumping off the couch when Mullin had his first goal against Farnborough. She only reacts that way for her Dallas Cowboys, so I was pleasantly surprised.

You reds have something special going on, and the next time I visit friends in London, I'm taking a few days to come see Wales, and Wrexham in particular. Might have to get breakfast at the food truck outside the Turf.

Most sincerely,

Brandon Frisby
Lafayette, Louisiana

My all time favourite cookbook is Talk About Good (Cajun) published by the Junior League of Lafayette. Picked it up in New Orleans on a trip driving from California via Mexico to New York in 1997 and it has served me well ever since.

https://www.amazon.com/Cookbook-Loui...s%2C130&sr=8-1

If this is anything to go by you're going to be very disappointed by the standard of food on offer at the van.

[East Carolina Red]

Originally Posted by Wrexy

My all time favourite cookbook is Talk About Good (Cajun) published by the Junior League of Lafayette. Picked it up in New Orleans on a trip driving from California via Mexico to New York in 1997 and it has served me well ever since.

https://www.amazon.com/Cookbook-Loui...s%2C130&sr=8-1

If this is anything to go by you're going to be very disappointed by the standard of food on offer at the van.

When I visit, I'll have to see if customs will allow me to smuggle some crawfish, gumbo, & boudin into the country!

[East Carolina Red]

Originally Posted by Wiltshire_Red

Welcome to Wrexham Brandon

Thank you! Along for the ride!

[OriginalRhylRed]

Originally Posted by East Carolina Red

Hello everyone!

I'm another one of those "foreign fans" that Footballfan1862 loves so much! My name is Brandon and I live in Louisiana, though I'm originally from North Carolina. I, like so many others, stumbled upon "Welcome to Wrexham" and gave it a watch. I enjoy documentaries about different sports, especially ones like "Hard Knocks" on HBO, because it gives you insight into the players, how everyone gets along in the locker room, etc. So, I watched "Welcome to Wrexham" with no preconceived notions about the team, the town, or Wales.

I will say that I 100% did not expect to become a fan of Wrexham, but here we are. Most of the teams I support, I cultivated that fanhood over years and years. But there was just something about these players, the people in the town, and the history behind Wrexham football that made me (again, unexpectedly) emotionally invested in how the club performs, and I find myself checking results, watching games on TV when they're on, and researching the players.

My wife, who has never watched football in her life, was screaming and jumping off the couch when Mullin had his first goal against Farnborough. She only reacts that way for her Dallas Cowboys, so I was pleasantly surprised.

You reds have something special going on, and the next time I visit friends in London, I'm taking a few days to come see Wales, and Wrexham in particular. Might have to get breakfast at the food truck outside the Turf.

Most sincerely,

Brandon Frisby
Lafayette, Louisiana

Welcome fella ,this season will go to the wife so strap yourself in for a rollercoaster of a ride!!!!

[OriginalRhylRed]

Originally Posted by OriginalRhylRed

Welcome fella ,this season will go to the wife so strap yourself in for a rollercoaster of a ride!!!!

Right meant to say ride not wife !!!!

[East Carolina Red]

Originally Posted by OriginalRhylRed

Right meant to say ride not wife !!!!

Somehow it still works!