Fundraising fans pull out all the stops for reds

20 December 2004

By MATT WARNER

Fans Lee and Andy Williams sat on all 10,800 seats at the Racecourse to raise money for Hope House Children's Hospice and the Children's Ward at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital

THERE was something for all the family at The Racecourse on Saturday with two special personal appearances and efforts to raise funds for the club.

Before the result of the game dampened spirits, there was a mood of festive joy in the ground.

Mascot Rockin' Robin came out of retirement to join Wrex the Dragon's efforts to entertain young and old, and fans supported Lee Williams and Andy Williams as they completed the gruelling "bums on seats" challenge that saw them sit in every seat in the ground, including the dugout.

They started in the early morning darkness and sat in the last of about 10,800 seats joined by MP and Wrexham fan Ian Lucas.

Andy said: "It's been hard, it is energy sapping. But pain is temporary, glory is forever. The reaction from the fans and the stewards has been brilliant, they have kept us going. I never doubted we would do it. The gauntlet was thrown down and we had to get on with it."

Half of the money raised will go to support the football club while the rest will be divided between Hope House Children's Hospice and the children's ward at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Lee said: "The pledges before today totalled £1,000 and we are hoping, with the bucket collection, to raise between £2,000 and £3,000."

However, "bums on seats" was not the only fundraising event on Saturday.

Local children paraded 36 signed football shirts that had been donated by clubs throughout the league around the pitch. A shirt from Reading arrived during the match, as did one donated by Wrexham's opponents, Hartlepool.

All 92 clubs have been contacted by fan Neil Williams, and 70 have either sent a shirt or agreed to do so.

Efforts have now been intensified to persuade the remaining clubs to donate a shirt so they can be auctioned to help secure Wrexham FC's future.

Neil said: "We have spoken to Sotheby's and Christie's and hope to auction them as a job lot. Signed shirts from all 92 clubs have never been at auction before, it will be unique."

Not all fundraising efforts were on such a large scale. David Williams, the son of supervisor Nigel Williams, made a collection at Ysgol Rhiwabon with his friend Dana Holman.

The two 15-year-olds managed to collect £85, which David presented to the club's football secretary Geraint Parry.

Finally, a veteran fan was given the VIP treatment after supporting Wrexham FC for 83 years.

Thomas Hughes, 88, was taken to his first match when he was just five years old. As on Saturday, Wrexham were defeated by Hartlepool in the team's first game in the Third Division North, but that did not put off Mr Hughes and he has attended hundreds of Wrexham and Wales matches at The Racecourse.

He sold cigarettes and chocolates in the ground as a boy and, for many years, was in charge of the St John's Ambulance volunteers at home games.

Mr Hughes said: "I have good and bad memories of games played here over the years, the only time I wasn't here was when I was away for seven years during the war."