Welsh football legends throw their weight behind Stadium for the North campaign

Two legends of Welsh football are throwing their weight behind a campaign to secure the funding necessary to develop the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham in order to bring international football back to North Wales. Former Wales internationals Mickey Thomas and Malcolm Allen are at the forefront of the campaign which aims to see a 5,500 capacity stand developed at the Kop end of the famous old ground.

The campaign, named Stadium for the North (or Stadiwm i'r Gogledd in Welsh) is urging supporters of Welsh sport the length and breadth of Wales to sign an online register of support here. This will then be presented to UK Government decision-makers before a funding decision is made in the summer of 2022.

Both Thomas and Allen were part of Wales teams who regularly played international matches at the Racecourse Ground in the 1980s. Thomas also memorably scored the equalising goal in Wrexham's famous victory over Arsenal at the ground in 1992.

Legendary former Wrexham, Manchester United and Wales star Thomas spoke passionately about the campaign. The Mochdre man is keen to see the return of top level sport to North Wales and give youngsters and families the chance to see their heroes in action.

Thomas said: "The funding is vital if North Wales is to realise its ambition of having facilities capable of hosting international sport. Currently there are no facilities in the north of Wales that are capable of hosting international sport (football and rugby) and therefore by default all sport must be played in an area south of the M4 in Wales.

"This lack of facilities means that a majority of young people and families across North Wales are excluded from these events due to the cost and difficulty of getting to Cardiff on a match day