Wrexham tap into past glory in bid for FA Cup upset against Chelsea
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Wrexham's Josh Windass (centre) being congratulated by Callum Doyle after scoring as Dominic Hyam makes his way back for the kick-off during Wrexham's 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round win against Ipswich at the Racecourse Ground on Feb 13.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Wrexham players have watched clips of the Racecourse Ground’s famous giant-killings several times over the course of this season – reminders of what this old stadium has witnessed, and what might again be possible.
Now, as English Premier League heavyweights Chelsea arrive for an FA Cup fifth-round clash on March 7, Wrexham centre-back Dominic Hyam hopes his team can carve out a chapter of their own.
“Before the previous round and two rounds ago, the gaffer (Phil Parkinson) showed us a lot of clips on the history of Wrexham and some of the big games that happened here many years ago,” he said.
Wrexham have already dispatched top-flight side Nottingham Forest in a third-round thriller decided by penalties, the latest highlight in several seasons full of them.
Under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who purchased the team in 2021, the team have surged from the fifth tier to the second after three successive promotions and are currently sixth in the Championship, pushing for a place in the Premier League via the play-offs.
For a club whose recent rise has already produced more than its share of memorable moments, the Chelsea game is another chance to stretch the boundaries of what is possible.
Hyam, who has anchored Wrexham’s backline this season, embraces the scale of the challenge.
“Obviously, one of the biggest teams in the world, we’re under no illusions, we’re the underdog in this game,” the Scotland international said. “But it’s what the FA Cup is all about. And we’re here to hopefully make another bit of history.”
For Parkinson, this is the kind of week that makes the grind worthwhile.
“We go into this weekend with an ‘everything to gain, nothing to lose’ mindset,” the Wrexham manager declared.
“But we’re also in a strong position in the league, and it is a great test for us against Chelsea, and that’s what we’re looking for, like the Forest game, how can we cope against Premiership-quality players?
“These are the weeks you really want to be involved in as a football manager, player, supporter. Chelsea at home in the FA Cup and then we roll into two really exciting (league) games,” the 58-year-old said, ahead of the upcoming visits of Hull City and Swansea City.
“When people moan about fixtures, we’ve worked hard to get to this stage, the FA Cup. We’ve worked exceptionally hard to be in the top six (in the league).”
That blend of ambition and realism will shape their approach on March 7.
“You’ve got to go into every game believing,” Parkinson added. “If not, we might as well not turn up.
“We’ve also got to go with an understanding of the underdog mentality and what boxes we’ve got to tick to make this evening as difficult as possible for Chelsea.”
Hyam feels the same. He scored his first goal for Wrexham against Forest, a reminder of what can happen on these nights.
“Yeah, really special day for me and for the club,” the 30-year-old said. “It’s the magic of the FA Cup. Hopefully, we can have another good evening here with the backing of our fans. We know anything’s possible. Under no illusions, it’s going to be a really tough game, but really looking forward to it.”
Chelsea approach the tie having moved up to fifth in the Premier League after thrashing Aston Villa 4-1 at Villa Park on March 4. REUTERS
