Wrexham Museum

THE HOME OF WELSH FOOTBALL

We visit SHIRT STORIES: A SHIRT BY SHIRT HISTORY OF WELSH FOOTBALL at Wrexham County Borough Museum & Archives, for a tour of the exhibition and to hear future plans for celebrating the proud heritage of the game in Wales

Greeting visitors at the entrance to Wrexham Museum is none other than Gareth Bale – “probably the most iconic Welsh footballer of all,” says Nick Jones, who cocurated this exhibition and is here to show us around. With a nod to the national team captain, pictured celebrating their historic World Cup qualifier against Austria in March, we move on to the exhibits. The first panel gives a history of the Welsh national team shirt – how it has evolved from the first strip in 1876 (which was actually white) to the yellow away kit and the Admiral shirt featuring the tramlines.

“This is quite a famous shirt – you see fans wearing it at games even now,” says Nick, Football Museum officer. “It was worn by John Mahoney in an international against England in 1977. The English FA refused to play the Welsh anthem before the game, and after the English anthem the Welsh squad didn’t move, as a protest. Now of course the Welsh anthem is sung with passion by fans before all games, home and away. “Next, we’ve got the first Welsh women’s team shirt and cap from 1973, when they had their first bespoke kit. Before this, they were looked after by different associations including the WFA, so it’s a great thing to be able to display. It’s more difficult to find out about women’s football in Wales so we’ve been working with collectors and other researchers. “Because of the World Cup coming up, with Wales in the men’s finals starting in November, we wanted to make the core of the exhibition about the competition. So we have a shirt from the June 1958 game, the first finals game Wales played. They did well – they got through the group games and played Brazil in the quarter final, losing 1-0 to a late Pelé goal. We also have a shirt from this year’s play-off against Ukraine, plus a plate that was a gift from the Ukrainian FA, presented at the game in Cardiff.

“The women’s team “There’s a rare shirt from Neville Southall, the Wales and Everton keeper, from when is in the play-o s to qualify he played for Bury, and one from Clayton for the women’s World Cup Blackmore when Manchester United won the Premier League in 1992-3.” next summer. So we may The exhibition will run for a year at the be able to add something museum. “The women are in the play-offs to qualify for the women’s World Cup next on that!” summer, so we may be able to add something on that!” says Nick. Plans are advancing for part of Wrexham Museum to become the Football Museum for Wales, telling the story of the Welsh game from grassroots up to the national teams. “It makes sense,” Nick says. “Not only due to the global attention Wrexham AFC is gaining thanks to its new owners, but also because Wrexham was once effectively national team stadium.” He adds: “The reaction to the exhibition has been really positive, and we’re looking to hold some events during the World Cup, such as an education trail and sticker swap days.”

Every exhibit has a story to tell Signed by the players National hero: Gareth Bale after the win against Austria

SHIRT STORIES tells the history of Welsh football through selected shirts held in the Welsh Football Collection and loans from private individuals. The selection highlights the story of both men’s and women’s football, at national and club level. Timed to coincide with the build-up to the World Cup in Qatar, the exhibition includes:

• A shirt worn by Alan Harrington in the 1958 World Cup qualifiers • A shirt from Wales’ only previous appearance in a World Cup Finals in 1958 • Wales shirts from the 2022 qualifying campaign • A shirt worn in the first official Welsh women’s international played in 1993 • Retro shirts from the top Welsh teams:

Wrexham, Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County. Wrexham County Borough

Museum & Archives, County

Buildings, Regent Street, Wrexham LL11 1RB

Monday-Friday 10am-5pm; Saturday 11am-4pm