WREXHAM AFC and the Gresford Colliery Disaster will forever be connected.
At 2.08am on September 22, 1934, an explosion rocked the Dennis section of the mine causing a fire, which resulted in a tragic loss of life. In total, 266 people lost their lives.
2024 marks the 90th anniversary of the city's greatest tragedy and there is a lot going on to remember those that lost their lives, and the football club are determined to pay their respects.
There were more than 500 men underground on the night of September 22 – a number tragically much larger than usual as many had many doubled on shifts to watch Wrexham play Tranmere Rovers at the Racecourse Ground later that afternoon.
Following the disaster, the club has maintained a close connection with the mining community. Anniversary shirts have been donated to the Miners Rescue Station, tributes have been paid on kits, as well as the minutes of silence to remember those that lost their lives.
Since the takeover by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, that connection has continued to grow.
Rob has visited the mining wheel in Gresford and the Miners Rescue Station, a tribute to the 266 men that were killed in the disaster is emblazoned on this season's kits and the pair also plan on commemorating the disaster with a memorial at the new Kop stand at the Racecourse.
Last week, the club announced that the Miners Rescue Station was their official charity for the 2024/25 season.
And last year, Executive Director Humphrey Ker was appointed as a lifelong patron of the rescue station.
Ahead of the 90th anniversary of the Gresford disaster, the Leader spoke to Humphrey to discuss the connection between the club and the miners.
"As a club we want to be connected to the miners and the connection is there due to how many men were Wrexham fans that had swapped their shifts to go to the match that unfortunately lost their lives.
"People from Wrexham fell in love with their football club because it was a reflection of themselves.
"All the attention and success doesn’t amount to anything if we don’t stay true to who we are. It’s very important to be respectful of what we came in to. We try to treat it with as much respect as possible."
On becoming a patron at the Miners Rescue Station, Humphrey described it as an "honour".
He added: "I went to meet everyone and learn about what they're doing and it’s about me doing what I can and using the club to promote them and what they’re doing.
"It’s almost a we scratch your back, you scratch ours as they’ve helped out previously when our pitch was covered in snow, they were amongst the people that helped clear it so that we could get the game on. They’ve also organised a number of events for our players and our families, so the connection is there.
"So it was an honour to become a patron and formalise what we’ve been doing."
There are plans to wear the away kit, which pays tribute to the disaster during the game, whilst there will also be a minutes silence and a wreath laid.
Humphrey said: "There will be a minute silence and a wreath will be laid. We will try to mark the occasion with the respect it deserves.
"There are a host of events taking place over the weekend, with a concert on Friday, a candle lighting ceremony and the memorial on the Sunday and the club will have representatives at those."
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