WALES have a huge history of international football at The Racecourse Ground - and Peter Jones wants it to stay that way.

The stadium, home to Wrexham Football Club, is the oldest international football stadium in the world with Wales losing 2-0 against Scotland on March 5, 1877 - and yesterday was the anniversary of the country’s first ever match back in 1876.

Other venues, including the Millennium Stadium and Cardiff City Stadium in recent times, have been used by the senior side in the 143 years that have followed.

But The Racecourse has not been totally forgotten and Ryan Giggs' Wales beat Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 in a friendly in north Wales 12 months ago.

Jones, chairman of the Wrexham Supporters Trust and a keen Reds and Wales statistician, is proud that The Racecourse is where it all began for the national side.

"Wrexham first played there when they were formed in 1864 and the Wales-Scotland game was the first international to be played at The Racecourse 143 years ago," said Jones.

"It is the oldest international stadium in the world and that is something to be proud of.

"You look at football in this day and age, with the amount of international teams expanded to include the likes of Gibraltar and all the Russian states, but The Racecourse is where it all began.

"The memories are still there of the internationals played here."

There certainly have been some memorable Wales matches at The Racecourse over the years, with Jones picking out some key moments.

"I am not sure of the total but over 90 full internationals have taken place at The Racecourse," said Jones. "It is not quite 100.

"There have been some great internationals there.

"John Charles made his Wales debut at The Racecourse against Austria in the 1950s and there were the two wins over England there in 1980, 4-1 when Mickey Thomas scored twice, and 1984 when we won 1-0.

"Arfon Griffiths scored when Wales beat Austria there in 1975-76 to qualify for the quarter-finals of the European Championships which was a great feat when you consider it wasn't a tournament then, it was on a knock-out basis.

"The Spain game when Wales won 3-0 in 1985, and playing West Germany when Franz Beckenbauer was centre-half and Sepp Maier was in goal, also stand out.

"We have got a huge history of international football on The Racecourse going back to that first ever game when a couple of Wrexham players also played."

Jones is confident more Wales matches will be played at the stadium.

Earlier this month, Wrexham FC announced that plans for a new 5,000 capacity, all-seater stand at the Kop end of The Racecourse have taken a big step forward.

The redevelopment of the stand will only enhance prospects of attracting more internationals to the town.

"Once the Kop is sorted then that will help," added Jones.

"Not so much the qualifying matches but certainly we will get some friendly matches up here.

"And we are hoping it will be the home of the Wales under 21 team as well and get those games at The Racecourse.

"UEFA put down stipulations in this day and age with regards to the make-up of a football stadium and what is required for it, and there are not many grounds left in Wales that stand up to the requirements that are now needed."