THE name Djurgardens will conjure up magical memories for Wrexham fans who remember the club’s great European campaigns.

The Swedish side, who play The New Saints tonight, were beaten by John Neal’s Wrexham who made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup back in 1976.

Three years after making their first bow in European football where they were knocked out by Hadjuk Split in the second round, Wrexham were paired with Swedish Cup winners, Djurgardens.

Arfon Griffiths gave Wrexham the lead and captain Gareth Davies headed in a last-minute winner after Sven Krantz had levelled for The Swedes in front of a 9,009 Racecourse attendance.

Davies, who played in 14 European ties for the Reds, then led the Wrexham side to a 1-1 draw in the second leg to secure a second round clash with Stal Rzeszow.

After polishing off the Poles 3-1 on aggregate, the Reds went out 2-1 to Anderlecht in their last eight encounter.

And this week 45 years ago was a big one for Davies, regarded by many as Wrexham’s best captain ever.

So much was the pulling power of Wrexham back in the late Seventies, Wrexham managed to entice Georgie Best to play in Davies’ testimonial match against Wolves on November 26, 1979.

Speaking previously to The Leader, Davies revealed that Manchester United icon Best agreed to pull on a Reds shirt for just £500.

“Alan Jones and Chris Jones from the Village Bakery were on my testimonial committee and at the time George Best was trying to get back into football,” said Davies.

“Alan said we’d try him and George came and played for Wrexham for £500.

“I still love that picture of me and him in the dressing room before the game.”

Mickey Thomas also loves that picture with him, Davies, Billy Ashcroft and Bobby Shinton alongside Best in the Reds’ dressing room.

“I love that picture of us in the dressing room,” said Thomas, who headed home the winner that night as Wrexham won 3-2 as 10,582 fans paid tribute to Davies, who is now in a Wrexham care home suffering with dementia.

“It was a brilliant goal - a header and I really connected with it,” recalled Thomas. “I didn’t score many with my head and I remember Joey Jones shaking his head in disbelief as I ran back to the halfway line!”

Thomas also revealed how he had to ask Manchester United boss Dave Sexton’s permission to come back to The Racecourse after he had moved to Old Trafford in a record £350,000 deal 12 month earlier.

Bobby Shinton also came back from Manchester City to play, as did Billy Ashcroft from Middlesbrough and the big centre forward scored two that night.

“There was no way I was going to miss Gareth’s big game,” added Thomas. “He was one of Wrexham’s greatest players ever. A brilliant player and a great bloke.

“Then to play in the same team as Bestie - it was a dream. We went out that night too but enough about that!

“I remember us playing towards the Tech End and we must have had 12 passes between us. Great times!”