Tom Hughes believes the Reds can bounce back and, having seen his fair share of games at the Racecourse, he should know.

At the age of 91, Tom is almost certainly Wrexham's oldest living fan, and was present at the club's first ever league fixture in 1921.
"My dad took me when I was five years of age," he says.

"They had just formed the Third Division North. We played Hartlepool on August 27, 1921, and we lost 2-0.

"In those days we'd go through the turnstiles and they'd put you between their legs. It would depend on the gate men as to whether you would get stopped. If you did you'd just go back and ask somebody else to get through.

"Where there is parking now there used to be Wrexham Cricket Club and you'd always find when the games started you'd get a gang of men climbing over into the ground."

With the exception of 1939-45, Tom has been attending Wrexham's home games week in, week out, and has seen many managers come and go at the Racecourse.

Reminiscing about watching them as a youngster he said: "It used to be seven, eight, nine or 10 thousand in those days. reserve matches used to be around about 2,000.

"As I got a bit older I went to work nights at JT Davies and Sons Bakers, Rhosddu, and Mr Davies did all the catering at the Racecourse.

"My dad used to run one site for him on the Mold Road end. A little while later again, I sold cigarettes and chocolates from a basket around the ground and then when I was a little older again I became a St John's Ambulance man and we were doing duties right up to the war.

"I came home in 1945 and after that carried on with duties there right up until 1980. I was county staff officer when I was retired and in charge of first aid at the Racecourse."

Now, watching Wrexham is very much a family affair, with Tom, son Mike, granddaughter Sarah Lithgoe and great-grandchildren Courtney, nine, and Alfie, four, all attending home matches together.

He has seen some good Wrexham teams in his time – he rates the 1970s as the best decade for the club – as well as some not so good, and he doesn't shirk from assessing the side relegated this season.

"We've seen some bad times but at least they have scrapped their way out of it," he says.

"But they haven't scrapped this time.

"In the early 1990s when Flynn first came that was pretty bad. Before that when we finished bottom of the league I remember the other club's used to vote whether to step in and vote us back.

"It's a sad time but it shouldn't have happened if things had been done properly. But where do you appropriate blame? It all started going wrong when they sacked Smith."

But he remains confident they will be promoted back to the Football League.

"I think they will be back," he says.

"You have got to be positive. It'll be hard work, there are no two ways about that.

"But we will definitely be renewing our season tickets once again."

He added: "I shouldn't think they'll charge us as much at least!"