A midweek defeat under the lights. A home game tomorrow against the team at the bottom. Fresh steel on the Kop. A City of Culture shortlist still due. Business confidence lifting across Wales. Plenty to work through this week. Let us get into it.
The Week at a Glance
| Story | Headline Number | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wrexham 1 West Brom 2 | Two goals in five minutes | Racecourse, Tue 13 Oct |
| Kieffer Moore screamer | 28 yards, top corner | 64th minute |
| Current table position | 17th, 11 points | After 10 games |
| Welsh business confidence | Eight month high | Wales wide, 15 Oct |
| Pay as you go rail rollout | 25 stations live | Across North Wales |
| New university altitude lab | Up to 5,000 metres | Wrexham University |
Men: WBA Nick It Late at the Racecourse
Phil Parkinson’s side came within touching distance of a second home win in a row on Tuesday night. Kieffer Moore struck a 28 yard shot into the top corner on 64 minutes. For 15 minutes it felt like the Racecourse was going to take all three points. Then Isaac Price volleyed home on 79. Aune Heggebø followed up on 84. 1 to 2. A frustrating one.
Racecourse Key Stats
| Wrexham | Stat | West Brom |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goals | 2 |
| 0.38 | Expected Goals (xG) | 0.94 |
| 42% | Possession | 58% |
| 4 | Shots on target | 3 |
| 317 | Accurate passes | 466 |
| 3 | Corners won | 7 |
Source: ESPN match centre. The xG told the story. West Brom edged the quality of the chances. Wrexham built one brilliant moment and briefly made it count.
Men: Preston at Home Tomorrow
Saturday brings a very winnable fixture. Preston North End sit bottom of the table. One win and eight losses from ten. The leakiest defence in the division. The Lilywhites have lost four of five away games this season. They go into this one on the back of a 4 to 0 defeat at Birmingham. Several national models have Wrexham as clear favourites. Nothing can be taken for granted. But a strong start could lift the Racecourse right back up.
Match at a Glance
| Fixture | Wrexham vs Preston North End |
| Date | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| Kick off | 3pm BST |
| Venue | STōK Cae Ras |
| Likely absences (WXM) | Max Cleworth, Ben Sheaf, Nathan Broadhead, Matty James doubtful |
| Preston suspension | Stan Mills (one match ban) |
| H2H last three meetings | Wrexham unbeaten (two wins and a draw) |
Wrexham’s Championship Record So Far
Ten games played. Two wins. Five draws. Three defeats. A record that keeps the Reds hanging in. Here is the shape of the ten.
Points Earned by Match
Total: 11 points from 10 games. 17th place going into Preston. Win tomorrow and the picture changes fast.
Kop Stand Keeps Climbing
The build does not pause. Last week Wrexham Council approved an extra 2,250 seats for the new Kop, lifting the planned capacity to 7,750. Fresh drone footage this week shows new roof lifts, cladding progress and painting work near The Turf corner. Weekend crews worked right through Saturday. CEO Michael Williamson has said the aim is still to have the stand fully operational for the start of the 2027/28 season.
Kop Capacity, Then and Now
A 41% capacity lift over the original plan without expanding the approved footprint. Overall Racecourse capacity target: around 18,000 once complete.
City of Culture 2029: Shortlist Still Awaited
Wrexham filed its full bid back in August. An independent cultural consultant scored it 365 out of 370. The UK Government said the shortlist would land in mid October. As of Friday morning the four names have not yet been announced. Wrexham is the only Welsh location on the longlist of nine, up against Blackpool, Inverness and the Highlands, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Swindon. The judges’ visits would follow in November or December with the winner named in early January 2027.
Local News Round Up
From Wrexham.com and the council news desk this week.
| Story | Detail |
|---|---|
| 10 new jobs at Wrexham manufacturer | Local firm expanding production as part of recent Investment Zone backing. |
| New altitude lab at Wrexham University | New facility can simulate altitudes above 5,000 metres for sport science and medical research. |
| Pavarotti picture scoops national prize | A Wrexham photographer picked up a national award for a Pavarotti image this week. |
| Johns’ Boys turn 10 | Wrexham’s famous male voice choir marked its 10th anniversary with sold out gala concerts. |
| Star Wars show hits local schools | A themed show has been touring Wrexham primary schools this week. |
| Cinemas and theatres heritage day | Wrexham Library hosted a community call out on 14 Oct to collect memories and photos of the city’s old venues. |
| Lexus Open at Wrexham | More than 100 business leaders attended a networking event ahead of the Wrexham Lexus Open tennis. |
| Social services report | New Wrexham Council report shows agency staff use is falling while demand stays high. |
| Bowel cancer fundraiser | A local resident is encouraging others to walk 60 miles across October after a diagnosis earlier this year. |
North Wales Snapshot
Beyond the city borders.
| Story | Detail |
|---|---|
| Welsh business confidence | Hit an eight month high this week, driven by new orders. Reported 15 October. |
| Heathrow backs Welsh steelmaking | Landmark agreement signed to use Welsh steel in airport expansion work. |
| Pay as you go rail live at 25 stations | Transport for Wales rolled out contactless at 25 North Wales stations. |
| New Sbardun growth scheme | 24 month business growth programme launched this week for established Welsh companies. |
| 152 new homes approved | Anwyl begins work on the Haul Y Mynydd scheme. 54 of them affordable. |
| Local Growth Fund deadline | Denbighshire and Flintshire Local Growth Fund applications close on 2 November 2026. |
What’s On This Weekend
The Takeaway
A sore Tuesday night. A big Saturday ahead. A Kop still rising. A city still waiting for the envelope on the biggest cultural call of the year. Welsh business confidence back on the up. New jobs in the city. A university building a lab fit for mountain research. Plenty for Wrexham to feel good about. Preston at 3pm. See you there.
Sources and Further Reading
- Sky Sports: Wrexham 1 West Brom 2 report
- ESPN: WBA late revival analysis
- Sports Mole: Wrexham vs Preston preview
- Compare.bet: Preston form stats
- Wrexham.com news feed
- Wrexham.com: Cinemas and theatres heritage day
- Wrexham.com: City of Culture 2029 bid submitted
- Wrexham.com: Executive Board backing
- Football Ground Guide: Public realm approval
- The Stadium Business: Extra 2,250 seats approved
- Business News Wales: 15 October coverage
- News From Wales: Local Growth Fund deadline detail
- Events in Wrexham: Weekend diary
- Wrexham AFC Official