The Wrexham players line-up for a game in America (Image: WREXHAM AFC)
The Wrexham players line-up for a game in America (Image: WREXHAM AFC)
ANDY MORRELL is a former Wrexham player and manager, and he now commentates for the club, but even he couldn't believe the amazing support he witnessed for the Reds out in America.
Morrell attended two games as a fan during the pre-season tour to the States, with the ex-striker taking in the match against Liverpool at New York's Yankee Stadium before watching the Reds face Sunderland in Philadelphia.
They might only have been friendlies and not competitive fixtures but Morrell was taken aback by the huge backing for Wrexham during the trip as he mingled with Americans who have caught the Wrexham bug.
The club’s popularity has soared across the pond since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac completed their takeover at The Racecourse in February 2021, and the impact of the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary.
Now a global sensation, Morrell witnessed the incredible backing three years ago when he represented Wrexham in the The Soccer Tournament - a $1m winner-takes-all seven-a-side event in North Carolina - but the 51-year-old-year says the support has gone through the roof since then.
"I had the fortune of going to the TST quite early on, and it's 10 times 10 that now," said the ex-frontman who had two spells at The Racecourse as a player, and was manager from 2011-14.
"We were blown away then, and that was three years ago, and now there were fans everywhere. It was a brilliant spectacle.
"I've been lucky enough to do Poland, Finland and gone to America as a fan, taking in the last two games.
"I just went to watch - I just didn't think I could miss it.
"Wrexham are not going to play at the Yankee Stadium very often so I decided to take that in.
"Liverpool was a good game and as a spectacle for us fans, it was brilliant.
"Watching them and being around it, and seeing the insane support that is out there for anything Wrexham, it just blows my mind from where we were."
Morrell wasn't on commentary duty in the States but he's become a recognisable figure since donning the microphone for the club during it's rapid rise up the football pyramid, and he enjoyed speaking with Americans who can't get enough of Wrexham.
"It might be a bit weird me going out as a fan, but I just felt that it was a really good opportunity to get out there, see New York first and foremost, take in a couple of games abroad and just bring back some sort of idea of what it is like out there for the players and for a Wrexham fan," he said.
"So many people come up to Mia (Roberts), Mark (Griffiths) and myself and said 'you've taught us everything because we've jumped in off the documentary but we watch religiously now. We love your commentary, you're educating us as well and we really enjoy it'.
"It's just so good to hear. I'm like 'you know less now than you did before from listening to us!'
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"But it is so friendly, everybody's so nice and so welcoming, and you can just talk football for hours. It was so good to see."
On the back of securing a record-breaking three successive promotions, Wrexham finished seventh in the Championship last season, only missing out on the play-offs by two points.
Morrell believes Phil Parkinson's men are in a much better position heading into the new campaign.
"I just feel that we're in such a stronger position now than we were a year ago going into the season," he added.
"I think Phil's quite content with what he's got. He's obviously looking to strengthen, but we've looked so much more composed, so much more competitive, in these pre-season games than I felt we were in the last pre-season.
"I'm sure he'll add to the numbers to make us even stronger."