Common Ground
Merched Y Cae Ras
Nic Hughes
We chat with Nic Hughes - how a single tweet in 2023 has developed into
a global network of women united by their connection to the Cae Ras.
Why Wrexham?
What does Wrexham AFC mean to you and what is your Why Wrexham?
It just hooked me in as soon as my Dad started taking me. I absolutely loved that moment I walked
through the turnstiles - I get just as excited today as I did the first time.
When did your relationship with Wrexham AFC begin?
My Dad started taking me when I was about 10.
Fast forward to 2026 and we, along with my Uncle, have been season ticket holders for going on 25 years.
I just remember the excitement of being told we were going to the match on a Saturday morning, then the walk
to the ground, handing your cash over at the turnstile and finding a spot to sit (choosing your seat from
plenty of free ones is unimaginable now!).
Supporting Wrexham hasn’t always been easy.
I have been lucky enough to experience promotions, cup wins and giant killings even before the take-over but there
was a time when losing the club was a real possibility, when what was happening on the pitch genuinely came second
to what was going on off it.
Through it all, though, the sense of community was always there.
Going through 15 years in the National League was such a rollercoaster, but the fresh energy and hope in August was always there meaning the season ticket was always renewed – even if it that feeling was more often than not killed off way before April came around! It’s for the love not the glory though and this was especially true during these times!!.
In recent seasons the spotlight has intensified.
It certainly has and in ways I’m not sure anyone could have predicted. Wrexham AFC being everywhere worldwide was not something I was ready for, even with the documentary, I don’t think I ever imagined the international interest to the point where people travelled to Wrexham to see the town and
watch a match. It’s fantastic but I think it will forever blow my mind!
The Birth of
Merched Y Cae Ras
Merched Y Cae Ras began with a single tweet in 2023.
It’s hard to think that was all it took to start MYCR. I had started volunteering with Her Game Too as a Cymru ambassador and through this was part of a WhatsApp group full of female football supporters who were incredibly supportive, warm & welcoming so I wanted to see if there was interest in creating a similar environment just for female Wrexham supporters - turns out there was a lot of interest!
At what moment did you realise this could become something more than an online conversation?
Almost immediately! Within a day we had almost a hundred people in the group. Someone who had joined messaged me and asked if I had thought about making the group an official supporters group and the idea just grew from there.
The group describes itself as a safe, fun, friendly and non-judgmental environment.
There was a huge increase of supporters following the take-over, we saw this group as an opportunity to connect female supporters. It was a space to be able to ask questions knowing there would be no judgement and someone would probably know the answer.
Our WhatsApp group is usually at it’s busiest during a match – the chat turns into a mini watch along connecting people watching from their homes.
The group has connected supporters locally as well.
You will usually find a group of us in the Maesgwyn before a match.
Belonging
The word “belonging” sits at the heart of this collaboration.
The most heartwarming & valuable feedback we get from MYCR members is that the group makes them feel like they belong in the Wrexham AFC community. This is behind everything we do and what motivates us.
We want supporters from the across the globe to feel connected and that they belong as a Wrexham supporter no matter when or how they discovered the club.
Have you witnessed moments where members have found confidence, friendship or identity through the group?
We have had countless moments like this.
There have been lifelong friendships, both locally and internationally, formed because of MYCR.
We have regular meetings online to connect members. We have been lucky enough to have welcomed some fantastic guests including Rob Mac, Humphrey Ker, Mia Roberts, Ben Tozer and many more.
We also have social get-togethers away from football.
The group are there for each other in the not so great life moments too - the advantage of having members across time zones is that there is normally someone up to lend a supportive ear.
How does Merched Y Cae Ras create space for women who may be attending matches alone, travelling internationally,
or new to football culture?
We have been able to support members get to their first Wrexham away day or women’s match. We’ve been lucky to be able to meet
international members when they travel to Wrexham too. The local members are always there with a recommendation of a good restaurant, castle or other tourist spot to hit.
There are MYCR members who had never followed football before discovering Wrexham so they were learning everything from scratch.
The group is a place where questions can be asked completely free from judgement.
Our members are so incredibly supportive of each other - there are no stupid questions.
We have had some great feedback from members saying we have changed their match day experience for the better.
Community and Impact
Your mission extends beyond matchdays into fundraising and community work.
The most heartwarming & valuable feedback we get from MYCR members is that the group makes them feel like they belong in the Wrexham AFC community. This is behind everything we do and what motivates us.
We want supporters from the across the globe to feel connected and that they belong as a Wrexham supporter no matter when or how they discovered the club.
The group is a proud partner of Her Game Too.
Her Game Too was founded in 2021 and is an organisation powered by volunteers. Their aim is to create an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can enjoy and participate in sport. They started in football but now have branched out to other sports including rugby, ice hockey and cricket.
It was important for us to partner with HGT as our aims are the same. We want to connect female Wrexham supporters with each other to, hopefully, enhance their experience supporting the club. We are also big supporters of the Women’s team with many of our members travelling home & away to support them. We have also welcomed former player and current match-day co-commentator, Mia Roberts, as an honorary life-time MYCR member.
MYCR exists because of Her Game Too.
Has the growth of the club globally changed the composition of your membership?
As we were founded in 2023, we have always had a great mix of local, UK and international members.
Identity and the Racecourse
What does the Racecourse Ground represent to you personally?
I feel at home in the ground.
The feeling of walking through the turnstile and to my seat will never change. It’s a place where there is only one thing on my mind – what is happening on that pitch. It’s two hours where I will truly switch off from everything else. It’s two hours where
I get to sit with my Dad (even though he hates me talking to him during the match!!) .
Is there a particular matchday ritual or detail that captures what makes supporting Wrexham different?
We are obviously going to biased but Wrexham is such a welcoming place on match day. You can go into pubs in Wrexham on match day and see away supporters happily mingling and chatting with Wrexham supporters.
There is something special about a ground being so close to its town/city centre. It is now normal to see the documentary crews dotted around the town and Cae Ras too.
Looking Forward
As the club moves into a new era, what role do you see Merched Y Cae Ras playing?
We want to continue welcoming new members and connecting female supporters across the globe. We want to support the local community even more. We are also proud to sit on the Fan Advisory Board offering feedback to shape the future of the club.
We have plans, just watch this space...
If a young girl in Wrexham is attending her first match this season, what would you want her to feel?
Excited & welcomed and leaving wanting to come back.
There is something so special about attending your first match and experiencing all those rituals for the first time.
We have a fantastic group of Mini MYCR members, and it is so heartwarming to see their excitement and love when it comes to the club.
In one sentence: what does Merched Y Cae Ras stand for?
We stand for community and belonging, a place where members feel welcome and supported.
And finally - when you look around the
Racecourse now, what makes you most proud?
I feel beyond proud that Wrexham AFC not only survived but are positively thriving.
That there are people in the stands (and some sadly no longer with us) that gave their absolute all to save the club and we now exist in this new era where thousands of new supporters have been welcomed in.
There is so much more to come from all corners of Wrexham AFC.
Every supporter has their own answer to “Why Wrexham?”
For Nic Hughes, it’s belonging to a place, a club and a group of women united by their connection to Wrexham AFC.
Visit the Merched Y Cae Ras website via: merchedycaeras.com
The Merched Y Cae Ras collection is available to buy via the Cae Ras Collective
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