Wrexham fans have been ranked 7th out of the 10 most toxic/passionate EFL Championship fanbases according to Football League World’s AI.
Honestly, Wrexham’s Championship return has been poorer than their reality on the EFL table. It may bother some, but this would synchronise well with the ambitious Dragon supporters who want to hit the Premier League tier soon.
Notably, still, calling a side “bad” often means you’re standing on the other side of the fence. And while it’s not a dialogue from the new season of Welcome to Wrexham, it holds well here, too.
That’s because, though Wrexham’s on-field performances have been underwhelming, the club’s off-field growth has been miraculous. The Championship exposure, the media hype and a rapidly growing fanbase, the club’s return has been pretty successful in non-sporting metrics.
If not so, with almost 48 hours since the Welsh derby, the buzz and people’s post-game reactions would’ve died down. Yet, chances are your Twitter Timeline still pops up with that infamous McClean incident, where he got away with a potential sent-off after kicking Ronald.
Now, not delving into fair/unfair discussions, as on another occasion, Swansea’s Gilbraith was lucky enough to finish the game after hospitalising Lewis O’Brien, too. But you get it, right?
And for those wondering about that McClean behaviour, that’s pretty normal from the Irishman who bleeds Wrexham. Safe to say, within a couple of years, the 36-year-old has got a bit too familiar with the Dragons’ footballing passion.
That’s because Wrexham’s North Welsh locals have always been known for their intense love for the sport. And no, their passion extends beyond just showing up with beautiful tifos on matchdays. Maybe that’s what has them deservedly make up into the most toxic fanbases list.
As per Football League World’s ChatGPT tally, Wrexham is ranked as the 7th most intense fanbase in the Championship. Making it above most of the regular second division giants, AI described them, saying: “Large, passionate fanbase that can polarise opinions online — strong defending of the club and fierce banter with rivals.”
Wrexham’s history extensively supports 7th ranking
Coincidentally or intentionally, Wrexham fans miss a playoff spot in yet another AI prediction. Still, a solid 7th finish in their first return to the Championship says something for the footballing culture here.
For context, take the recent Welsh Derby, for example. Having choked to a League Two opponent in Cardiff City before, most fanbases wouldn’t have come to the Swansea game in huge numbers. Yet, not only did they show up, but they were the dominant side coming into the fixture.
Agreed, Wrexham’s higher league placement was a factor, but the way Dragon fans stormed the Swans would remain a classic case of derby banter online. Not to forget, it was with the Dragons’ overwhelming support that Swansea could finally sell out a matchday this season.
But cheeky jabs and trolls aside, Wrexham’s fan support hasn’t always been unviolent. In fact, having received football banning orders(FBOs) on multiple occasions, the Dragons have time and again proven to be any host’s worst nightmare.
Be it disrupting the play through flares or interrupting even emotional silences, Wrexham’s fanbase has done quite some harm to the club’s reputation. And that’s keeping aside the innumerable abusive harm cases that prevailed as recently as this May’s encounter against Lincoln City.
Even after all these instances, Wrexham are fairly behind the likes of Championship rivals Millwall in this regard, and it’s a rather good thing to have. Agree, football can become too passionate at times but it shouldn’t turn toxic anywhere, then be it Wrexham’s Racecourse ground or any away stadium.
