- McElhenney teases SToK Cae Ras expansion
- Stand by stands plans for improvement
- Capacity would top Premier League stadiums
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McElhenney teased the possibility of Wrexham's SToK Cae Ras one day holding up to 50,000 fans, way up from its current capacity of 12,600, as each stand is systematically upgraded. It forms part of their wider vision for the long-term future of the club as they ultimately target the Premier League.
GettyRenovation work at the stadium is already underway. The Kop Stand was torn down in January 2023, having been unused due to safety concerns since 2008. Plans for a new 5,500-seat stand, which would take overall capacity to around 16,000, were already approved in November 2022, but delays led to a smaller temporary stand being built that opened in December of last year. Council planners do not want it there long-term, citing low quality design features in a report earlier this month, and there could soon be restrictions and conditions as to how long it can stay up before having to be replaced by the permanent structure.
McElhenney told Collider: "We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides. It's hard to say for sure, butwe think we could get between 45,000 and 55,000 people in there."
With the use of four stands, Wrexham welcomed 12,532 fans for February's League Two win over Notts County, which was their biggest home attendance since 1980. That was later inflated to 12,562 on the final day of the season when newly crowned champions and firm rivals Stockport County were the visitors. An average attendance of 11,210 in 2023-24 season was bettered in League Two by only Bradford City (17,547) and came in higher than 18 clubs in League One.
GettySpending money on players and what happens on the pitch is only one part of the operation. One thing Wrexham have to get right in order to back up their rapid rise is infrastructure. Executive director Humphrey Ker has alluded to needing time to allow infrastructure to catch up, while captain Ben Tozer spoke recently about the need for investment at the training ground.