Wrexham's new Kop stand is rising even quicker than the football club's fortunes have soared in recent years. The £70m development at the Racecourse - the oldest international football ground still in use - has been described as a "real symbol of hope". The Kop stood derelict and dormant for years, a stark reminder of the troubled times endured by the north Wales club.
But under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac the club are aiming for the Premier League, with the Kop rebuild central to those ambitions. The stand is scheduled to be fully operational by the start of next season. The man overseeing the project is Aidan Miller, Wrexham's chief strategy officer.
He is responsible for the long-term development of the Championship club, which only three years ago was playing non-league football. "The speed at which we've got through the leagues has been incredible," Miller told BBC Sport Wales. "We are playing catch-up and we're trying to make ourselves ready for the next level.
"We've always gone to the next level from the footballing side before the rest of the club is necessarily ready to. "Now we're trying to do it a bit more proactively, rather than necessarily just reactively." The new Kop stand will have 7,500 seats to take the ground's capacity to more than 18,000, the club's application having been officially approved by Wrexham County Borough Council this week. It will incorporate facilities such as dressing room areas, media provision and hospitality.
In addition to improvements that have already been made, it will make the Racecourse fit for the Premier League - should the team achieve promotion. Reynolds and Mac completed their takeover of the then National League club, owned by Wrexham Supporters' Trust, in February 2022. The pair have made no secret of their ambition to see Wrexham in the top flight and have backed manager Phil Parkinson.
The team secured three successive promotions to reach the Championship, then narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season. But Reynolds and Mac have also supported and championed local community projects and ensured the football club's impact is felt beyond the pitch. "They've delivered in terms of the optimism, the confidence," Miller said.
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