WREXHAM AFC has thrown their weight behind a campaign by the family of their former promotion winning captain to raise funds for an urgent knee operation.

Gareth Davies, 69, the most successful skipper in the clubs history having led them to Third Division Championship glory in 1978, has been told he will have to wait up to 18 months for the operation on the NHS, which his family say is simply too long to wait.

Mr Davies, who is now wheelchair bound and suffers from dementia, was moved to Bay Tree House care home following his most recent fall and the family think a new knee would dramatically improve his quality of life.

His former club, for who he made 598 appearances, and with help from the Former Players Association, have organised a bucket collection at Wednesday evenings friendly match with Stoke City, where all the proceeds will be donated to the fund.

A statement from the club said: "As well as the aforementioned successes in the league, Gareth also captained the club to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1974 and 1978; the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1976 and the quarter-finals of the Football League Cup in 1978 - while making 612 league and cup appearances for Wrexham, plus being capped three times by Wales.

"Any help we can offer Gareth and his family, will be greatly appreciated."

Mr Davies' son-in-law said he was incredibly grateful for all the support shown so far and the Go Fund Me page created by the family had already raised in excess of £1,500.

He said: "The knee is actually the same one he damaged while he was playing. He actually defied doctors orders by continuing his career as the physios at the time had told him he would never be able to play again.

Although the classy centre half, who also has three grandchildren, often gets confused in his day to day life due to his dementia, when it comes to his football career, he can talk for hours and remember so many stories.

Mr Braisdell added: "It's such a cruel illness. He sometimes gets confused and thinks he has to get ready and go and pick my wife up from school, but honestly, you can ask him anything about his playing days and he remembers them like they were yesterday."

Anyone wishing to support the fund can do so using this link.