At this weekend's fixture against Grimsby Town, Wrexham AFC will remember those who tragically lost their lives in the Gresford Colliery Disaster.

Before kick-off on Saturday, there will be a minute's silence to remember those who lost their lives and those families who were impacted. 

At 2:08 a.m. on September 22, 1934, an explosion rocked the Dennis section of the mine causing a fire, which resulted in a tragic loss of life. There were more than 500 men underground that night – a number tragically much larger than usual as many had many doubled on shifts to watch Wrexham play Tranmere Rovers at the Racecourse Ground later that afternoon. In total, 266 people lost their lives.

Ahead of the period of remembrance, Wrexham AFC First-Team Manager Phil Parkinson invited George Powell from the Wrexham Miners Rescue Station to the STōK Cae Ras to deliver a talk to the players. 

Last year, Parkinson opened the memorial wall at the Station to commemorate the victims, along with other members of the First Team squad. 

During the talk, Mr Powell shared a video with the players to provide a greater understanding of the disaster, as well as personal accounts from the day. 

Speaking on why inviting Mr Powell to speak to the squad was so important, Parkinson said: "We understand the importance of the anniversary of the Gresford Colliery Disaster and I want to thank George for very kindly coming down and giving the players a talk.

"It gave them a deeper understanding of not just the tragedy but also the impact on so many families."  

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The memorial wall at the station is made up of red bricks and contains the names, job titles, and ages of the 266 victims of the tragedy. 

After his talk at the stadium, Mr Powell thanked the club for opening the wall last year, and for inviting him to share the story once more. 

He said: "It is very important because it means so much to the families in the area. A lot of people come to visit the wall that the football club and Phil were kind enough to unveil. 

"When you hear the stories of what those families went through, it's heartbreaking. I'm very honoured to be asked to speak to the players today about the importance of the disaster to the area."