THE empty Town End terrace at The Racecourse has been like a ghost from the past that has continually haunted Wrexham Football Club for years.

It's 13 years - unlucky for some - since Wrexham's iconic Kop was packed to the rafters as 5,000 raucous Reds fans played their part in keeping the club in the Football League.

That was the day Wrexham played Boston United in a winner-takes-all game. The prize was to remain in the Football League.

Wrexham won with the club's management and players passionately promising that they would never allow this to happen.

Twelve months later they were relegated from the Football League and the Kop was closed, locking Wrexham fans in for what seems a life-sentence of non-league football.

Cynical supporters have said that as long as the Kop remains empty, so will Wrexham's promotion dreams.

But yesterday's news or update from the club, council, University, Welsh Office, Uncle Tom Cobley-and all that plans are progressing on redeveloping the Kop, building a new stand and creating a 15,000 stadium is encouraging.

Whether Wrexham will ever fill it remains to be seen but potential sell-outs for Welsh internationals is a real possibility.

The club, quite rightly are proud of their heritage, shouting from the hill-tops that The Racecourse is the oldest international football stadium in the world.

Wales used to love coming to play their matches up north and having taking control of Wrexham's former training ground at Colliers Park, it good to see that the powers-that-be in the south aren't forgetting their roots.

The Football Association of Wales should remember that it was founded in Wrexham in 1876 - a year before Wales took on Scotland in the inaugural international match at The Racecourse.

Wrexham and Wales legend Mickey Thomas didn't play in that game but he featured in many memorable matches for club and country.

Thomas has always said that it's imperative to re- open the Kop.

"I watched my first game in the old Pigeon Loft stand on the Kop - Wales v Scotland - and I played in front of a packed Kop week in, week out during my days as a player with Wrexham and Wales," recalled Thomas.

"Its a crucial part of the ground. Its iconic and I know the supporters loved watching the game from there. I loved the Kop and ask any other ex- Wrexham players and theyll say the same. I know Joey Jones thinks the same.

"He has a great allegiance to the Kop but only because most of his passes used to end up in there! Seriously though, it would be great if there were plans to re- open the Kop, to have fans back behind the goal would be a very popular move.

"I remember playing for Wrexham and wed always kick towards the Kop or The Town End as we used to call it in the second half. We also had a tremendous record with Wales playing at Wrexham. I cant remember losing there."

Thomas made those comments when talk of redevelopment - not only for the football ground but for land around Crispin Lane - first surfaced 10 years ago.

Those plans for off the pitch have been just as fruitless as those on it. Only time will tell whether the dreams are ever realised.

At least they sound as if they're moving in the right direction. All we need now is for the team to do the same.

Forty-to-fifty years ago, Wrexham regularly attracted crowds of 15,000-plus every other week at The Racecourse.

But will this current generation of younger Reds supporters ever see those days again.

Filling The Racecourse for Wales' international matches is all well and good but it's Wrexham Football Club that matters most to people who pay their hard-earned cash to watch the team they love.

If Wrexham get it right on the pitch, then everything else around it should quickly fall into place.