STEVE CHARLES should feel pretty safe wearing a red and white scarf for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round tie at The Racecourse.

A Blade through and through, Charles admits he was heartbroken the day he left Bramall Lane.

But in November 1984, Wrexham became his adopted home and he’ll be back in town this weekend as a guest for the Reds against Blades block-buster.

For a midfielder, Charles had a remarkable strike-rate of a goal every three league games during his three years at Wrexham where he was made captain and scored on his debut following a £10,000 move from his home-town club.

“I loved my time at Wrexham, I really did,” said Charles, now 62 and still living in the same Sheffield home he was in when Reds boss Bobby Roberts came calling 39 years ago.

“I’m still in regular contact with Barry Horne - we really hit it off when I first moved to the club in ‘84 and I must mention Mrs Kelly, who was my landlady in digs that I stayed in just a stone’s throw from the ground.

“I always take her flowers and chocolates and always send her a Christmas card every year.

“She was a fantastic landlady to me and really helped me settle in Wrexham.”

Charles needed a bit of tender, loving care after leaving Sheffield United.

“Ian Porterfield was the manager and he called me into his office and said he was building a team for the future,” he added. “He wanted me to stay, said he’d make me captain of the reserves team but that my first team chances would be limited.

“He told me to think about it.

“It’s all I did think about but I’d had the taste of first team football and that’s what I wanted. He also said that he’d get me a move sorted out no problem.”

Wrexham wanted him and so did Mansfield manager Ian Greaves.

“Mansfield would have made more sense and it was closer to Sheffield but Ian Porterfield and Bobby Roberts were both Scots and the boss was always pushing me towards Wrexham,” added Charles.

“But I came out of that office and agreeing to go and I was heart-broken to be leaving Sheffield United.”

Charles admits that he also cut-up when Dixie McNeil accepted a cut-price £15,000 bid from Mansfield in 1987.

“Me, Barry Horne and Shaun Cunnington all moved on,” added Charles. “The club was struggling for money. I didn’t want to go. One thing I’ve been in my career is loyal and I’d have stayed at Wrexham but the bid was accepted. I had no choice.”

Nearly 40 years on and times have changed.

Wrexham selling one of their star players for £15,000 was a big deal in those days. Now they’re forking our £300,000 record transfer deals thanks to their mega-rich Hollywood millionaire owners, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

“It’s brilliant what’s happening there now. It’s a great time to be a Wrexham fan,” said Charles, who will be part of a sell-out crowd for Sunday’s showdown - a massive contrast to the 1,368 who watched his Racecourse debut in a 1-1 draw with Hartlepool.

But Charles was in the 14,000 Racecourse crowd four days later when the Reds were beaten 1-0 by Roma - then managed by Sven Goran-Eriksson - in the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

“I’d signed a few weeks after Barry had scored the winner at Porto so wasn’t eligible to play. But winning the Welsh Cup the next year, we had trips to Zurrieq - I scored against them - and against Real Zaragoza where we were really unlucky to lose on the away goals rule.”

European nights are folklore for Wrexham fans but under Reynolds and McElhenney, the club is fast becoming what they always wanted it to be - a global force.

“I thought it was a hoax when the news came on that Ryan and Rob were buying the club,” said Charles.

“It must be great for the town, getting sell-out crowds every home game and to have owners like that. From a distance it just looks and sounds as if they’re loving what they’ve bought into.

“I know from my time there what the fans thought of the club and it would be great to see them back in the Football League - although I think they’ll be aiming a couple of divisions higher. Maybe, the Championship.”

Charles remembers Steve Parkin - Wrexham’s assistant manager - from his days at Mansfield and says his experience alongside Reds boss Phil Parkinson will be key in the Reds’ promotion bid and their quest to pull-off another famous FA Cup giant-killing act this weekend.

“It should be a good game, I’m looking forward to it,” said Charles, who totted up more than 650 career appearances - 151 of them at Wrexham.

With those kind of numbers, it’s no surprise that Charles is a maths expert.

“I had it written into my contract at Sheffield United that I had to be given time to finish my studies,” recalled Charles, who now works at Sheffield College and for the Football League Education programme that includes teaching youngsters at his former club, Mansfield.

“I did it and it was important to me to have a career after football.”