THE row over the footballing elite’s selfish decision to scrap FA Cup replays is bound to run and run.

Cup runs are life-savers for lower league clubs but that’s not going to happen from next season onwards.

Wrexham, bankrolled by Hollywood movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, don’t have to worry about those replay windfalls nowadays, but they have done in the past.

The Reds have hit the headlines with their FA Cup replays exploits, knocking out Newcastle, Sunderland, Bristol City and West Ham (twice) over the years.

The fourth round triumph against Newcastle in 1978 was the best of the lot, Dixie McNeil scoring twice in a 4-1 win adding to the double he netted in a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park.

McNeil scored an amazing eight replay goals for the Reds, bagging one in the 3-0 Racecourse replay win over Bristol City in the previous round as well as the winner in the fifth round victory away to Blyth Spartans where more than 42,000 crammed into St James Park again.

McNeil has always talked about his love for the FA Cup but understands the reasons behind the Football Association’s decision.

“Replays can be life-savers for lower league clubs,” said McNeil, Wrexham’s record goalscorer in the FA Cup.

“We had some great replays - especially at The Racecourse and the fans do love a game under the lights.

“For Wrexham now we’ve got to make sure we finish off teams in what will be one-off ties from now on.

“And I’m sure a lot of clubs won’t fancy being drawn against Wrexham.”

Wrexham’s last replay in the competition was in February of last year when Paul Mullin scored from the spot in a 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United.

The Reds also needed a replay the season before to see off Blyth Spartans again, Ollie Palmer, Mullin and Jordan Davies scoring in a 3-2 victory.

The wins over West Ham came in 1981 when that man McNeil was at it again netting an extra-time winner in a second replay that Wrexham earned a home tie by winning a toss of a coin.

Sixteen years later, Kevin Russell was the hero with a last-minute winner in a 1-0 giant-killing act at Upton Park.

It was one of three replays in a run that saw Wrexham go all the way to the quarter-finals for the third time in their history.

Bryan Hughes’ double disposed of Colwyn Bay and Hughes, Steve Morris and Steve Watkin’s extra-time winning penalty saw off Scunthorpe United.

Remember Mickey Thomas’ FA Cup free-kick cracker against Arsenal in 1992?

Well, the Wrexham legend’s first goal in the competition came 20 years earlier in a 5-0 replay win at home to Darlington.

Dave Smallman also scored three in the game - Wrexham’s only replay hat-trick hero in the past 60 years.

Top flight Tottenham triumphed 3-2 in 1979, Chelsea were 2-1 Racecourse winners three years later and Brighton won a penalty shoot-out 5-4 in 2012.

Non-league sides to end the Reds’ runs in replays were Runcorn (3-2 in 1988), Stamford (3-2 in 2016) and 2-0 at home to Eastwood in 2008.

Only 860 watched Dean Saunders’ side bow out that night and only 1,450 watched Mansfield win 2-1 in 1975 in a second replay that was played at Villa Park.

OTHER REPLAYS SINCE 1970
1973: Shrewsbury 0 Wrexham 1 (Geoff Davies); 1976: Goole 0 Wrexham 1 (Bobby Shinton); 1980: Wrexham 3 Carlisle 1 (Dixie McNeil 2, Joey Jones); 1985: Wrexham 0 Notts County 3; 1993: Walsall 2 Wrexham 0; 1995: Wrexham 0 Hull City 0 (Wxm won 3-1 on pens); 1998: Wrexham 2 (Karl Connolly 2) Wimbledon 3; 1999: Huddersfield 2 Wrexham 1 (Kevin Russell); Wrexham 2 (Steve Roberts, Danny Williams) Kettering 0; 2011: Wrexham 2 (Mathias Pogba, Danny Wright) Cambridge Utd 1; 2014: Wrexham 5 (Andy Bishop 2, Johnny Hunt, Wes York, Nick Rushton) Macclesfield 2; 2018: Wrexham 2 (Akil Wright, Luke Young) Harrogate 0; Newport County 4 Wrexham 0; 2019: Wrexham 1 (JJ Hooper) Chesterfield 0; Rochdale 1 Wrexham 0; 2021: Wrexham 2 (Paul Mullin 2) Marine 0; 2023: Sheffield United 3 Wrexham 1 (Mullin).