At first glance, it may appear like a furore more suited to the fandom of Game of Thrones, but dig a little deeper and there is at least some logic behind a section of the Wrexham fanbase being enraged by the colour of a mythical creature
The online response to this past weekend’s unveiling of new leisurewear from the Welsh club for the upcoming 2026-27 season was mixed at best, thanks to the inclusion of a white dragon crest on a jacket modelled by striker Sam Smith
Wales being synonymous with the red dragon meant supporters from the club’s homeland were quick to criticise, many pointing out that, in Welsh mythology, a white dragon represents the Anglo-Saxons of England
Considering the history of conflict between the two countries, the use of an ancient emblem most commonly associated with Wales’ sometimes despised neighbours has been viewed by some as an own goal
But is this a storm in a Welsh teacup? Or are those supporters entitled to see red?
So why all the fuss?
Saturday was a big day for Phil Parkinson’s side, as they kicked off their pre-season with a goalless draw against Wisla Krakow in Poland
It was also a big day for the club’s retail department, as the design of the new away shirt was revealed — a dark grey number that, according to the accompanying blurb in an email sent to members, is “inspired by North Wales’ iconic slate quarries”
The same message went on to add that “the new away shirt celebrates the deep connection between our club, our community and the land we call home. Finished with the red dragon and the message, Our Ground, Our Spirit – Ein Tir, Ein Hysbryd, every detail reflects what it means to represent Wrexham”
So far, so good, with the overwhelming response to the shirt — the first seen with new main sponsor Firefox — being positive, with sales also very strong
Ironically, considering what followed when a second image was posted on social media, this time featuring striker Smith in the jacket with a white dragon on the front, the club badge on the new away shirt also has white ones due to the kit’s dark grey material
This, though, didn’t prevent the online outrage that followed the promotion of the jacket as fans accused the club of being “out of touch” and declaring of the Welsh dragon, “it’s red for a reason”
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFCpic.twitter.com/l7E1DEVGFP
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) July 11, 2026
We might need a history lesson here…
“Long, long ago, a red dragon lived peacefully here in Wales. All was well until one day the land was invaded, by a white dragon….”
So starts the ‘Tale of the Welsh Dragon’ by Cadw, the Welsh government’s historic environment service, responsible for protecting, conserving and promoting Wales’ heritage
The ancient myth goes on to explain how the two creatures battled constantly before the native red dragon eventually triumphed to expel the English invader
Hence why the red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch in Welsh) became the symbol of Wales, appearing on everything from the national flag to the shirts of its various sports teams and even on labels of Welsh food exported around the world. It’s seen as a symbol of pride, nationhood and resilience
Most cross-border games at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground feature the visitors launching into at least one rendition of God Save The King and the locals responding with either a reworked version of ‘Football’s Coming Home’ that includes the line “England f***ed it up…” or Wales’ anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers)
Such antipathy was also evident on Saturday in Poland. The presence of a few England shirts in the away section at the Synerise Arena elicited plenty of choice comments, even though at least one of those sporting the offending shirt was in Krakow for the weekend with mates and decided on a whim to attend the Wisla friendly, despite not supporting either club, ahead of England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway that evening
Is this Wrexham’s first mis-step, in the eyes of some fans, regarding merchandise this summer?
Not quite. There was the ‘Nations Range’ of caps that appeared midway through the summer in both the club shop and online retail that featured the Wrexham badge alongside the flags of the major nations competing in the World Cup
Considering Wrexham’s global appeal these days, many fans saw these as a good way of identifying with both the club and their own native country. Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Thailand, Sweden and the United States were among those to feature, along with England
Here too, there was an outcry on social media over the latter. While the other countries still feature on Wrexham’s official online shop, the England option for the £25 hats is no longer available
Wrexham’s new away shirt, with white dragons on the club badge (Marcin Golba/Getty Images)
Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds have been respectful of Wrexham’s Welsh heritage. Does that make this furore more of a surprise?
Yes, the pair have gone out of their way to embrace and champion all things Wales, particularly through the Welcome to Wrexham documentary series
So much so that, in 2022, the club’s celebrity co-owners were presented with the Dragon Award for their international promotion of Welsh culture by the country’s government, Welsh TV station S4C and the Football Association of Wales at a special ‘Wales and the World’ concert in New York
It’s also worth noting that this is far from the first time a white dragon or two have appeared on Wrexham merchandise, usually when the background colour of the item involved is dark blue or black. This includes the popular black away kit from their 2024-25 League One promotion season, when the entire badge, including both dragons, was white
Then there was the ‘Back-to-Back-to-Back’ range to mark Wrexham’s three consecutive promotions, which again featured a single white dragon on a red background. Reynolds, too, famously sported a white dragon when wearing a Homage hoodie with the words ‘Red Dragons’ emblazoned across the front that sold out quickly when subsequently stocked in the club shop
Have any other clubs been caught up in similar kit-related rows down the years?
Plenty. Take Leeds United, one of Wrexham’s upcoming opponents on a pre-season tour in America. There was outrage a couple of years ago when red — the traditional colour of Leeds’ bitter rivals Manchester United — appeared on the club’s all-white kit, courtesy of the logo for new sponsor Red Bull
Previously, the loathing of red had run so deep that the McDonald’s outside Leeds’ Elland Road stadium does not feature any of the firm’s trademark colour on the roadside sign. There had, however, been none of this outrage in the days before social media when Don Revie’s great Leeds team played in all red kits from time to time, even sporting red socks at Wembley in the 1970 FA Cup final to avoid a clash with opponents Chelsea
What does the main Wrexham fans’ body think?
Interestingly, the Wrexham Supporters Trust, which ran the club for a decade before the 2021 Hollywood takeover, has a white dragon on some promotional banners and leisure wear, alongside the group’s main emblem of a red dragon
Chairman Barry Jones explains: “I would prefer the badge on the shirt is red. A dragon rampant is the symbol of Wrexham Council, Border Breweries, the (Royal) Welch Fusiliers, (an army regiment) based in Wrexham… you name the organisation, that’s it
Wrexham Supporters Trust chairman Barry Jones in a black polo shirt featuring a white dragon (Wrexham Supporters Trust)
“But, sometimes, from a production angle, it’s printed monotone. Our banners were done for communication. It’s important, when doing our AGM, for instance, that people can see the logos
“Same with the black polo shirts. The entire board of the Trust wore those polo shirts at last year’s AGM and no one mentioned it. I’ve also got a white polo shirt with the red dragon. But I don’t feel any less patriotic when wearing the black polo
“There’s only a small number of fans who recognise that the White Dragon of Wyvern is an old Saxon emblem.”
What have the club said?
Nothing publicly. As is often the case with these things, the success or otherwise of merchandise will surely be decided by whether the jacket — or any other Wrexham item sporting a white dragon — sells or not
