Following Wrexham’s win over Shrewsbury, they will now face Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round of the FA Cup. What happened the last time that Wrexham travelled to Ewood Park?
This weekend has seen Wrexham achieve yet another fourth-round FA Cup clash for the second consecutive season.
A short journey to face local rivals Shrewsbury took place this weekend and Phil Parkinson went with a strong starting XI.
This paid off as Tom O’Connor scored the winner with a deflected effort which left Marko Marosi with no chance in goal.
Sparking wild scenes in the away stand as well as at home with Rob McElhenney voicing his celebrations on social media.
Following the draw, it has been confirmed that Blackburn Rovers will be the next side that the Reds face in the FA Cup. This has sparked excitement in the fan base as an away trip to a Championship side is now on the cards.
With that being said, when was the last time that Wrexham made the 72-mile journey to Ewood Park?
42 years since a Wrexham trip to face Blackburn
Blackburn Rovers vs Wrexham is a fixture which has been a rarity in times gone by and many fans won’t remember a meeting between the two.
According to 11v11, the last time that the Reds played at Ewood Park was in October 1981 which was two years, two months and nine days ago, 15,410 days.
Looking at the team that played there are many names which stand out. There’s Dixie McNeil who scored 80 goals in 182 appearances for the Reds across his time with them.
Then there is Alan Hill who made 209 appearances for Wrexham during a ten-year spell between 1973 and 1983.
It is safe to say that fans won’t necessarily hope for the same result as it was in 1981 as the match finished 0-0, according to WrexhamAFCArchive.
In the 81/82 campaign, Wrexham were relegated from the second division at the time. They finished with 44 points. By comparison, Rovers ended the season in 10th place.
Things are different now and the Reds are on the hunt for League Two promotion as opposed to battling relegation. With Parkinson in charge, they are on an upward trajectory and the FA Cup is an epitome of this.
Last season, wins over Coventry City and a draw to Sheffield United were very memorable moments. Now a long-awaited trip to Ewood Park to face Blackburn is on the cards.