Wrexham reward women's team with 10 semi-pro contracts as Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney's side prepare for life in Welsh top-flight

• Wrexham Women announce 10 new contracts
• Preparing for life in the Welsh top-flight
• First club in North Wales to have a semi-professional women’s football set-up

WHAT HAPPENED? Wrexham Women are ramping up preparations for the Welsh top-flight after announcing 10 players have signed semi-professional contracts. The Red Dragons, who disbanded in 2016 only to reform in 2018, beat Briton Ferry Llansawel 1-0 in April to ensure their promotion to the Genero Adran Premier. Rosie Hughes and Lili Jones have signed two-year deals and Rebecca Pritchard, Del Morgan, Phoebe Davies, Amber Lightfoot, Erin Lovett, Katie Sharp, TJ Dickens, and Mari Gibbard have signed on for the 2023-24 season.

WHAT THEY SAID: Wrexham Women’s manager, Steve Dale, said via the club's website: “We are delighted to have our first players signed up to semi-professional contracts, after the role they played in our promotion last season.

“These players have proved their ability on the biggest stages we’ve played on, and we are delighted that they have signed up to become Wrexham AFC Women’s first semi-professional players.

“The preparation has already begun behind the scenes for our first season back in the top flight, and this is an important step as we look to finalise the squad for the challenges that lie ahead. Each of the players have been a credit to the Football Club, on and off the pitch, and I am delighted to be able to continue working with them as we look forward to this next chapter together."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Following the club's promotion to the top-flight, and the Welsh side's successful application for a Tier 1 Licence to play in that division, they are now the first club in North Wales to have a semi-professional women’s football set-up. This is part of a wider project from owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, who bought Wrexham in 2021, to take both the men's and women's sides to the next level.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Instagram @wrexhamafcwomen

Getty/S4C

WHAT NEXT? Wrexham AFC Women will begin their Genero Adran Premier campaign on September 17. The men's team, who earned promotion to League Two in April, will start their season on August 5.