Wrexham A.F.C
News
Where does a former NFL coach with a Super Bowl title to his name go on holiday for the new year? Wrexham, of course.
Paul McCord and his family became ardent supporters of the team after watching the documentary Welcome to Wrexham, so they moved from Florida to North Wales to watch the League Two match versus Barrow.
Although it meant leaving behind the Tampa sunlight and highs of 22C (71.6F) during the day in favor of 9C, Paul, his wife Mindy, a successful women’s lacrosse coach, and their nine-year-old son LJ couldn’t have been happier.
Paul, a member of the coaching staff that led the Baltimore Ravens to Super Bowl victory in 2001, says, “Being here in Wrexham to celebrate the new year meant so much.” Wearing the commemorative ring he was given following the 34-7 triumph against the New York Giants.
We have been to Wrexham twice. We visited for the first time in March 2023, during the Southend United match. Then, we attended the games in Chapel Hill, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Philadelphia on the U.S. tour that was held last summer.
That was fantastic because it allowed us to get up with people we had met on our previous trip to Wrexham, like Wayne Jones, the landlord of The Turf and the documentary’s breakout hero.
“The location and the people have won our hearts. Being at a real, grateful place makes you want to stay in an often extremely cynical environment. That’s what pulled us in again.
“The documentary brought us here in March, but the people are what brought us back.”
The couple originally became interested in watching the first season of a show that tracks the ownership of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds because of Paul and Mindy’s respective professions as outstanding coaches.
Head coach of the University of South Florida’s women’s lacrosse program Mindy says, “As coaches, we both love watching sports documentaries, like (ESPN’s) 30 for 30 series.”
It was Paul who suggested that we see this documentary. The event featured an underdog story, which he is researching for a book. We could both immediately identify with the story.
“The ‘blue-collar town’ aspect was fantastic. Having immigrated from Yugoslavia, my grandfather worked as a coal miner and my father as an electrician. The sense of community was something else I really like, especially how genuine the fan interaction is at Wrexham.
“There’s a genuine personal touch, as the players stroll among the supporters prior to each match, striking up selfies and signing autographs.”
The McCord family (back row left to right): Paul, Mindy, daughter Taylor and son-in-law Spencer Zapper and (front) LJ
The McCords spent New Year’s Eve in The Turf pub that sits adjacent to the club’s SToK Cae Ras home, but both Paul and Mindy seem remarkably chipper.
LJ is excited, too, as he’s brought along a present for Paul Mullin, who the youngster enjoyed an impromptu kickabout with after the summer tour match against Chelsea in Chapel Hill.
“The gift is for Albi,” explains Mindy, Albi being Mullin’s young autistic son. “We wanted to thank Paul for being so great with LJ. It’s what we love so much about Wrexham, the authenticity and the welcome everyone has.”
The McCord family will always remember their first visit to Wrexham.
The Southend game only went ahead at the eleventh hour after volunteers and club staff had worked through the night to ensure the pitch was playable. Snow had blanketed the area.
But there was another issue: the tickets Paul had bought online turned out to be in the area reserved for the away team’s supporters.
“We only realised when we arrived at the turnstiles in all our newly-bought Wrexham gear,” laughs Paul, 6ft 6in (198cm) tall and still built as powerfully as you’d expect someone who once signed for Dallas Cowboys to be.
“The gentleman explained we’d erroneously purchased tickets in the Southend section and then looked at me before saying, ‘You’ll be OK, as they won’t give you too much trouble, but I can’t say the same about the other two’.
“It was totally my fault. I’d no idea it was the away section. I just saw ‘Wrexham’ and clicked for three tickets. The club was brilliant. They escorted us to another section in the stand, which turned out to be where all the reserve team players sit.”
Mindy quickly interjects: “The funny thing is we got on season two of the documentary as a result. We were watching at home when suddenly, there we were, on the screen, looking like total tourists in our Wrexham hats and scarves sitting with all these players!”
There were no such mishaps this time around. As international members, the family bought tickets in the main stand through the club for the 4-1 win over Barrow.
A particular highlight came via the second goal of Steven Fletcher’s hat-trick, a far-post header from James McClean’s in-swinging corner. “The stack play on the corner was similar to a set piece we use in lacrosse,” Paul messages after the match.
Crossovers between Phil Parkinson’s methods and the couple’s own coaching experiences are more common than many might think. Certainly, the Wrexham manager’s famous ‘character test’ when sizing up prospective signings — he’ll think nothing of driving to London and back to weigh up a player’s suitability over a cup of tea — is similar to how Mindy runs things in lacrosse.
Along with Paul, she famously implemented the fast-paced basketball doctrine ‘The System’, as pioneered by Paul Westhead with Loyola Marymount University in the late 1980s and featured in the TV show Winning Time. This had a great effect when she was at the helm of Jacksonville University’s lacrosse setup. Building the right culture was key.
The Jacksonville University women’s lacrosse squad is assembled by the McCords (Paul McCord).
Mindy, who was awarded Conference Coach of the Year eight times while she was at Jacksonville, adds, “We needed a good locker room.” “Those women’s commitment to our purpose and core beliefs allowed us to achieve that.
“We were interviewing the parents where you say Phil interviews the players here.” The 17–23-year-olds you are working with require careful consideration of their parenting style. Are mentoring and coaching valued by the parents? In terms of how you can influence a young adult, that really makes a difference.
“Selecting the appropriate people is an art. Additionally, we were very open and truthful about our identities as coaches and people, as well as about our coaching techniques, personalities, and what our clients could expect from us. You must establish credibility.
Mindy and the Wrexham manager disagree on a few coaching points, including what the documentary’s creators call “Phil’s enthusiasm levels”—the excessive amount of times he swears during team meetings.
“We do crack up every time he swears on the show,” she continues. However, one day LJ was saying to me, “Mom, can I say it? They drop the F-bomb so much.” “No way, that’s just a part of the language there,” I think to myself.
Dad concurs. He responds, “I’ve been in dressing rooms like that.” “A few things were said—maybe not nearly as much swearing as there was. That’s when the testosterone and adrenaline start to spike. It is heartfelt.
Paul can talk about high-level coaching with confidence, having experienced it himself. He was on Brian Billick’s coaching staff when the Ravens defeated the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, and he then joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in a similar role.
He clarifies, “I worked with the snappers, holders, punters, kickers, and return specialists.” “The Super Bowl felt like a dream. As the assistant special teams coach, I was the underdog on the coaching staff. But it was amazing to be involved even a little. While traveling, you are aware that something amazing is taking place.
You devote so much attention to every game. and every second. Before we arrived, we hadn’t given the Super Bowl any thought. And getting there, we thought we would win this match with ease.
Our defense was the best; nobody could score against us. Our field position game was excellent, and our offense also knew what to do. That’s precisely how it transpired.
“With Mindy and the family present, it was a truly delightful experience.”
That was great because it gave us the chance to meet people we had met on our last visit to Wrexham, like Wayne Jones, who is the breakout hero of the documentary and the landlord of The Turf.
“We are in love with the place and the people. Being in a genuine, appreciative state helps you want to stick around in a setting that is frequently really jaded. That’s what drew us back in.
“The documentary brought us here in March, but the people are what brought us back.”
Because of Paul and Mindy’s different careers as exceptional coaches, the couple first became interested in watching the first season of a show that follows the ownership of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
Mindy, the women’s lacrosse program head coach at the University of South Florida, says, “As coaches, we both love watching sports documentaries, like (ESPN’s) 30 for 30 series.”
Paul proposed that we see this documentary. He is doing research for a book on the underdog narrative that was presented at the event. The narrative immediately struck a chord with both of us.
“It was a great ‘blue-collar town’ aspect. My father was an electrician, and my grandfather was a coal miner who had moved from Yugoslavia. Another thing I truly enjoy about Wrexham is the sense of community, particularly the sincerity of the fan interaction there.
“There’s a genuine personal touch, as the players stroll among the supporters prior to each match, striking up selfies and signing autographs.”
McCord at practice with the Ravens (Sue Bloom)
Along with the book on sporting underdogs he’s writing and helping Mindy’s coaching career, Paul’s goal for 2024 involves helping to spread the Wrexham gospel even further.
“Family and friends all know about Wrexham,” he says. “For our daughter Taylor and son-in-law Spencer (Zapper), we bought Wrexham shirts for Christmas. The plan now is to educate people in Tampa about this great club.
“It’s funny that I wasn’t into Always Sunny (in Philadelphia) when I got into this. Or even a Ryan Reynolds fan. It was the sport element that attracted me — and particularly the underdog story.
“But then I suddenly became this superfan, never missing a game on iFollow (kick-off is usually at 10am on a Saturday in Florida) and shouting so loud all the neighbours know when we’ve scored a goal.”
