Wrexham are the oldest football club in Wales and the third oldest professional club in the world, having been formed in 1864.
In 1878, Wrexham defeated Druids FC in the final of the first ever Welsh Cup, winning it again in 1882. In 1890, the club joined the Combination, but moved to the Welsh league in 1894, winning the Welsh League two years running before re-joining the Combination.
Wrexham won the Welsh Cup again in 1887 and won the Combination championship in 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1905. In 1903 & 1905 they also won the Welsh Cup. In 1905, Wrexham joined the Birmingham & District League and between 1910 and 1915 won the Welsh Cup five times in a row.
In 1921, Wrexham won the Welsh cup for the 12th time and that year became founder members of the new Football League Division Three North, finishing 12th in their first season. In 1929 & 1931, the club finished 3rd and finished 2nd in 1933, but at the time just the champions of the two regional third divisions were promoted. They won the Welsh Cup again in 1924, 1925 and 1931.
In 1958, the two regional third divisions were split into a third and fourth division and the top half of each section made up the new 3rd division. Wrexham scraped into the higher tier by finishing 12th, but in 1960 they finished 2nd from bottom and were relegated to the 4th division. In 1957, 1958 and 1960 they were Welsh Cup winners again. Two years later, Wrexham finished 3rd in the 4th division and were promoted back to the 3rd division, but two years later they were relegated again.
In 1966, they finished bottom of the Football League and had to seek re-election but they improved quickly and in 1970, Wrexham finished 2nd and were promoted again to the 3rd division. In 1972, they won the Welsh Cup again and were able to enter the UEFA Cup Winners Cup losing in the 2nd round to Hadjuk Split on the away goals rule having knocked out FC Zurich in the 1st round. In 1974, they finished a very creditable 4th in the 3rd division and the following year won the Welsh Cup for the 20th time.
In 1975/76, Wrexham, amazingly reached the quarter finals of the Cup Winners Cup, defeating Djurgardens of Sweden and Polish side, Stal Rzeszow before going out to Anderlecht, narrowly 2-1, to the club who went on to win the cup.
In 1978, Wrexham won the 3rd division title and were promoted to the 2nd division for the first time in their history. They also won the Welsh Cup again. The first season they finished 15th but in 1981 they were relegated and the following year were relegated again to Division 4. In 1984, they finished 20th but still played in the Cup Winners Cup the following season, amazingly defeating FC Porto in the 1st round. They went out in the 2nd round to AS Roma, managed by Sven Goram Erikson. I
In 1986, Wrexham won the Welsh Cup again and the following season were in Europe again defeating FC Zurrieq of Malta before going out to Real Zaragoza on the away goals rule.
In 1989, Wrexham made the 4th division play-offs after finishing 7th but lost to Leyton Orient in the final. In 1991, they made the 2nd round of the Cup winners Cup before going out to Manchester United but in the league they finished bottom.
In 1993, however, Wrexham finished 2nd, one place above Barnet, and were promoted to what was now called the 2nd Division, following the formation of the Premiership. In 1988, they finished 8th just missing out on the play-offs on goal difference. In 2002, Wrexham were relegated to Division 3 (now League Two). The club bounced straight back the next season finishing 3rd and winning automatic promotion but in 2005, the club went into administration and were deducted 10 points which cost them their League One status. In 2008, Wrexham finished bottom of League Two and were relegated to the Conference. I
In 2011, they finished 4th but lost to Luton Town in the play-off semi final. The following season they finished 2nd but lost again to Luton Town in the play-offs. In 2013, Wrexham finished 5th and made the play-off final at Wembley but lost to Newport County. However, the club won the FA trophy defeating Grimsby Town on penalties at Wembley. Last season, they finished 17th.
Barnet and Wrexham first met in 1991/92 after the Bees had won promotion from the Conference the previous season. In the first meeting at the Racecourse ground, the Dragons won 1-0 but the Bees gained their revenge in the game at Underhill winning 2-0 with goals from Mark Carter and Frank Murphy.
The following season, 1992/93, Barnet did the double over Wrexham winning 3-2 at the Racecourse Ground with two goals from Gary Bull and one from Mark Carter. At Underhill, Barnet won 3-1 with goals from Mick Bodley, Derek Payne and Carter. At the end of the season, both clubs were promoted to the 2nd division (now League One).
In 1993/94, Wrexham won both meetings; 4-0 at the Racecourse Ground and 2-1 at Underhill, Peter Scott scoring for the Bees. Barnet were relegated back to Division 3 at the end of the season.
The two clubs didn’t meet until 2005 following Barnet’s return to league football having won the Conference Championship in 2004/05 four years after being relegated.
Barnet have met Wrexham six times since the Bees returned to the Football League in 2005.The first time was back in August 2005 on bank holiday Monday. Two days before the Bees had lost their first game of the season at home to GrimsbyTown having started that match top of League Two.
The game started badly for Barnet when, straight from the kick off, Jon Walters cut through the Bees defence and hit a strong shot which was pushed away by Bees' keeper, Scott Tynan but fell into the path of Mark Jones who scored easily.
The home side were in complete control and it was no surprise when, just past the half hour, future Bee, Paul Warhurst scored from inside the penalty area surrounded by Barnet defenders, none of whom got near him. Barnet got back into the game just before half time when they were awarded a penalty after Dean Sinclair was brought down and Ian Hendon put the spot kick away to make the score 2-1 to the Dragons at half time.
However, it was the home side that were to score again, Robbie Foy swivelling on the edge of the penalty area just before and hitting a fine shot past Tynan on the hour to seal a 3-1 win for the Dragons.
When the sides next met, this time at Underhill, Barnet were in the middle of a poor run which was to see them take only four points from seven matches and push them deep into the relegation battle. The Bees had thrown away a 2-0 lead at home to LincolnCity and a 1-0 lead at home to Carlisle United.
The Bees went ahead early on the half four with a superb Jason Norville goal. Norville hit an unstoppable left footed drive past the keeper, Ingham, after a fine jinking run. Seven minutes later, a dreadful clearance by Ingham fell to new signing, Tresor Kandol, who powered his way past 2 Wrexham defenders before scoring in spite of Ingham getting a hand to it.
Unfortunately, for the 3rd time in 3 home games the Bees through their lead away, Mark Jones pulled a goal back for the Dragons just before half time driving home after some awful Bees defending and Matt Derbyshire, on loan from Blackburn Rovers, scoring five minutes into the second half breaking clear of the Bees defence to shoot past Matt Reed in the Bees' goal, despite looking offside. The match ended 2-2 and was 2 moor points dropped by the Bees but happily, it was not to prove costly as the Bees finished safely in 18th place at the end of the season.
In 2006/07, the two sides again met at the Racecourse Ground in August. Barnet had lost their first three games, but had beaten Hereford 3-0 the previous Saturday and came to Wrexham fresh from a superb 2-0 Carling Cup victory at CardiffCity.
Like the previous year, it was Wrexham who took the lead, in the 16th minute, through Mark Jones who drove home from the edge of the penalty area past Lee Harrison. Barnet equalised just after the hour when Dean Sinclair found Barry Cogan on the right and he crossed for Tresor Kandol to head home. Seven minutes later, Giuliano Grazioli had a goal ruled out and the game ended 1-1.
The return at Underhill, in March, saw Wrexham struggling second from bottom in the table, while Barnet were looking for points to move up the table and ensure safety and a comfortable end to the season. Barnet went ahead in the 19th minute when Nicky Bailey drove into the penalty area before sliding the ball to Oliver Allen who turned a defender before scoring from close range. Just before half time, Dean Sinclair missed an open goal from four yards when he had a free header and this was to prove costly as two excellent second half goals from Lee McEvilly won the game for Wrexham.
By the end of the season, Wrexham had recovered to 19th, five places below Barnet and the threat of relegation had gone for both clubs.
In 2007/08, the Bees completed the double winning 2-0 at Wrexham through two Liam Hatch goals and 3-2 at Underhill with goals from Ismail Yakubu, Anthony Thomas and Nicky Nicolau. At the end of the season, Wrexham were relegated to the Conference.
Early last season the two sides met at the Hive and Barnet went ahead though Anthony Acheampong but following a late sending off of Edgar Davids, Wrexham equalised to bring the scores level at 1-1. Barnet won the return fixture 1-0 at the Racecourse Ground through a Jake Hyde goal.
Wrexham won 1-0 with a goal from Rob Evans earlier this season at the Hive.
A few players have played for both Barnet & Wrexham and these include; Paul Warhurst who joined Wrexham from Forest Green Rovers in 2005 and made 12 appearances for the Welsh side scoring once; against the Bees early in the 2005/06 season at the Racecourse Ground with Wrexham winning 3-1. Warhurst subsequently joined the Bees in March 2006 and made 32 first team appearances before being released in the summer of 2007.
Kevin Dearden made 81 first team appearances for Wrexham between 1999 and 2001 after joining from Torquay. Earlier in 1999 he had a short loan spell at Barnet while with Brentford making just one first team appearance for the Bees.
Jason Solomon played for Barnet between 2002 and 2003 scoring twice in 21 first team appearances for the Bees. He also had a short spell at Wrexham in 1996.