Wrexham: Argentine super fan trying to get to The Racecourse

A Wrexham instrumentality from Argentina's Welsh-speaking country of Patagonia is hopeless to get to the Racecourse adjacent season.

David Mardones has been successful emotion with Wales' oldest shot squad since 2019 - before the club's Hollywood takeover by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

The Red Dragons are soaring again aft sealing promotion backmost to the Football League aft a 15-year absence.

David's lone problem? He'll person to question much than 7,000 miles (11,265 km) to get to a game.

The process that led to David becoming a Wrexham instrumentality began successful 1865, a twelvemonth aft the nine was formed, erstwhile 153 Welsh pioneers acceptable disconnected for South America connected a clipper vessel called Mimosa.

The Welsh-speaking assemblage established afterwards - Y Wladfa - has endured, with betwixt 2,000 and 5,000 Argentines speaking Welsh to this day.

David takes large pridefulness successful being 1 of them.

"My transportation to Wales comes from my mother's roots, she instilled successful maine the Welsh traditions," helium said.

"The connection is thing that I larn each day, present successful Patagonia we are committed to expanding some the civilization and the connection and to sphere it.

"My grandparents surname was Jones. One of them lived successful the Patagonian upland ranges astatine 16 de Octubre."

The 16 de Octubre vale - oregon Cwm Hyfryd - is the sanction fixed by the Welsh settlers to the country of ​​Trevelin and its surroundings successful Patagonia.

Now, David is looking to the future, arsenic helium passes connected his passionateness for Wales to the adjacent generation.

"My girl is 2 years old. She has a Welsh sanction - Aderyn Bryn. She volition beryllium the 1 to proceed honouring the Welsh civilization successful Patagonia," helium said.

David was contacted by immoderate Wrexham locals aft posting pictures connected a Welsh Pride Facebook group.

"One of them - who is similar my member - is Tudur Dylan Jones. Talking to him a agelong clip agone astir 2019, helium told maine 'I americium a instrumentality of Wrexham, you indispensable besides go a fan, the archetypal successful Patagonia'," helium said.

"I was excited astir the thought and erstwhile we created the Y Wladfa Wrexham instrumentality group, we began to person connections with galore people.

"It is my imagination to spell to Wrexham and beryllium astatine the Racecourse celebrating goals surrounded by fans. I deliberation astir it each day.

"There were hard seasons, the erstwhile play we were close. This clip it was completed. I shed tears of joy."

Wrexham's 3-2 triumph implicit rubric rivals Notts County - which cemented their presumption astatine the apical of the National League aft a Ben Foster punishment prevention - stands retired successful David's mind.

"I followed the crippled minute-by-minute connected Google and done Facebook connected the authoritative page. I truly had a batch of anticipation and expectation," helium added.

David is present fundraising successful his assemblage for his travel to Wrexham.

Cefyn Burgess is simply a textile decorator and creator from Bethesda, Gwynedd.

He was successful Patagonia for the 150th day of the Mimosa landing successful 2015 to research the narration betwixt the Welsh, Argentine and indigenous people.

"The transportation to the Mimosa is simply a origin of their roots and individuality and besides an look of their pridefulness successful the accomplishment of their forefathers successful turning a godforsaken into a promised land," helium said.

"They are Argentinian archetypal and foremost, but proudly Welsh."

He added the relation with the descendants of those from the Mimosa had fixed a beardown consciousness of belonging to the radical of Y Wladfa.

"This is evident successful the spot of the eisteddfods, chapels, the gymanfa ganu and the flourishing Welsh schools," helium added.

"Today, the Welsh assemblage is simply a large tourer destination to acquisition the Welsh beverage rooms with their ain mentation of Bara Brith (Torte Negra) and perceive to the Welsh choirs."

But however does a Patagonian eisteddfod compare?

"A precise antithetic experience, lively vibrant and chaotic astatine times, enthusiastic and a fantastic blending of Argentinian and Welsh music, creation and poetry," Cefyn said.

Beth Owen was portion of the archetypal squad to spell to Patagonia post-Covid connected the British Council's Welsh-language project.

The big Welsh tutor from Bridgend was determination from August to December past year.

"I took portion successful 3 eisteddfods implicit there," she said.

"They person a Spanish and Welsh reciting which is lovely.

"They've inactive got a beardown Spanish individuality but they are precise arrogant of their Welsh individuality arsenic well.

"Even if they spoke nary Welsh, they would speech astir their Welsh blood."

The biggest daze - and infinitesimal of pridefulness - for Beth came astatine the extremity of the schoolhouse day.

"The children sing the Welsh nationalist anthem astatine the extremity of each day," she said.

"I had to pinch myself erstwhile that happened. If you deliberation we sing it good successful the stadiums, you should perceive them."

Record inflation rates of much than 100% person meant the outgo of surviving is precocious for the Welsh-speaking assemblage and Argentines successful general.

However, Beth is hoping she tin instrumentality 1 day, adding: "It was an implicit pleasance to beryllium portion of it and I'm truthful grateful to the full Welsh community.

"I would spell backmost successful a heartbeat - I've made friends for life."