North West Wales

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  1. Former Hammer Sheaf back for Wrexhampublished at 20:26 BST 10 September

    Ben Sheaf in action for WrexhamImage source, Getty Images

    Wrexham midfielder Ben Sheaf's return to contention after injury could hardly have come at a better time.

    The 28-year-old missed the whole of pre-season and has yet to feature this season because of a calf problem.

    But Sheaf is back in Wrexham's squad for Friday night's Championship trip to second placed West Ham United – the club where he spent three years as a teenager.

    "I used to ball boy a lot at Upton Park when I was a kid because I was at West Ham Academy as a youngster," Sheaf said.

    "I enjoyed going and watching the games there at Upton Park.

    "It was a great atmosphere and it's always a club I've looked out for."

    Wrexham are set to play in front of their biggest ever crowd at the London Stadium, which has a capacity of 62,500.

    "I've actually never played at the London Stadium. It'll be good to go there - big crowd in a big stadium," Sheaf added.

    "These are the sort of crowds and nights that the club's been building towards over the last few years.

    "Hopefully in the future that can be a regularity.

    "We're all looking forward to it. They're a top side, so it'll be a tough challenge.

    "But if we put our best foot forward we'll have a right chance of getting a result.

    "It's nice to be back involved but I've only missed five, six games, so it's not the end of the world.

    "There's a long, long season ahead. Hopefully I can contribute for the rest of the season."

  2. Pick of the stats: West Ham United v Wrexhampublished at 13:36 BST 10 September

    The West Ham United and Wrexham club crests side by side

    It is 45 years since these two sides met in a league game while the last match of any kind came in the FA Cup in 1997 when third-tier Wrexham earned a home draw before shocking their Premier League opponents with a 1-0 victory in east London.

    A win for West Ham in Friday's late kick-off (20:00 BST) will send them to the top of the Championship for at least a few hours.

    • This will be just the fourth league season in which West Ham and Wrexham have faced, and first since 1980-81 in the second tier, when the Hammers drew 2-2 away and won 1-0 at home.

    • Wrexham and West Ham last faced in any competition in the 1996-97 FA Cup third round, with the Red Dragons winning 1-0 in a replay after a 1-1 draw in the initial tie.

    • West Ham have won each of their past three league games, last winning four in a row in November 2021 in the Premier League.

    • Wrexham have drawn as many as four of their opening six games of a season for just the fourth time in their Football League history, after 1929-30, 1966-67, and 1978-79 (all also four).

    • West Ham's Jarrod Bowen has created more chances than any other player in the Championship this season (18), also leading the way for expected assists (2.4) in the competition.