As the snowflakes danced above North Wales, neither Wrexham nor West Ham United were prepared for the comical calamity that the FA Cup would soon reveal.
The Hammers had embarked on a 223-mile trek from Upton Park to The Racecourse for a third round match. However, when they arrived, under the leadership of the ever-present Harry Redknapp, we wouldn’t be surprised if they expected the match to be called off.
With the entire field covered in snow, the maintenance staff found themselves working hard to try to make the field playable. Incredibly, the match went ahead, with a brave crowd of 9,747 fans bundled up to support their teams despite the icy conditions.
A quick glance at the lawn, however, provided a nice moment of comedy. The only areas of grass free of snow were the penalty areas, the center circle, the halfway line and the touchlines. Everywhere else it was dazzling white as players struggled with the orange ball in the snowy melee.
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Ground passes resulted in awkward bounces, clearances went in all directions and shots on goal went wildly away from their target. Yet amid this chaotic scene at The Racecourse, two memorable goals emerged, leading to a rematch at Upton Park.
Wrexham’s Bryan Hughes opened the scoring for the Third Division side, while Portuguese striker Hugo Porfirio equalized, scoring one of only two goals he managed during his brief loan spell in East London.
However, for Porfirio, it was more than just a goal. “It was the first time he (Porfirio) had seen snow,” Redknapp revealed. “He had never experienced snow before this snowy moment.”
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Upon discovering this white substance for the first time, what was Porfirio’s reaction? “Well, he was surprised that the English players were tough enough to play football in those conditions,” joked Redknapp.
In an era where players bundle up in gloves, scarves and base layers, it was an incredible sight to see some players sporting short-sleeve jerseys and shorts that day, a sartorial choice that seems inconceivable by today’s standards.
When the two teams met again at Upton Park, conditions were much more favourable, yet Redknapp might have wished for a return of that wintry weather. Wrexham’s Kevin Russell scored the decisive goal, completing an incredible upset against the Premier League side which featured a young Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard.
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West Ham weren’t the only big team to fall under Wrexham’s spell during this FA Cup adventure. Following their thrilling 4-2 victory over Peterborough United in the fourth round, Wrexham triumphed against Birmingham City, winning 3-1 at St. Andrew’s to reach the quarter-finals.
Unfortunately, Wrexham’s run ended there, falling 1-0 to Chesterfield in the next round. Nonetheless, their fine run to the FA Cup quarter-finals in the 1996/97 season equaled their best performance in the tournament’s history.
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However, this season fans of Hollywood-owned Wrexham will have to wait until next year for a new challenge, having been knocked out in inglorious fashion in the first round by League Two side Harrogate Town. Despite dominating 21 shots and 63% possession, Wrexham were unable to break through Harrogate’s defences, with Jack Muldoon scoring the decisive goal in the 24th minute.
