A bone fide cult hero at The Racecourse, Wrexham fans are desperate to see Juan Ugarte back to full fitness.

Initially signed on non-contract forms in 2004 after having a trial with Liverpool, the former Real Sociedad striker had been with a number of second division clubs in Spain, but came to the UK to try his luck in the Football League.

Originally signed with Dorchester Town, and scoring six goals in seven games for the Conference South club, he then moved on Anfield as his best friend is Xabi Alonso.

Ugarte came to Wrexham in October 2004 and made a remarkable impact in what remained of the season. If he'd left off after his first goal, a winner at Chester City in the LDV Vans Trophy, he'd have still been a hero at the club, but that precious strike was just an hors d'ouevre.

He went on to score 25 goals in 31 games, achieving along the way a number of feats which see him shoulder-to-shoulder with club legend Tommy Bamford in the record books.

Apart from a goal at the Millennium Stadium in the LDV Vans Final victory over Southend, having already hit a hat-trick in the semi-final at Oldham, Ugarte equalled the club record for the number of goals in a league game, hitting five in a 6-4 win at Hartlepool, and became the first Wrexham player to score so many in an away game in the process.

He'd already scored four at Chesterfield mind, and would register his fourth away hat-trick in four months at Stockport before the campaign was out! Only Bamford, Gary Bennett and Andy Morrell have scored more hat-tricks in a Wrexham career, and only Bamford has scored more hat-tricks in a season when he hit five in 1933-4!

Ugarte moved on to Crewe Alexandra after his prodigious season, a move he was to regret. He was given no chance to impress at Gresty Road, and spent two separate spells on loan back at The Racecourse, both of which were curtailed prematurely by injury.

In that time he showed glimpses of his old form with a fine performance against then league leaders Wycombe and a last minute equaliser in an epic 3-3 Welsh Premier Cup semi-final clash with TNS, followed by a coolly converted penalty in the subsequent penalty shoot-out win.

Released in the summer of 2006 by Crewe, Ugarte was given an opportunity to prove his fitness and was finally awarded an eighteen-month contract.  However, after just three substitute appearances he broke down again and The Racecourse faithful have since been waiting for news of his return.

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