Lee Trundle weighs in on Swansea City v Wrexham 'derby' debate | OneFootball

There has been plenty of debate in the build-up to Saturday's all-Welsh affair

Former Swansea City and EFL cult hero, Lee Trundle, has been amongst those on social media debating whether his former club's clash against Wrexham on Saturday night should be labelled as a 'derby'.

The Swans and Red Dragons make up two thirds of the Championship's Welsh representation for this season after Cardiff City were promoted from League One under Brian Barry-Murphy.

However, for various reasons, there have been plenty of eyes cast on developments at both the Swansea. Com Stadium and Racecourse Ground in the opening month of the campaign as the two sides vy for national bragging rights in footballing terms, as well as hoping to reach the Premier League in the near future.

There are, of course, four professional clubs in Wales represented in the English pyramid, albeit two divisions separate the aforementioned trio of Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham and Newport County, currently of League Two.

With Swansea making a fast start to this season, which is also their first full term under Vitor Matos, Saturday's clash has all the makings of a compelling 90 minutes after Wrexham ended the transfer window with some high-profile signings, but is it really the grudge match that some people believe it is?

Lee Trundle responds after Vitor Matos' Swansea City, Wrexham 'derby' verdict

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Speaking to the media before Saturday's televised match, the question was put to Swansea's Portuguese head coach as to whether the encounter has any added meaning in terms of the desire which will be shown from his players to achieve three points.

Matos responded: "It's, of course, a Welsh team so that needs to mean differently.

"I think I said we have one derby (against Cardiff City) that is in 87 days, and then we are going to have a game against Wrexham this weekend," he added.

With over 130 miles separating the two cities at opposite ends of the country, this has sparked a major debate, and responding to one verdict questioning why the same question has been brought up for a second successive season, Trundle, who played for both clubs, said: "Of course mate I don’t understand why it gets to people.

"We play in an English league and we are Welsh teams. It’s a Welsh derby. You have London north v south teams and they call that a derby. It means more than other games so just enjoy the occasion."

What else has been said on social media ahead of Swansea v Wrexham clash

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Unsurprisingly, Matos' comments have led to a major split in opinions from Swansea, Wrexham and Cardiff fans in particular, with there still being over two months until the Bluebirds travel across the M4 for the first South Wales derby of the campaign.

One Swansea fan said: "He’s quite right. Last time the media referred to Swans v Wrexham being a derby they got ridiculed. Every game in Premier League is a derby if the criteria is 2 teams from same country playing one another."

Another commented: "Spot on. Wrexham can have as much Hollywood investment as they can, get in the prem and even Europe but there will always be just 1 fixture in Wales that really counts and they don’t play in it."

Meanwhile, a Cardiff supporter, in a rather tongue-in-cheek manner, added: "Jacks counting down the days to the only fixture that makes them relevant. Heard Matos has the Derby version of an advent calendar."

High-profile investors have added focus to Swansea vs Wrexham matches

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Whilst both sides traded victories last season, with Swansea winning their home clash 2-1 courtesy of Adam Idah's 90th-minute winner following Arthur Okonkwo's error and a 2-0 Red Dragons win in North Wales, the two clubs' high-profile investors have certainly brought more focus to the matches, even if supporters on either side don't necessarily agree with it.

Indeed, during the match at the Racecourse, Wrexham's co-owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, were seen commentating on the 90 minutes for Sky Sports, which, in itself, led to an even bigger split of opinions from across the footballing world, whilst Snoop Dogg is also a minor investor in the Swans.