Wrexham's remarkable rise - and what comes next

BBC News

26-04-2025

The party at the Stok Cae Ras was in full swing on Saturday night as Wrexham sealed an unprecedented third successive promotion.Wycombe Wanderers' 1-0 loss to Leyton Orient earlier in the day paved the way for Phil Parkinson's side to open up an unassailable advantage over the chasing pack in League One if they could beat Charlton Athletic.It was an opportunity they grasped as Ollie Rathbone scored his eighth goal of the campaign before Sam Smith netted a brace to clinch an emphatic 3-0 win.BBC Sport Wales looks at how Wrexham made the journey to the Championship from non-league in just three seasons - and explores what the future may hold.
Where did it all begin?
Working as a writer on comedy television series Mythic Quest, current Wrexham director Humphrey Ker became a close personal friend of the show's co-creator Rob McElhenney.The Philadelphia-born actor took an interest in football and, during the coronavirus pandemic, tasked Ker with assessing potential investment options.Hartlepool, Aldershot, Carlisle and Shamrock Rovers fans, look away now. They were among the clubs that were explored before Wrexham were chosen.And a chance encounter on Instagram proved to be the start of a dream partnership.Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds contacted McElhenney on the social media platform to praise him for his acting skills in a particular episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.The duo struck up a relationship and the rest, as they say, is history.Speaking on BBC Breakfast prior to the win over Charlton, Ker said: "They (Reynolds and McElhenney) came to understand this thing about the way our football system works that is completely alien in America, which is the idea that you can go from the top to the bottom and from the bottom to the top. In America, it's kind of a closed circuit."The Hollywood pair completed their takeover of Wrexham in February 2021, making an immediate £2m investment after taking control from the club's supporters' trust.
The journey so far
Wrexham have not finished below second place in the various divisions they have competed in any of their four seasons under Phil Parkinson, who was appointed as manager just five months after the takeover was finalised.Semi-final play-off heartache against Grimsby Town brought an abrupt end to an impressive debut campaign in north Wales for Parkinson in 2021-22.But the following season proved memorable as Wrexham clinched the National League title with a record 111 points to end a 15-year absence from the Football League.And there has been no stopping the Red Dragons since.Wrexham won 26 of their 46 matches en route to taking the runner-up spot in League Two as the club sealed back-to-back promotions last term.Despite another step up in level, Wrexham have successfully gone toe to toe with a number of former Premier League sides to take the second and final automatic promotion place in League One this season.Charlton was Parkinson's 181st league match in charge of Wrexham, and his record is nothing short of remarkable.Wrexham have triumphed in 112 of Parkinson's league games. Their win rate is just shy of 62%. There have been 40 draws and only 29 league defeats.Across this period, Wrexham have scored 361 league goals (not including play-offs) at a rate of almost exactly two per game while claiming an average of 2.08 points per game.Parkinson, 57, also guided Wrexham to the FA Trophy final - they lost to Bromley at Wembley - in his first season and has twice led his side to the fourth round of the FA Cup."Phil Parkinson, our manager, deserves an unbelievable amount of credit because there have been other teams that have had more resources than us in the past that have not been able to get to the cusp that we have got to," said Ker.
Documentary success
The 'Welcome to Wrexham' television documentary has been at the heart of the club's rise to global prominence over recent seasons.Season four is set to premiere in May and will detail the club's journey from League One to the Championship, with Wrexham becoming the first side in the top five divisions of English football to secure three successive promotions.While Wrexham do not earn money directly from the show, its popularity has had a significant impact on improving the club's revenue streams."It's extraordinary. We often talk about the power of storytelling," said Ker."What we've been able to do with the documentary and the football club is tell people in America why football is so significant to us, what it means and what the stakes are. "Truly, I'm astonished by the volume of interest. It's because America is fascinated by English football and we are a way in for a lot of people who don't follow it in other ways."Telling the story of the local community in addition to the fortunes of the club itself, the documentary has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards and two Critics' Choice Television Awards."We're telling that story, and we're telling the story of the town," added Ker."The amazing thing about all football clubs is that so much life happens around them, and covering that is what we do."
An unstoppable rise
"Our goal is to grow the team, establish Wrexham AFC as a Premier League club, in front of increased attendances at an improved stadium while making a positive difference to the wider community in Wrexham."The club's mission statement spells out the scale of the ambition of co-chairmen McElhenney and Reynolds.And Wrexham's hierarchy have plenty to ponder as they plan for the club's first season in the second tier since 1981-82.Their squad size will rise from 22 players to 25, while matchday squads will feature nine substitutes as opposed to seven.It could, in theory, pave the way for Paul Mullin's return to the squad following his absence over the previous 13 games. Whatever striker Mullin's situation, it is clear there is further work to be done on the squad, as Parkinson will want to bring in more players of a higher calibre to bolster his side's Championship prospects.The inevitable acquisitions will lead to an increased wage bill, with Ker recently suggesting Wrexham would need to quadruple their wage outgoings to be competitive in the Championship. Work is also due to commence on improving the iconic Kop Stand at their Stok Cae Ras home, while there are plans to develop a training ground and for expansion of facilities for the academy and women's side.It all requires money - and lots of it. But on the plus side, the club are currently operating with a model most EFL clubs will envy.The £26.7m Wrexham made in revenue during their 2023-24 League Two season puts them just below the top Championship sides - who benefit from parachute payments - in terms of income.TV and sponsorship revenue will only increase in the Championship, so there is no doubt Wrexham are well placed at present. The next challenge is always the toughest, and the Championship is a different beast from what Wrexham have face over the past few years.But with such impressive alignment from top to bottom at the club, Wrexham know they are in a strong position to achieve their ultimate goal at some stage - whether it be next season or beyond.