Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham journey so far

Wrexham AFC have experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years, capturing global popularity following their takeover by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Once a club mired in decades of obscurity and lower-league struggles, the Red Dragons have transformed into one of the most compelling stories of modern football. Since the celebrity ownership began, the synergy between the owners, club management, and players has sparked an inspiring revival—elevating the team from the depths of fifth-tier football to the brink of top-flight competition. 

Let’s take a closer look at Wrexham’s history and their journey and explore how this historic club have risen through the ranks over the past five years.

Founded in 1864, Wrexham AFC are one of the oldest clubs in world football. Their stadium, the Racecourse Ground, is the world’s oldest international sports ground.

Based in Wrexham, North Wales, the club have a rich legacy steeped in history. Their honours include winning the Welsh Cup a record 23 times, the Football League Trophy in 2005, and the FA Trophy in 2013 at Wembley. They’re also record winners of the FAW Premier Cup, having won it five times out of 11 whilst competing against fellow Welsh clubs such as Cardiff City, Swansea City, and Newport County. In the 1970s, they played in League One, but financial restrictions and poor management led to multiple relegations. They were languishing in the fifth division of English football when Hollywood came calling. 

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were looking to invest in a football club back in 2020 when they came across Wrexham AFC. The club’s history instantly attracted them and the duo launched a bid for takeover. Upon promising massive investment, including a new training facility, their bid was accepted by the Wrexham Supporters Trust, who had owned the club since 2011. In February 2021, the takeover was complete, and hence began the journey from the fifth tier to the EFL Championship. 

The new owners brought not only funds but also global popularity, sponsors, and A-list celebrities to Wrexham’s games. The documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which has been chronicling the club’s journey under their stewardship, has also raised their profile on the global stage. 

2021/22 Season

In the 2020/21 season, during which the takeover took place, Wrexham finished eighth in the National League—just outside the playoff spots.

In the 2021/22 season, they finished runners-up to Stockport County, winning 28, drawing 10, and losing eight of their 44 games to end with 88 points. They qualified for the National League playoff semi-finals, where they lost 4–5 to Grimsby Town after extra time.

So, Wrexham were to stay in the National League for another season, but the new owners were keen to make it their last in the division.

2022/23 Season

The 2022/23 season began with Wrexham bringing in several key players in the summer to boost their promotion chances. The campaign started on a positive note as Wrexham won their opening game, beating Eastleigh 2-1.

And they never looked back. Throughout the season, Wrexham kept alternating with Notts County at the top of the table and eventually ended up winning the National League with 111 points—with 34 wins, nine draws, and only three losses in 46 games. Forward Paul Mullin was arguably their best player, scoring 38 goals and bagging three assists in the league.

And so Wrexham earned a spot in the EFL League Two, marking the first big step under new ownership. 

2023/24 Season

The last time Wrexham competed in League Two was 2007/08, during which they were relegated. However, history didn’t repeat itself in 2023/24 as Wrexham passed the League Two challenge with flying colours.

Ahead of the season, Wrexham made several key permanent and loan signings to strengthen their squad for the fourth tier of English football. They didn’t exactly dominate the league, but they did enough to clinch another promotion, winning 26 games and drawing and losing 10 each to finish second in the table on 88 points—four behind champions Stockport County.

Another successful season earned them promotion to the third tier of English football, the EFL League One. Forward Paul Mullin was their best player yet again, scoring the most goals (24) and bagging eight assists in the league. 

2024/25 Season

League One has posed a challenge to many Championship and even Premier League sides in recent years. With the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the EFL Trophy to contend with, one could have hardly blamed Wrexham if this turned out to be a bit too much. 

But Wrexham again made their moves in the transfer market, making a host of signings to ensure they were ready to clear this hurdle as well. Remarkably, they ended the season in second place with 92 points, managing 27 wins, 11 draws, and eight defeats to finish behind Birmingham City (111 points). Oliver Rathbone turned out to be their star performer this season with eight goals and two assists.

With this promotion, Wrexham earned the distinction of becoming the first team to achieve three consecutive promotions in the top five divisions of English football, marking their return to the Championship after a long hiatus of over four decades. 

A lot of the praise for Wrexham’s success should go to their manager, Phil Parkinson. Under him, the team have learned to play an innovative brand of football, which is built around having attacking overloads in the wider areas and switching play, while also utilising the strengths of their forward players. In addition, Wrexham also look to exploit the opposition by going behind their lines through quick transitions and direct play. In situations where they can’t break down the defence, they attract the opposition forward and then try to intercept play, leading to quick transitions and counter-attacks. 

Wrexham’s incredible success has been nothing short of a Hollywood script. A club entangled in financial mess and languishing in the fifth division gets help from unexpected quarters—two outside enthusiasts with limited knowledge of both the region and the sport but admittedly a lot of heart and personality, who come in and turn around the club’s fortunes in unimaginable ways.

From the owners, the manager, to the players—everything has gone by the script thus far. Wrexham have already demonstrated to the world that unprecedented success in the sporting world can be achieved through tactical intelligence, collective courage, and an unyielding team spirit.

That said, the Championship is a different kettle of fish. The second tier of English football isn’t going to be a cakewalk, and Wrexham will have to compete with legacy clubs with huge fan bases and against far superior players in 40,000-capacity stadiums. Their investment will have to go towards players who can not only help them thrive in this tier, but also step up when the times comes for the Premier League. 

Although Wrexham AFC and their Hollywood owners have achieved miraculous success over the past three seasons, it remains to be seen whether their story continues its upward trajectory.