April 22, (THEWILL) – Wrexham FC, the 158-year-old football club from the Welsh border town of Wrexham, has secured a fairytale return to the English Football League.
The club, owned by Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, beat Boreham Wood 3-1 in a National League match with a game to spare on Saturday. The sell-out crowd at the Racecourse Ground witnessed Paul Mullin scoring twice, kick-starting the promotion party. Notts County, the promotion rivals, had earlier beaten Maidstone 5-2, raising the stakes for Wrexham.
The club’s promotion back to the Football League is a remarkable success story. The club was relegated from League Two in 2008 and faced financial oblivion. After three heartbreaking losses in the promotion playoffs, it was destined for football’s wilderness. The COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season saw the club finish 19th in the National League.
However, everything began to change when Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in November 2020. They set about restoring pride in the football club, investing heavily, and taking a keen interest in all aspects of the club, from the fans to the women’s team. Their promotion back to the Football League is one of the most unlikely stories for many a long season, thanks to a healthy share of Hollywood glitz.
The new showbiz owners have become diehard fans, investing heavily in the club, and energising the locals. Wrexham’s fairytale success is not just a publicity stunt, but a testimony to the hard work and enthusiasm of the new owners, who have restored some of the club’s pride and passion.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
