Remember when Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought Wrexham for £2 million back in February 2021? The club was sitting in seventh place in the fifth tier of English football. Fast forward five years, and they're now gunning for the Premier League.
It sounds like a movie script, but it's real life. Wrexham are currently in the Championship playoff positions, just six spots away from the top flight. For punters keeping an eye on promotion odds, this Welsh side has defied every expectation.
Mickey Thomas, who scored Wrexham's most famous goal in a 1992 FA Cup win over Arsenal, can barely believe what he's seeing. "Wrexham have become a runaway train since Rob and Ryan arrived," he told ESPN. "The crazy thing is that Wrexham could be playing Arsenal in the Premier League next season."
That's the dream scenario. On the day the takeover was confirmed five years ago, Wrexham beat Altrincham 2-1 to climb to seventh in the National League. Today, they're 73 places higher in the pyramid. Win against Millwall on Saturday, and they'll move up to fifth in the Championship.
The journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Three successive promotions since 2023 have taken them from non-league football to the brink of the big time. No club in English football history had ever achieved that before.
Building a Premier League Squad on Fast Forward
Manager Phil Parkinson has been the man making it happen. He joined in July 2021 and brought instant credibility. He'd already worked miracles at Bradford City, taking them to the League Cup final in 2013.
But even he admits the speed has been breathtaking. "Listen, is the structure of this club behind the scenes ready for the Premier League?" Parkinson said. "Of course there would be an immense amount of work. But wouldn't it be great to have that chance?"
The squad has completely transformed. Since February 2021, 66 new players have arrived at a cost of £38.8 million. Nathan Broadhead became the record signing at £7.5 million from Ipswich last August. Heroes from the early promotions like Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer have moved on.
For anyone betting on Wrexham's promotion chances, the investment shows serious ambition. Their annual revenue jumped 155% to £26.7 million in their first year back in the EFL. The financial results included a clear statement: the goal is to establish Wrexham as a Premier League club.
Hollywood Glamour Meets Welsh Grit
The "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary has turned this small Welsh club into a global brand. Midfielder George Thomason, a £1.2 million signing from Bolton, says the attraction was obvious. "Everyone knows the outside noise of the owners and things like that," he said. "The culture around the club is something really special."
There are challenges ahead, though. The stadium needs major work to meet Premier League standards. A new 7,500-capacity Kop Stand is being built, designed by the same architects who created Tottenham's stadium and the 2022 World Cup final venue. But it won't be ready until the 2027-28 season.
That means if Wrexham do go up this season, they'll be playing Premier League football in a 10,500-seat stadium. CEO Michael Williamson isn't fazed. "There is no road map for this," he said. "It is a sprint, not a marathon."
The commercial power is already there. Wrexham have moved from local sponsors like Ifor Williams Trailers to global giants like United Airlines and Meta Quest. In the United States, they're as recognized as any Premier League team.
Mickey Thomas sees it firsthand. "I played for Manchester United and still work there, but wherever I go, people only want to talk about Wrexham," he said.
The playoff race is tight, and there's still work to do. But after five years of defying expectations, betting against Wrexham feels foolish. The Hollywood dream could become Premier League reality in just a few months.
