Wrexham seals historic third-straight promotion
Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney feel their dream of taking Wrexham to the Premier League could become a reality after the Welsh club sealed an unprecedented third straight promotion, this time to the EFL Championship.
Wrexham will play second-tier football for the first time in 43 years and only the second time in its history after a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic secured the three points it needed to secure another lift up a division.
It is the first team in the history of English football's top five leagues to be promoted in three straight seasons, having been a National League team when Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in the 2020-2021 campaign.
Sam Smith was Wrexham's hero with a double, with Oliver Rathbone's strike having opened the scoring.
"It seemed like an impossible dream. What we’re lucky to do, is we’re storytellers," an emotional Reynolds said after the win.
"And when you’re a storyteller, you look as much as you can at the macro view of this history.
"This coaching staff that have kept the greatest dressing room in any sport, truly folks that are all for one and one for all. This community – I am speechless at their passion, emotion and transformation."
McElhenney paid tribute to manager Phil Parkinson, who has been the mentor for all three of the promotions, along with the unsung heroes at Wrexham.
"In Phil we trust, and Ryan and I always say how silly it is that we’re the ones on the pitch with these microphones because we’re not the ones here every single day, doing the work," McElhenney said.
"Ryan and I have the easiest jobs in the world, which is to show up and watch this incredible team and this incredible story continue to unfold.
"There are so many people here who don’t get the credit they deserve. The stewards, the fans, the media team, the coaches, the coaching staff. Everybody keeping the players safe. The people who aren’t talked about or sung about but keep the entire thing going."
The tantalising prospect of Premier League football is now perhaps not the unrealistic dream it once was.
"Our goal was to make it to the Premier League, and there was a lot of understandable teases and giggles and laughter," Reynolds said.
"But it’s starting to feel like a tangible thing that could actually come to fruition."
