Wrexham Football Club‘s fairytale under Hollywood ownership has added another stunning chapter, with the Welsh club securing promotion to the English Championship after a dominant 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic.
The emphatic victory, played out in front of a raucous home crowd at the Racecourse Ground, confirmed back-to-back-to-back promotions for Wrexham. Their journey has now taken them from the National League to League Two, to League One, and now to the Championship in just three whirlwind seasons.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who purchased Wrexham in 2021 alongside a consortium, were in attendance, celebrating wildly with supporters after the full-time whistle. Their influence, and the hit 2022 documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, has transformed the club from a non-league obscurity into arguably the most captivating story in world football.
“It just seemed like an impossible dream,” Reynolds told Sky Sports post-match.
“We were there doing a press conference four years ago, and said our goal is to make it to the Premier League. It starts to feel like a real tangible thing that could actually come to fruition in this moment.”
The scenes at the Racecourse were nothing short of chaotic. Thousands of Wrexham fans stormed the pitch at the final whistle, waving flags and embracing players and staff in emotional scenes.
Ollie Rathbone and Sam Smith were among the standout performers, each scoring stunning goals in the rout that sealed Wrexham’s place in England’s second tier league for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
“Ryan and I have the easiest job in the world, which is to show up and watch this incredible football team and this incredible story continue to unfold,” McElhenney said.
“And if you want to see what it means to them, you go into that dressing room after a loss and there’s nothing that can console them,” Reynolds added.
While Wrexham’s Hollywood-backed rise has captured headlines around the world, the heart of the club’s success lies in its deep connection to the local community. Players, coaches, owners, and supporters have become a single force behind a team that has shattered expectations at every step.
Manager Phil Parkinson, who has masterminded the club’s surge through the English football pyramid, praised the resilience and character of his squad after the match.
“I want to savour the moment. The division’s been strong this year, but all of our players have stepped up and adapted so well, the mentality in the group was so strong,” he said.
“We focused tonight and when the third goal went in, it was just a perfect moment.”
Wrexham’s journey to the Championship now puts them just one league away from the Premier League — an almost unimaginable scenario when Reynolds and McElhenney first arrived in 2021, jokingly admitting they “had no idea what they were doing.”
But four years later, after three consecutive promotions, the once modest club from North Wales is now firmly entrenched on the world football map.
As the sun set over the Racecourse Ground, the message was clear: Wrexham are writing a story that even Hollywood couldn’t have scripted better.
Photo: Photo by Steve Daniels found HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.
