FFC looks at Wrexham’s history, current standings, results, and probable promotion dates for 2024 in addition to their current state of play.
Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became Wrexham AFC’s new owners, the Welsh team has seen a great deal of media attention as well as some on-field success. After spending 15 years in the non-league wilderness, the Red Dragons were promoted back to the EFL during their most recent campaign. Now, they are attempting to get promoted again as they attempt to get out of League Two at the earliest opportunity. Wrexham, of course, did exist before their Hollywood takeover and had a rich history that includes giant-killing in the FA Cup, waves in the Football League and Europe, and current ascents to the top of the English pyramid.
However, how did they ascend from the fifth-tier obscurity to the brink of EFL heavyweight status? Is it feasible for someone to get promoted by the end of the season? Here are the most recent Wrexham fixtures, scores, and news.
Wrexham owners
In February 2021, actors Reynolds and McElhenney finished taking over Wrexham. They pledged £2 million of their own funds to take over the Red Dragons, taking over as the club’s new owners in lieu of the Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST).
For Wrexham, it would prove to be a turning point in history since success on the pitch followed off-field fame and money. As of this writing, their football accomplishments since the Hollywood pair arrived include an incredible 111-point haul in the National League to guarantee promotion, combined with heartache during play-off and cup finals. They are expected to face another promotion challenge in EFL League Two.
Acting royalty having taken over, a documentary would be the next logical step for Wrexham, as that’s what everyone seems to be doing these days. ‘Welcome to Wrexham’s’ first season followed the club’s journey under Reynolds and McElhenney after they moved to Wales. It also told the tale of the previous ownership and their 2021–2022 season, which culminated in an FA Trophy final loss at Wembley and an exciting play-off semi-final matchup between the Mariners and Grimsby Town, with the Mariners emerging victorious and earning promotion. September saw the release of the second installment, which detailed the club’s 2022–2023 season, during which Wrexham set records and gained support from supporters worldwide, especially across the Atlantic.
The series looked back at the club’s giant-killing history in the FA Cup, with Wrexham heroically bowing out in the fourth round proper last term after starting their journey in the qualifying rounds. It also examined the development of their women’s team, something Ryan & Rob vowed to invest in. Later this year, a third season of the documentary will be available, with fresh episodes debuting in April.
The 2022–2023 Wrexham National League season will go forever in history. The players on the pitch produced a season of epic proportions, shattering the records for the most wins in a season (34) and the most points earned (111), as if having Hollywood owners watching wasn’t enough. For the second year in a row, they also achieved the highest attendance figures in the league, with an average of nearly 10,000 fans attending each of Wrexham’s home games at the 13,000-seat Racecourse Ground. Paul Mullin, a striker, was Wrexham’s leading scorer with an amazing 38 goals in 46 games. During their FA Cup run, he scored eight more goals.
Even though the Red Dragons dominated most league weeks, they were in a tight race for the championship with league opponent Notts County, who had amassed an incredible 107 points in 46 games—23 more than Chesterfield, who was in third place. Wrexham and County were tied at 100 points apiece going into a pivotal Racecourse match in April 2023. With the win over their opponents—who had defeated them in October of the previous year—Wrexham would be in control of their future.
The game ended in a topsy-turvy fashion, which has nearly become characteristic of Wrexham, with Elliot Lee’s winner securing victory for the Red Dragons. Two weeks later, Wrexham’s return to the Football League was confirmed with a 3-1 victory over Boreham Wood; Notts County, the winners of the play-offs, would eventually join them in League Two.
Following their National League victory, Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham team has not hesitated to push for promotion once more. Following a sluggish beginning in which they only triumphed once in their first five games, Wrexham’s results improved during the fall, and by October, they were in the promotion spots. They had unfortunately lost three straight games before most recently winning a late game against fourth-tier struggling team Sutton United. As a result, even though they are no longer guaranteed a spot in the promotion playoffs, they still have a good chance of making it into League One the following season.
The Red Dragons also replicated their success from the previous season by making it to the FA Cup’s fourth round, defeating League One teams Shrewsbury Town, Yeovil, and Mansfield before losing to Championship team Blackburn Rovers.
In other news, Wrexham’s EFL Cup journey was ended in the second round as they lost to league rival Bradford City on penalties. Similarly, there was no luck in the EFL Trophy, when Burton Albion eliminated Wrexham in the final 32 despite Wrexham won every game in their group.
When Wrexham can get promoted to League One
As previously said, Wrexham is very much in the running to move up from League Two. Teams ranked fourth through seventh advance to the play-offs, while the top three automatically advance to League One. With 16 games remaining, Wrexham is currently in a respectable position. They have two games remaining against Crewe Alexandra, who are now in third place, and as of today (16 February), they are in control of their fate.
However, unless Wrexham can separate themselves from their rivals, the race for League One is expected to come down to the wire, with the distance between the promotion positions and the play-off spots staying narrow. Additionally, the Red Dragons would be wise to gather some momentum after their two previous games—a trip to Crewe and a visit from Stockport County, the current league leaders—would suggest.
The next matchup pits Wrexham against their old rivals, Notts County, as the two promoted teams from the previous campaign square off. The Welsh team’s 2-0 victory over Nottingham earlier in the season suggests that the visitors may be seeking retribution this weekend, given the Magpies are currently holding onto the final play-off spot. Due to rearranged schedules, Wrexham will play three away games in February, including against play-off contenders MK Dons and Gillingham, before returning home to take on Accrington Stanley on March 2.
With three straight losses—a run they hadn’t seen in the league since April 2021—Phil Parkinson’s team was in dire need of some confidence. They were also soundly defeated by Blackburn at Ewood Park in the most recent FA Cup fourth round. Their dramatic 2-1 triumph over relegation rivals Sutton may have started a turning point in their season, since losses to Bradford, Salford City, and Newport County had threatened to ruin their league chances.
