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Can Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney Really Take Wrexham To The Premier League?

Wrexham AFC co-owner Ryan Reynolds watched his team go toe-to-toe with Sheffield United at the weekend.

Sunday's FA Cup fourth round game ended as a 3-3 draw, despite Wrexham being in the fifth tier of English soccer, while United sit second in the Championship and are seemingly on the verge of promotion to the Premier League.

But Wrexham have ambitions of reaching the EPL too.

Reynolds had told ESPN before Sunday's game: "We want to walk the walk, even as a fifth-tier club. We say this all the time, but we want to be in the Premier League, as crazy as that sounds to some people.

"If it is theoretically possible to go from the fifth tier in professional football all the way to the Premier League, why wouldn't we do that?

"Why wouldn't we use our last drop of blood to get there? We're in it for the ride. This is a multidecade project."

Wrexham AFC co-owner Ryan Reynolds pictured celebrating a goal during his team's FA Cup fourth round game against Sheffield United in January 2023

Wrexham AFC co-owner Ryan Reynolds pictured celebrating a goal during his team's 3-3 draw with Sheffield United in the FA Cup

Wrexham are odds-on favorites to win promotion from the National League back to the English Football League this season.

The club have not competed in the EFL since 2008.

If they can complete their initial mission and return to League Two then there is a precedent to suggest that Reynolds' wild dream may not be as wild as it sounds. 

Wrexham would not be the first club to climb from the bottom of the EFL ladder to the Premier League.

Wigan Athletic famously went from the fourth tier of English soccer to the Premier League in just nine seasons between 1996/97 and 2004/05. 

Wigan were well backed by owner Dave Whelan on their journey and they outspent many of their rivals along the way.

For example, Jason Roberts and Geoff Horsfield joined for seven-figure transfer fees before Wigan had even reached the Championship.

Owner Dave Whelan pictured celebrating after Wigan Athletic's promotion to the Premier League was confirmed in 2005

Owner Dave Whelan pictured celebrating after Wigan Athletic's promotion to the Premier League was confirmed in 2005

Wrexham's owners are considerably wealthier than Whelan.

However, Wrexham may not need to rely on constant Reynolds and McElhenney cash injections to fuel their charge up the English soccer pyramid.

The club's status, both nationally and internationally, has grown enormously since the Hollywood duo took control in November.

Wrexham fan clubs are becoming increasingly common and are springing up thousands of miles beyond North Wales. 

This popularity boom has seen Wrexham emphatically become the best supported club in their current division, with a typical attendance three times the National League average.

It is entirely plausible that Wrexham would be the best-supported club in League Two next season also.

With expansion work at the Racecourse Ground already in progress, there is nothing to suggest that Wrexham's natural standing in English soccer in years to come could not be in the EFL Championship at the very least.

A photo taken of Wrexham AFC's Racecourse Ground stadium in November 2022

A photo taken of Wrexham AFC's Racecourse Ground stadium in November 2022

Off the field, Wrexham's potential is so much greater than Wigan's ever was.

Wrexham's average attendance this season is higher than that recorded by Wigan in 2003/04 - the season directly before their Championship promotion campaign.

In terms of online interest, Wrexham are already commanding more attention than many Premier League clubs.

Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are the only EPL clubs that received more searches on Wikipedia than Wrexham AFC last year.

Meanwhile, merchandize sales are rocketing as Wrexham AFC becomes the club of choice among soccer hipsters.

Do not underestimate what is being built in North Wales.

As long as Reynolds and McElhenney maintain their interest and passion for this project then Premier League soccer could well be coming to the Racecourse Ground within the next decade or so.

Wrexham AFC co-owners Rob McElhenney (left) and Ryan Reynolds pictured during a press conference at the Racecourse Ground after buying the club in 2021

Reynolds and fellow Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney (left) pictured during a press conference at the Racecourse Ground after buying the club in 2021

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