‘Very Uncommon’—Wrexham’s Drastic Measure to Keep Premier League Dream Alive

The Red Dragons enjoyed a successful return to the Championship after a 43-year absence.

Wrexham were humbled at home by Southampton. | Copyright 2026, FX. All rights reserved.

Wrexham players held an emergency team meeting ahead of the final four matches of the Championship season as they sought to keep their Premier League dream alive.

The Red Dragons exceeded expectations in their first second-tier campaign in 43 years, remaining firmly in the playoff picture during the closing weeks of the season.

After a challenging start to life in the Championship, Wrexham found their footing and proved they belonged in what is arguably the most competitive league in world soccer.

The Welsh club’s remarkable rise has been chronicled in the critically acclaimed FX series Welcome to Wrexham, which has won 10 Emmy Awards and two Critics Choice Television Awards.

That story continues in Season Five, which follows the men’s first team competing at the highest level in the club’s illustrious history, while the women’s team pursues a historic first Welsh league title.

Compete against the world. | SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

---

Wrexham Stars Reveal Emergency Meeting Details

There were emotional dressing room scenes in the final weeks of the season. | Copyright 2026, FX. All rights reserved.

In Episode 7, the penultimate installment of Season Five, titled “Touching Grass,” viewers are taken behind the scenes during the final weeks of Wrexham’s push for a Championship playoff berth.

The episode begins with an impressive away victory over Sheffield United that reignited the Red Dragons’ promotion hopes. However, those hopes are quickly dealt a blow when Wrexham suffers a crushing 5–1 home defeat to high-flying Southampton.

Following the heavy loss, viewers are given a rare glimpse into the dressing room and the devastation felt by the players after such a sobering reality check.

Despite the setback, manager Phil Parkinson and star forward Josh Windass refuse to lose faith.

“They’re a good team. They’re a good team,” Parkinson says solemnly during his post-match debrief. “We know they’ve got good players, but we’ve got to be harder to score against than that.

“It’s too f****** easy for them. Too easy. This game is not going to f****** define us. We’re going to come out f****** ready for Birmingham on Sunday and go again. The whole team, the whole team, has got to be harder to play against than that.”

While supporters are familiar with Parkinson’s blunt approach, many may be surprised by the leadership role Windass plays behind the scenes.

After the manager finishes speaking, Windass breaks the silence.

“Can I just say, I know everyone in here knows and believes we can get into the playoffs. So we don’t let a game like that stop that belief. We keep going, and we get into the f****** playoffs.”

---

Welcome to Wrexham Season 5: How to Watch

Region	Platform
USA	FX, Hulu
Canada	FX, Disney+, Apple TV+, FXNOW Canada
United Kingdom	Disney+
Australia	Disney+

---

However, Wrexham failed to respond in the manner Parkinson had hoped. In their next match, they were comfortably beaten 2–0 by Birmingham City in a low-quality contest in which they failed to register a single shot on target.

Once again, Parkinson is shown consoling his dejected players, urging them to remain positive for the final four matches of the season as they attempted to keep their unlikely playoff push alive and close a four-point gap to Hull City.

After briefly setting the stage for the run-in, the episode reveals an unexpected twist: Wrexham’s players held their own emergency meeting in an effort to halt their slide in form.

“The players had a meeting today. Just the players,” Nathan Broadhead explains. “When you get beat 5–1 and then lose at Birmingham, I don’t think we had a shot at goal. So we talked about how we need to keep spirits high when everything is low.”

Nathan Broadhead (left) spoke of the details of the meeting. | Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Windass later speaks directly to the camera and reveals that he and veteran midfielder Matty James were the driving forces behind the decision.

“Obviously, now we are outside the playoffs and trying to get that sixth spot. To be honest, we were all gutted after the losses. It is very uncommon to have a meeting with only players, but Matty and I felt we had to do anything to turn things around.

“Every single one of us still believes we can make the playoffs. This is our chance, and we have to fight for it.”

Welcome to Wrexham viewers will only have to wait one more week to discover how it all unfolds, with the Season Five finale set to air on June 25, 2026.

---