WREXHAM, Wales — Mickey Thomas continues to be known for scoring the most iconic goal in Wrexham history, even in the wake of the five years that followed Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ takeover, elevating the club closer to the Premier League.
Nothing has yet rivaled Thomas’s stunning free-kick in Wrexham’s 2-1 FA Cup victory over Arsenal back in January 1992, when Wrexham, who had just finished at the bottom of the Football League six months earlier, shocked the reigning league champions at the Racecourse Ground. However, Thomas acknowledges that his legendary moment might soon be overshadowed by even greater achievements, considering Wrexham’s remarkable ascent from the fifth-tier National League to the EFL Championship play-off spots following Rob and Ryan finalizing their £2 million takeover on February 9, 2021.
“Wrexham has become a runaway train since Rob and Ryan arrived,” Thomas told ESPN. “I’ve been involved in football for a long time and seen remarkable changes, but this rise has truly left me in awe. The most astonishing part is the possibility that Wrexham could face Arsenal in the Premier League next season.”
“To think about that cup tie in 1992 and everything that has unfolded for Wrexham since then, the highs and lows—it’s an incredible prospect. It would be the greatest football story ever.”
On the day of the five-year anniversary of the takeover—following the pair achieving approval in November 2020—Wrexham celebrated with a 2-1 away victory against Altrincham, securing seventh place in the National League. Today, they stand 73 positions higher in the English football hierarchy and can advance to fifth place, just behind the automatic promotion spots, if they secure a win against Millwall on Saturday.
After clinching three consecutive promotions, beginning with their jump from the National League to the EFL in 2023, Wrexham is on the brink of writing another fantastic chapter.
“Are we prepared for the Premier League behind the scenes? This would require significant work [if we get there],” Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson told ESPN. “Absolutely. But wouldn’t it be incredible to have that chance? When we stepped up to Division One, and then to the Championship, some thought we weren’t ready. Yet, in football, you continually evolve as you progress.”
In March 2025, Wrexham shared their latest annual financial results, reporting a remarkable 155% increase in income to £26.7 million during their first year back in the EFL after 15 years in the National League. The financial results came with a commitment from the directors: “The owners’ goal is to grow the team and establish Wrexham AFC as a Premier League club with increased attendance and an improved stadium,” the statement reported.
Five years after their initial takeover, the journey from Altrincham to Arsenal seems nearly complete—Rob and Ryan are racing toward fulfilling those ambitions.
Phil Parkinson was the catalyst for Wrexham’s transformation. His appointment as manager in July 2021 provided immediate credibility to the Rob and Ryan project and showed their serious commitment to revitalizing the club.
Parkinson had an established track record as an EFL manager, with promotions at Colchester and Bolton. In 2013, he achieved an extraordinary feat by leading League Two’s Bradford City to the EFL Cup final, defeating Premier League teams Arsenal and Aston Villa along the way. While he had the title of “miracle worker,” joining Wrexham represented a risk for him.
“There’s always an element of risk because if you drop into the National League as a manager and it doesn’t work out, it’s tough to rebound,” said Parkinson. “But the more I learned about the club and spoke with the owners, the more I understood how serious they were.
“When you take a managerial job, you consider what can be achieved. The potential here is substantial. Since I joined, it’s been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. I can’t accurately describe it otherwise—it’s been extraordinary witnessing the club rise from the National League to the Championship. What Rob and Ryan have accomplished—everything they promised—they have delivered.”
The highlight of Rob and Ryan’s five years at the club undeniably lies in the three promotions achieved. No club in English football history has ever recorded three consecutive promotions since its inception in 1888, and these successes have coincided with significant changes both on and off the field.
Since February 2021, Wrexham has seen 66 new players join Stok Cae Ras, at a total cost of £38.8 million, while 76 players have departed without a fee through free transfers or loans—including Paul Mullin, a key contributor to the initial two promotions, who recently signed with Bradford City after a loan spell at Wigan. Ollie Palmer, another foundational player, was brought in for a club-record £300,000 from AFC Wimbledon in January 2022, but he now finds himself playing in League Two with Swindon Town.
The evolution of Wrexham’s squad has resulted in a dramatic increase in transfer spending. Sam Smith became the record signing at £2 million when he transferred from Reading last January, though that title was soon eclipsed by Nathan Broadhead, who made a £7.5 million move from Ipswich Town last August. Change has swiftly become a constant. Parkinson confesses that while adapting is a vital part of the team’s growth, Wrexham aims to honor those heroes who helped secure early promotions.
“It’s been challenging,” said Parkinson. “We seek to sign players who can grow with us at each level, making improvements where necessary while ensuring that we respect the contributions of those who have been pivotal in our journey. It’s important to approach these transitions with care, making sure to treat departing players with respect as they leave.”
“However, we must keep evolving as a squad because standing still allows others to overtake us.”
The allure of joining Wrexham—a club on the rise, steeped in Hollywood glamour—is undeniable for incoming players.
“The initial appeal was everything happening on the pitch, the winning culture, and a team that had stepped up to the Championship for the first time,” shared George Thomason, who joined for £1.2 million from Bolton last summer. “But everyone is aware of the buzz surrounding the owners. Seeing the team’s spirit and culture was incredibly inspiring.”
“I was thrilled to learn of Wrexham’s interest. They are eager to push toward the top, and that’s incredibly exciting for any footballer.”
The “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary series, which debuted in 2022, has showcased the team’s dramatic rise through the ranks while telling the off-field stories of fans and the local community, earning Wrexham global recognition. Despite this soaring popularity, their stadium remains a challenge, as it is outdated for league standards.
When ESPN met with Parkinson and Thomason at the stadium, the limited facilities meant they had to conduct interviews in a staff kitchen. Originally opened in 1864, the ground requires significant upgrades to meet Premier League standards. Although teams must have a minimum capacity of 5,000 with 2,000 seats, they are also required to install high-intensity floodlights for broadcasts, create designated areas for media and cameras, and ensure secure supporter segregation.
When Luton Town gained promotion to the Premier League in 2023, they invested £8 million to upgrade Kenilworth Road to comply with top-flight requirements. Meanwhile, Wrexham has started constructing a new 7,500-capacity Kop Stand to increase the overall capacity to 18,000, but it won’t be complete for several months.
“The expected delivery date is early 2027,” said Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson. “However, the finished version of the new stand might not be available until the 2027-28 season, potentially leaving us in the Premier League next season with only 10,500 seats.”
Nonetheless, once completed, the new stand will reflect the sophistication of Wrexham’s Hollywood ownership, being designed by Populous—the same architects behind prestigious venues such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Lusail Stadium (which hosted the 2022 World Cup final), and The Sphere in Las Vegas.
“The connection with The Sphere was definitely a cool selling point for Rob and Ryan,” a source disclosed. “They are wholly engaged with every detail, including the choice of Ruabon red brick for the stand to honor local tradition.” (Ruabon is a nearby town recognized for crafting terracotta-colored brick from local clay.)
Yet, despite the formidable tasks ahead off the field, Wrexham is prepared to face them head-on. “There is no established route for this,” Williamson noted. “Achieving successive promotions from the National League to the Premier League is an unprecedented feat in English football’s history.”
“While we were in League One, I advised Rob and Ryan to aim for a swift promotion to the Championship, as remaining stagnant in League One risks entrapment. They embraced that philosophy, invested in the squad, and we secured promotion. We spent last season racing to catch up off the field and across other areas of the organization, and we continue to strive to ensure we’re capable of thriving in the Championship and aiming for ultimately surviving in the Premier League.”
“If we reach the Premier League, we will be sprinting once again to become truly Premier League ready.”
So, what’s next for Wrexham? Is it merely a question of when—they will reach the Premier League, not if?
On the pitch, Parkinson’s team is deeply entrenched in the play-off race, positioning Wrexham favorably to achieve their current season’s ambition. Off the pitch, the staff and hires made by Rob and Ryan underscore their aspiration to join the elite of English football. Williamson joined as CEO two years ago, coming from a background with DC United, Inter Milan, and Inter Miami, while chief business and communications officer Rob Faulkner came on board in December 2024, following roles with UEFA, Inter Milan, and the European Club Association.
“Rob and Ryan clearly articulated their ambitions from the outset, aspiring to take Wrexham to the Premier League,” Williamson recounted. “Initially, many laughed, yet here we are, just six places away from ascension to that league. The focus now is on how to ensure that once we arrive there, we can sustain our place, which encompasses growth across various areas, from staffing to infrastructure. Our team has expanded from 40 to over 140 employees in less than 20 months.”
“This is a sprint, not a marathon—it’s a constant race. Ideally, I would like to reach a steady pace eventually, but since Rob and Ryan arrived, we have adjusted to maintaining this pace quite well.”
Wrexham has astonishingly become a global brand, despite never competing at the top level before. Before the takeover by Rob and Ryan, the club’s only significant achievement was reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1975-76. Over the last five years, they have transformed into a phenomenon, much to the surprise of former player Thomas, who acknowledges it daily.
“I played for Manchester United and still assist at Old Trafford on match days, but invariably, when I meet people, they only want to chat about Wrexham,” Thomas expressed. “The club has captivated the public’s imagination to the extent that it rivals major Premier League teams, even in the United States.”
Wrexham’s commercial potential could also attract Premier League interest, especially with the allure of Hollywood celebrities at the club’s helm.
“Most international fans might not distinguish between Fulham, Bournemouth, or even West Ham“, remarked Omar Chaudhuri, chief intelligence officer at Twenty First Group, a London-based commercial brand advisor. “But if a team emerges with a compelling narrative, it draws viewers that would have otherwise overlooked those games throughout an average season.”
“Particularly in the U.S., there’s a vast audience that recognizes this connection with Wrexham. Whenever they appear on TV, the viewer numbers are likely to rise, which adds value to the league. If you’re a Premier League club owner, you would be eager to welcome that phenomenon.”
Since Rob and Ryan’s arrival, Wrexham has moved beyond reliance on local sponsors and partners for financial stability, securing deals with major global brands like United Airlines and Meta Quest, creating multi-million-pound agreements that will likely expand if they reach the Premier League significance. This commercial strength now underpins both Wrexham’s current successes and their future aspirations.
“There are top clubs in the Premier League keen for the brand partnership we have in North America,” Williamson stated. “The potential for growth is unlimited, yet it’s essential we remain anchored in our local community values.
“Other clubs achieving playoff success sometimes find themselves unprepared for a sudden promotion to the Premier League. Our predominant difference rests in our mindset: we are actively preparing for the eventuality of reaching that league because it is our goal.”
Five years have been required to reach this juncture, yet Wrexham could realize their ultimate ambition in significantly less than five months.