Wrexham AFC might be best known among casual, mainstream observers for being a soccer club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and featured on FX sports documentary series “Welcome to Wrexham.” However, the team is hardly a TV show novelty.
For the second time in two years under its celebrity ownership, Wrexham has secured a promotion to a higher tier. With a 6–0 home victory over Forest Green on Saturday, the Welsh club won promotion to League One, the third tier of English soccer. Wrexham has never won back-to-back promotions in club history.
The Red Dragons took a 4–0 halftime lead on a goal from Elliot Lee, two from Paul Mullins and an own goal by Forest Green’s Ryan Inniss. The Rovers never got close, while Wrexham added goals by Ryan Barnett and Jack Marriott in the second half.
In addition to a win over Forest Green, Wrexham also needed both MK Dons and Barrow to lose. Those clubs accommodated, with MK Dons falling 4–1 to Mansfield while Barrow lost to Gillingham, 3–0.
Wrexham fans storm the pitch in celebration after securing back-to-back promotions and will be playing in League ONE next year…
Fair play 👏👏👏
pic.twitter.com/yzcV8Eh4WF— george (@StokeyyG2) April 13, 2024
The top three teams in EFL League Two automatically get promoted to League One. Wrexham is in second place behind Stockport and ahead of Mansfield and MK Dons. The club could still win the League Two title, but is four points behind Stockport, which also has a game in hand. Wrexham can finish no lower than third place and is now two tiers away from the English Premier League.
Last season, Wrexham won the National League to earn promotion to the English Football League, doing so for the first time in 15 years.
