Wrexham AFC's rise to stardom under Hollywood ownership

After narrowly losing to Championship side Sheffield United in the FA Cup fourth-round replay, Wrexham AFC, of the fifth tier of English football, has rose to Hollywood stardom in recent years.

Back in February 2021, Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney completed a surprise takeover of the third oldest professional football club in the world for $2 million, according to Wales.com.

Wrexham, a club a long way further down the English football pyramid from Manchester United and Liverpool, is a team full of history and a passionate fanbase.

In recent years, Wrexham has struggled to stay financially afloat, with poor management from previous owners and a near collapse in 2011. The thought of someone coming in to save the club and transform it, sounds like a Hollywood story, doesn't it?

According to Wales.com, the Hollywood owners bought back the Racecourse Ground (Wrexham's stadium) and invested in a new training facility for the players.

Since taking over, season ticket sales have gone up, the team has had a new global sponsor in TikTok on the shirts, they have become the first fifth-tier team to have been included on the video game FIFA, and have had a new Disney series called 'Welcome to Wrexham' created about the team.

After being relegated from the Football League in 2008, Wrexham has pondered in the fifth tier since then, struggling to make any push for promotion.

The Hollywood owners knew big changes would be needed to bring back former glory, investing in new manager Phil Parkinson, who has experience of managing two tiers above, and previous fourth-tier top goal scorer Paul Mullin from Cambridge United.

With a revamped team possessing star quality up front and a new experienced manager, guiding the ship, Wrexham's performances in the league have begun to drastically improve.

After an eighth-place finish the year the owners came in the 2020-21 season, Wrexham drastically improved with the quality they added, finishing second last year, narrowly missing out on making the Playoff final after staggeringly losing 5-4 to Grimsby Town.

Up to now, this season has been one to remember for Wrexham supporters, challenging at the top of the league and a legendary cup run.

As of the 9 February 2023, Wrexham is second in the league on 68 points, winning 21 and only losing two games all season. The Welsh side is two points behind Notts County with two games in hand.

The star attraction so far this season for Wrexham has been the FA Cup journey the club has found themselves on.

After narrowly beating Blyth Spartans in the FA Cup qualifying round in two games, the Welsh side made an easy habit of beating Oldham Athletic and Farnborough in the first and second rounds.

The North Wales team would be awarded a trip to Championship side Coventry City, a team three leagues above Wrexham in the third round.

Wrexham shocked the country by going 4-1 in the contest thanks to star man Paul Mullin's penalty in the second half, which was enough to weather the Coventry fightback towards the end, eventually winning the game 4-3.

The National League side played Championship table toppers Sheffield United in the fourth round at home, unfortunately conceding in the dying seconds to draw 3-3 and take the game to a replay.

Despite Paul Mullin's penalty goal to keep the game level at 1-1 in the return game, two added-time goals from Sheffield struck a dagger in the hearts of Wrexham, watching their side bow out of the cup.