Wrexham AFC’s commanding 3-0 Saturday victory over Charlton Athletic secured the British soccer club’s promotion to the second tier – just one step away from co-owner Ryan Reynolds’ stated goal of joining the top-flight Premier League.
The unprecedented third consecutive promotion earned Wrexham a place in the EFL Championship next season, where they will compete with 23 other clubs for the top two spots – and a promotion to the sport’s highest professional ranks. Wrexham finished second to Birmingham City, which will also join the second tier.
“Our goal is to make it to the Premier League,” Reynolds told ESPN afterwards. “It just seemed like an impossible dream [when buying the club in 2021], but as storytellers, you look as much as you can at the macro view of history.”
Reynolds and co-owner Rob McElhenney, who purchased the club for $2.5 million in 2021, celebrated the milestone alongside a sold-out crowd of nearly 13,000 fans. The co-owners’ investment and global spotlight, bolstered by the documentary series “Welcome to Wrexham,” have elevated the club’s profile worldwide.
The victory over Charlton followed news that Wycombe Wanderers had lost, leaving Wrexham needing only a win for automatic promotion. Goals from Ollie Rathbone and Sam Smith in the first half, followed by Smith’s second in the 81st minute, ensured a decisive victory.
Fans erupted in celebration at the final whistle, storming the pitch with banners reading “Back to back to back” as red smoke filled the air. Wrexham is the first team in English football history to achieve three consecutive promotions.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, who has guided the team from the National League to the Championship since his 2021 appointment, praised his squad’s resilience and focus.
“We will take the Championship full-on, just as we have done in recent years,” he said. “It is going to be a huge challenge.”
Parkinson added, “Getting over the line in football is hard to do, so to be able to maintain that standard in such a high-profile game is a testament to everybody. I want to savor the moment.”
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