What’s Next For Wrexham Following National League Promotion?

2022/23 has been a season for the ages. It hasn’t just been the Manchester City and Arsenal title race in the Premier League that has been exhilarating this year. Way down in the fifth tier, Wrexham AFC and Notts County have embarked on a title showdown like no other. And on April 22nd, it was the Red Dragons who finally triumphed courtesy of a come-from-behind 3-1 victory at home to playoff-chasing Boreham Wood. Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were seen crying in the stands following the success, before taking to the field and celebrating with the squad and the adoring public.

The season hasn’t been plain sailing for the North Wales outfit, and that was encapsulated in this crunch clash as they fell behind inside a minute courtesy of a brilliant goal from Lee Ndlovu. But the hosts came roaring back at the Racecourse Ground, and a stunning brace from hotshot Paul Mullin as well as a goal from Elliott Lee were enough to secure the victory and promotion. The question now turns to what’s next for Wrexham AFC.

Back-to-back Promotions?

Those in charge at the Racecourse will feel that an immediate promotion from League Two is a very real possibility. The National League is seen as the hardest league to get out of in English football due to the fact that only one team is promoted automatically. That all changes in the fourth tier, as three teams secure automatic promotion to League One, and a fourth team is promoted via the playoffs. With players such as the hero of the hour Mullin, as well as his strike partner Ollie Palmer, as well as defenders Ben Tozer and Ryan Tunnicliffe, and winger Anthony Forde, Wrexham already has plenty of players with League One pedigree.

Reynolds and McElhenney, alongside manager Phil Parkinson, will also need to reconvene in the coming weeks to determine how much of a budget should be set for new acquisitions. Since the Hollywood duo took over the club two years ago, they have made some brilliant signings in the transfer market, without spending obscene amounts of money, albeit considerably more than that of their fifth-tier rivals. Will they continue in the same fashion in the close season? Or will they go for broke in the hopes of guaranteeing a second consecutive promotion?