By Martin Graham
It’s been half a decade since everything changed for Wrexham, when two Hollywood figures stepped into football ownership and altered the direction of the club forever.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney officially took control of the North Wales team on 9 February 2021, following overwhelming support from the Wrexham Supporters Trust months earlier. What followed has been an extraordinary rise, driven not only by results but also by structural change in the organization.
This is a story of progress that goes far beyond party days.
Build the foundation for long-term success
The success on the field has been evident, but the transformation behind the scenes has been just as critical in supporting the owners’ long-term vision.
Stoke Cae Ras supporters, along with a worldwide television audience, have seen the evolution of the stadium itself. The historic Kop Stand, unused for 16 years, was demolished in 2023.
During the 2024–25 season, a temporary structure with capacity for around 3,000 fans was put in place before being removed to allow permanent construction to begin.
At the start of the 2025-26 campaign, work began on a new stand with a capacity of 7,500, bringing the ground’s total capacity to 18,000. Completion is expected in early 2027.
Away from the stadium, there are limitations. Without ownership of the Colliers Park training base, sessions are usually held at other venues such as Carden Park or The Rock, now under club control. Even so, day-to-day operations such as food provisioning and travel planning have been refined, including flights to certain props to aid in recovery.
Former captain Ben Tozer, who played 136 times and won back-to-back promotions, highlighted the change in standards. He explained that while not all major updates have arrived, the player support systems have been steadily improving.
Development has reached every corner of the club. Academy figures Gus Williams and Craig Knight now oversee youth progression, while the women’s side have risen from Adran North into title contention in the Adran Premier.
They will meet reigning champions Cardiff City in the Adran Trophy final on February 22, underscoring their rise within Welsh football.
New arrival Davis Keillor-Dunn, returning after six years away, spoke of his excitement at seeing the club rise to new heights, pointing to the visible rewards of sustained effort.
Manager Phil Parkinson stressed the importance of balancing infrastructure growth with immediate squad improvement, noting that years of financial strain had left the playing group in need of rapid reinforcement.
A climb that few believed possible
Just 110 days after the takeover was confirmed, Dean Keates left after missing out on a play-off spot in the National League. Parkinson arrived soon after, inheriting a team looking for momentum.
His first campaign ended in disgrace with a dramatic 5-4 play-off defeat to Grimsby Town, but this setback proved to be a turning point.
In 213 league games since then, Parkinson’s numbers are remarkable: 125 wins, 51 draws and 37 losses, with 407 goals scored. His team scores exactly two points per league game and just under two goals per game.
In 2025, Wrexham reached the second tier for the first time in 43 years, becoming the first club to achieve three consecutive promotions within the English Football League.
Preparing for life in the Championship, the club broke their own transfer benchmark three times in one summer, signing Liberato Cacace, Lewis O’Brien and later Nathan Broadhead as record arrivals.
Further reinforcements followed in the winter window, with ambitions now firmly set on reaching the Premier League.
From non-liga to global attention
Defender Max Cleworth, alongside Ryan Barnett, is among the few to have represented Wrexham in the National League, League Two, League One and the Championship during the current era.
After committing his future to the club in January, the academy graduate admitted he never imagined playing second-tier football with Wrexham when he turned professional.
When Reynolds and McElhenney were announced as owners, the team was seventh in the National League. Today they occupy sixth position in the Championship, a rise of 73 positions in the pyramid.
Online reach has expanded just as dramatically. Instagram following has grown from 41,000 before the acquisition to 1.5 million.
Perhaps most surprising is the financial growth. The club’s valuation now stands at close to £350m, representing a 17,400% increase on the £2m invested in 2021.
With a top-six finish still within reach this season, Cleworth summed up the journey simply, describing it as an unforgettable journey that he hopes will continue.
