Wrexham’s fairytale story of recent years is nearing a crucial step in the final weeks of the 2022/23 season as they stand on the brink of promotion back into the English Football League (EFL).
The 2021 buyout catapulted the club to global attention as Hollywood megastars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney decided to make a bold investment in the Welsh minnows.
Reynolds and McElhenney have caused a wave of excitement around both the club and the town, as Wrexham fans look to end years of misery in the National League (5th division), following a major cash injection from the duo.
Fans at the famous Racecourse Ground have dreams of moving up the tiers of English football. The Premier League is the top flight (1st division), while Wrexham currently play in the National League (5th division) among many semi-professional teams.
Managed by Phil Parkinson, Wrexham are strongly placed to win the National League title (5th division) and secure automatic promotion to next season’s EFL League Two (4th division), barring a late collapse.
League tiers in England
Wrexham currently play in the 5th tier of English football, hoping to earn promotion to the 4th division.
How are Wrexham doing in the league?
Wrexham are in pole position to win the National League in 2022/23 and secure automatic promotion to EFL League Two with just two matches left of their regular season (total of 46 games played).
Parkinson’s side are now just one win (three points) away from clinching the title and promotion this month.
Only the top team earns automatic promotion to the 4th tier (called EFL League Two). The other promoted team will emerge from the playoffs between the clubs that finish in 2nd to 7th place.
When will Wrexham get promoted?
Heading into the final two games of their campaign, only Notts County can beat Wrexham in the promotion race. Only the National League champion (first-place team) is automatically promoted to EFL League Two (4th division).
Wrexham’s 3-0 win over Yeovil Town means the can seal the trophy on April 22 at home to Boreham Wood.
Notts County’s final two matches are away to last-placed Maidstone United (April 22), and closing against bottom-half side York City (April 29). County cannot afford to drop any points if they are to have any chance of challenging Wrexham.
Have Wrexham ever played in the Premier League?
Unsurprisingly, Wrexham have never played in the Premier League — the top tier of English football — since the league’s inception in 1992/93.
The highest tier Wrexham have ever reached was the 2nd tier back in 1978. They spent three seasons there before dropping down to the 3rd tier and never breaking past that ceiling since.
However, other fellow Welsh sides have played in the top-tier Premier League with Swansea City playing in the top-flight for seven seasons between 2011 and 2018, and Cardiff City enjoying two single season stays, in 2013/14 and 2018/19.
Last time Wrexham were promoted
The buzz around Wrexham’s potential promotion is justified in the minds of their embattled fans, after spending the last 15 seasons in the 5th tier National League (previously called “Conference National”).
The Robins dropped out of EFL League Two (4th tier) down to the 5th tier at the end of the 2007/08 season after finishing rock bottom of 24 teams and they’ve been there since.
The last time Wrexham tasted promotion of any kind and moved up a division was 2003, when they moved from the 4th tier to the 3rd tier of English football.
Source: sportingnews.com
