Phil Parkinson Reflects On Wrexham’s Progress Five Years After Rob McElhenney And Ryan Reynolds’ First Match

Phil Parkinson has reflected on Wrexham’s transformation under Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds as the club prepares for another demanding week in the Championship.

Friday’s trip to Sheffield United comes almost five years after the co-owners attended their first Wrexham AFC match, a 3-2 defeat away at Maidenhead United in the National League.

Since that afternoon in October 2021, Wrexham AFC have climbed three divisions under Phil Parkinson’s guidance, returned to the second tier, and established themselves against clubs with recent Premier League experience and aspirations.

McElhenney and Reynolds watched an eventful introduction to life as Wrexham faced Maidenhead at York Road, where Parkinson’s side were beaten.

The owners then attended their first match at the Racecourse, a draw against Torquay United, as their relationship with the club and its supporters continued to develop.

Reflecting on the visit to Maidenhead, Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales: “It was a great introduction for them into the world of the National League.”

The manager also recalled the owners’ first experience at the Racecourse, describing it as a special occasion.

At that stage, Wrexham were still competing in non-league football. Within four years, they had secured three successive promotions and returned to the Championship.

Welcome to Wrexham has followed the club’s transformation under Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, bringing its players, supporters and wider community to an international audience.

The Emmy-winning documentary has charted Wrexham’s rise through the divisions, with its fifth season covering their return to the Championship. The series has been renewed for an eighth season

The documentary saw Parkinson’s side win the National League title in 2022/23 before securing promotion from League Two the following season. Another successful campaign in 2024/25 took Wrexham into the Championship.

Their first season back in the second tier ended with a seventh-place finish, the club’s highest league finish. A 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough on the final day left Wrexham two points short of the play-offs.

The progress has changed the scale of the challenges facing the club, with Wrexham now preparing for regular meetings against sides accustomed to competing towards the top of the English Football League and those recently playing in the Premier League.

Parkinson pointed to the upcoming fixtures against Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Wolves as an example of the journey Wrexham have made.

“What a week for everyone connected with the club to look forward to,” he told BBC Sport Wales.

The Red Dragons visit Bramall Lane on Friday before welcoming Middlesbrough and Wolves to the Racecourse. While the results will matter to their Championship ambitions, the fixtures also underline the distance travelled since that afternoon at Maidenhead.