There are stories in sports that feel too improbable to be true — tales of small teams rising against the tide, fueled by hope, heartbreak, and something deeper that can’t quite be measured. But once in a while, such sheer miracles occur to the absolute bewilderment of the rest of the world.
In 2016, little Leicester City achieved the pinnacle of sporting underdog stories. After narrowly escaping relegation to the English Second Division, the Foxes went on an incredible journey, defying 5000-1 odds to win the Premier League the following season. This achievement was truly extraordinary, but most people saw it as an outlier; a once in a lifetime occurrence that would only exist in the memories of fans. But now, we are witnessing another underdog story and a team whose accomplishments are equal if not more impressive.
For A.F.C Wrexham, a team once trapped in the lower tiers of English football, the dream wasn’t just to survive — it was to rise. What followed was a journey no one could have predicted: a climb so relentless and extraordinary that it reshaped the very meaning of ambition.
On April 26, the Welsh side won 3-0 against Charlton Athletic, securing a second-place finish in the English Football League (EFL) Division One, England’s third division, and ensuring their promotion to the EFL Championship. The club has now achieved three consecutive promotions in as many years, a historic achievement that is unheard of in 137 years of the EFL’s existence.
For most smaller clubs, climbing the ladder in the football pyramid is a difficult task, often taking multiple years for the fastest-growing teams to achieve a single promotion much less consecutive ones. The primary reason for this is the stark financial gap between the divisions. While the level of passion remains consistent at all levels, teams in lower divisions tend to have relatively small budgets. As such, when a team enters a division that has more money and a higher caliber of players, they tend to struggle. In many cases, the promoted teams are quickly relegated back down in their first season.
This has become evident in recent seasons, especially in the higher divisions, where the gap between the Premier League and the Championship is growing wider each year. The astronomical budgets of Premier League giants like Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea make it difficult for promoted teams, often with players without top-flight experience, to compete.
While promoted teams are generally financially weaker than others, they aren’t usually out of their depth. Generally, one or two of the teams survive the first season, ensuring that the bottom end of the Premier League stays competitive. However, as of late, the promoted clubs are struggling more than usual. While teams like Nottingham Forest and Brentford have defied the odds and are now challenging the bigger teams in the league, most promoted clubs are sent back down immediately.
The 2023/2024 season was the first time in the league’s modern history that the three promoted clubs went straight back down, a feat that was repeated once more this season.
The magnitude of this divide was elevated this season with multiple promoted clubs making history, but not in a good way. Bottom-placed Southampton became the earliest relegated team in history, and former underdogs Leicester City went eight straight games without scoring a goal. These two have entered a new category of clubs including Watford, Norwich and Sheffield United. Known as “yo-yo teams”, these clubs are too strong for the Championship but too weak for the Premier League leading to a cycle of repetitive promotions and relegations.
This phenomenon is exactly why Wrexham’s rise over the past few years is so shocking. In 2021, the club was bought by actor Ryan Reynolds and screenwriter Rob McElhenney earning the nickname ‘Hollywood FC’. The arrival of these celebrity owners not only aided Wrexham’s finances; the club gained recognition around the world. The new ownership began with the club languishing in the National League, the fifth tier of English football.
Reynolds and McElhenney wasted little time, quickly hiring Phil Parkinson, a manager who had already led three other teams to EFL promotions. It didn’t take long for the results to come pouring in. The perfect combination of marketing from the A-list owners and inspired performances on the pitch led the team to promotion in the 2022-2023 season. This momentum has carried through the past two seasons, where Wrexham has taken each new league by storm.
Given that Wrexham are only one promotion away from the Premier League, fans wonder how far this team can go. Could a team that played down in the fifth division as recently as 2023, play among Europe’s elite?
Although Wrexham have a solid squad, many doubt their ability to secure a fourth straight promotion. The EFL Championship is notorious for being one of the most competitive leagues across Europe meaning it will be considerably harder and a challenge for the Red Dragons. Regardless, their journey has shown that they thrive as underdogs, and they’ll certainly be a team to look out for in seasons to come.
