Wrexham have enjoyed a rapid rise under Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, leaving other lower league clubs to dream of similar progress.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds paid £2million to buy Wrexham in 2021, changing the trajectory of the club both on and off the pitch.
Wrexham have achieved back-to-back promotions and are now chasing a third having started the League One season brilliantly.
Off the pitch, Wrexham have seen the documentary series ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ become a roaring success and generated interest in the club from all over the world.
Troy Deeney may doubt Wrexham’s Premier League hopes but the sky is the limit for this club – and others want a similar journey.
Chorley owners send message to Ryan Reynolds
Reports suggest that Tranmere Rovers are eyeing a Wrexham-style documentary series with US rapper A$AP Rocky interested in a takeover.
Then there is Chorley, who currently play in the National League North – three divisions below Wrexham.
Chorley have their own celebrity influence having welcomed pop stars Brian McFadden, Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch as shareholders.
Duffy and Lynch will be remembered from their Boyzone days whilst McFadden was part of Westlife in the early 2000’s.
The trio have joined forces at Chorley and have now sent a message to Wrexham and Reynolds.
McFadden has told The Sun that he dreams of taking Chorley to the Premier League and believes that Wrexham may need to ‘watch out’ for Chorley coming up behind them.
“We have aspirations, just like Wrexham and Ryan Reynolds,” said McFadden. “I wake up some nights thinking, ‘We’re going to win the Premier League in the next 30 years’. You have to dream big, and we’ve got to aim for the top.
“Teams like Salford and Wrexham, who have well-known owners, make us think, ‘Why not us?’. Gary Neville and Ryan Reynolds may need to watch out!” he added.
Chorley flying under ex-Wrexham striker
The three-division gap is a rather large one and Wrexham are looking up towards to the Championship and Premier League rather than at Chorley’s progress in non-league.
Still, Chorley are flying right now and sit second in the National League North table with a former Wrexham striker at the helm.
Manager Andy Preece spend over 18 months with Wrexham as a player having arrived from Worcester City in 1990.
Preece scored seven times in 51 games under Brian Flynn before becoming a hero at Stockport County.
Now 57, Preece took charge of Chorley in 2022 and is now chasing promotion after a strong start to the season.
Maybe Chorley can achieve successive promotions just like Wrexham, and Preece is looking to get that dream kickstarted this season.