Wrexham’s rapid progress continues as Phil Parkinson and co now prepare for life in League One after back-to-back promotions.
The story under Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds has been simply remarkable to follow.
Even the most ardent of Wrexham fans would accept that the club was spinning its wheels in the National League, not really going anywhere.
After missing out on promotion to League Two in 2022, Wrexham have been accelerating rapidly.
The National League title was secured in 2023 and Wrexham have now finished second in League Two, booking a place in League One for next season.
It’s almost 20 years since Wrexham were last seen in League One; these are uncharted waters for some Wrexham supporters.
This rise wouldn’t have been impossible without McElhenney and Reynolds, but their input has certainly been revolutionary for the club.
Ryan Reynolds wants more
So what comes next?
Wrexham were in a National League promotion battle in 2022, now Phil Parkinson and co are preparing for life in League One.
That rise is so fast and Reynolds has now admitted that he wants even more.
Reynolds has admitted that he wants promotion again and is doing everything he can in order to get Wrexham moving up once again.
We can admire Reynolds and his ambition but targeting Championship football just seems far too much right now.
Wrexham don’t have a permanent training ground and still have so much work to do in the transfer market just in order to become a competitive League One side, never mind one which can challenge for promotion.
Maybe that just means that a big summer is on the way, but our thoughts align closer with those of Humphrey Ker.
Humphrey Ker shares Wrexham promotion stance
Wrexham executive director Ker has spoken to The Independent and was asked about the next step for Wrexham.
Ker is perhaps the sensible head – alongside Shaun Harvey – around the dreaming and ambition of McElhenney and Reynolds and he has played down another promotion.
Ker believes that going for promotion again would be a ‘real push’ and that the real objective is just to stay up and consolidate in League One before going again.
There is a fear in Ker that Wrexham would be going too fast by trying to go for promotion again, with the club’s infrastructure simply not ready for Championship football.
10th place in the table would be perfect for Ker; a top-half finish with the scope to then kick on and go again without stretching things too far.
Ker adds that promotion to the Premier League is a long-term goal but doesn’t want to do anything silly in pursuit of that goal.
“I think promotion again would be a real push,” Ker says. “Our objective is get up and stay up, stabilise and build a good platform, go again.”
“It wouldn’t actually be that good for the club as a whole, because we’d just be going so quickly,” added Kerr, who continued by saying that that he wants ‘something nice and comfortable’.
“Upper mid-table, please. Tenth. I’d be very happy with that.”, adding that Wrexham want to get to the Premier League ‘as quickly as possible, whilst being mindful of those challenges’.
There is nothing wrong with Reynolds dreaming about another promotion; Wrexham fans have been through some dark times and why get involved in football without thinking that you can go as high as possible?
Ker is a more realistic man though, one who knows plenty about football and understands the jump Wrexham are about to take.
Yes, seeing Wrexham in the Championship and Premier League would be incredible, especially after so long in the National League.
Next season should not be viewed as win or bust though; settling in mid-table in League One for a year or even two wouldn’t mean that the Wrexham project is stalling.
We would hope that Ker’s stance is the one Wrexham are really taking rather than going all-out for promotion, but we will learn so much about the club’s genuine aims for next season during the summer transfer window.