Wrexham have just four more games to make history and secure a third straight promotion under Phil Parkinson.
Easter is almost upon us, and that means one thing – the end of the season is now in sight.
Wrexham fans are in the midst of a rather familiar situation right now as Phil Parkinson chases another promotion.
Wrexham drew 0-0 at Wigan Athletic over the weekend but still sit one point clear of Wycombe Wanderers in the race for second place.
Three promotions in a row would be a staggering achievement for Wrexham, but one of Rob McElhenney’s early goals has already been achieved.
Rob McElhenney set out an early Wrexham ‘vision’
Eyebrows were raised when Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds decided to purchase Wrexham.
McElhenney and Reynolds paid £2million for Wrexham, turning the club into worldwide news overnight.
The last four years have been simply incredible, full of drama and success that few could have thought possible before the takeover.
Before the takeover was actually finalised and rubber-stamped, McElhenney outlined one vision for the club.
Speaking to The Guardian, McElhenney admitted that he had a ‘vision’ of the STōK Cae Ras being full of fans again.
Wrexham had gone through hard times not just in the National League but also in the final years of the previous stay in the EFL.
Attendances dwindled with the STōK Cae Ras looking like a stadium that needed a new injection of life.
McElhenney talked about bringing that buzz back to the stadium and to the fanbase, rather than promotions and big spending, believing that he and Reynolds could bring that excitement back.
“The Racecourse hasn’t been full for a while. I have a vision of the Racecourse being full again. I’ve seen how packed it used to be in ’77 – I’ve been watching a lot of films about that and I want it to feel like that again,” said McElhenney.
“We want to pack that stadium again. Ryan is much more responsible in his business life, but I get so excited by possibilities and what it could be. I want people to be so excited to watch the rise of the club and the Racecourse,” he added.
Wrexham attendance numbers show McElhenney’s vision has come to life
That excitement has certainly returned to Wrexham, and the impact doesn’t just stick to football.
Humphrey Ker noted the enormous Wrexham impact, with people in the local area now wanting to stay in Wrexham rather than move to Liverpool or Manchester.
The attendances paint the real picture, though, with Wrexham currently averaging an attendance of 12,757 per home game in League One this season, as noted by Transfermarkt.
The STōK Cae Ras has a capacity of around 13,341, so Wrexham’s stadium is almost 96% full on average this season.
We compared that figure to Wigan Athletic, a club with recent Premier League and FA Cup success to their name, and Wrexham’s last opponents in League One.
Wigan are averaging 9,914 fans per home game in League One this season, which means less than 40% of the stadium has been full on average this season.
Wrexham’s average attendance in the 2019/20 season was just over 4,000, down around 1,000 from the 2018-19 season.
McElhenney arrived in 2021, but the immediate impact wasn’t felt, with fans unable to attend matches during the global pandemic.
The first full season of the McElhenney and Reynolds project saw the average attendance rise to 8,647.
Then 9,973 for the second season. By the third season, the average attendance was up to 11,210.
Now pushing towards the 13,000 mark, Wrexham’s average attendances have been growing year on year.
McElhenney may well have been dreaming of promotions and major success on the pitch, but he should feel proud and delighted that his first vision for the club has come to life in the last four years.