Is Welcome to Wrexham Based on a Real Team?
If you’re a Disney+ customer, you may have seen a show advertised on the platform over the last five years called Welcome to Wrexham.
With Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney front and centre of all the promotional material, you might think you’ve stumbled upon a comedy show with a football twist, and, in a way, you’d be right. Welcome to Wrexham is a very funny and entertaining show packed with heart and larger-than-life characters. The football story running through the five seasons is pretty unbelievable, too.
But, in the words of our favourite space rogue, it’s true… all of it. Wrexham are indeed a real team, and everything you see in the docuseries is genuine.
Wrexham AFC Have A Long And Rich History In Football
The football club in question, officially known as Wrexham AFC, was founded in 1864. While Sheffield FC and local rivals Hallam FC are the two oldest clubs in the world, Wrexham is the oldest club in Wales and the third-oldest professional football club still operating today.
Even before Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney got involved, Wrexham enjoyed success in the past. The club has won the Welsh Cup more times than any other team (23 times), the English Football League Trophy in 2005, and the FA Trophy in 2013.
The Red Dragons have also carried out giant-killings in the FA Cup many times, most notably in 1992 when they defeated Arsenal. In European competitions, the Welsh outfit made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in the 1975/76 season.
Ryan Reynolds And Rob McElhenney Transformed The Club
Enough with the history lesson, though. Let’s dig into the modern era of Wrexham, focusing on Reynolds and McElhenney’s takeover in 2021.
It was all McElhenney’s idea. The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star wanted to buy a football club after enjoying the Sunderland ‘Til I Die docuseries, and reached out to his buddy on social media to see if he would be interested in joining forces.
With the help of fellow actor Humphrey Ker, the duo identified Wrexham as the ideal club for them. With great storytelling potential, a rich history, and a devoted fanbase, they knew they were investing in something special.
They placed a bid in 2020, convinced the fans they were the right men to lead the club back to where it belonged after 12 years outside of the Football League, and were officially announced as owners of Wrexham AFC on February 9, 2021.
Since then, the club has escaped the National League (for the second time of asking) and made history by becoming the first football club to secure back-to-back-to-back promotions. Reynolds and McElhenney spent a lot of money along the way to make that happen, often signing players from the leagues above to boost the squad.
But you can’t take anything away from the fact that being promoted from League Two and then League One and making it to the second tier of English Football is an astounding achievement.
Manager Phil Parkinson has been the driving force behind the team’s success on the pitch, along with several star players like Paul Mullin (who even made a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine), Ollie Palmer, Elliot Lee, and, more recently, Josh Windass.
Wrexham timeline under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney:
February 2021: Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney become Wrexham owners
May 2022: Wrexham finish second in the National League but lose in the playoffs
May 2023: Wrexham win the National League title with a record 111 points
May 2024: Wrexham are promoted from League Two after a second-place finish
May 2025: Wrexham are promoted from League One after a second-place finish
May 2026: Wrexham miss out on the Championship playoffs, finishing seventh
Over the course of their ownership, Reynolds and McElhenney have not only transformed the club on the pitch but have made the Red Dragons a commercial behemoth. Wrexham now have thousands of fans in America, Canada, and Australia, largely thanks to the exposure gained from Welcome to Wrexham and pre-season tours of those countries.
They’re also building a new stadium, have massive sponsorship deals, and both Reynolds and McElhenney have become legends in the small Welsh town for the work they’ve done to put the club on the map.
Welcome To Wrexham Season 5 (And Beyond)
The Welcome to Wrexham docuseries often balances footballing matters on the pitch, how the players and staff feel behind the scenes, and a little bit of Reynolds and McElhenney sharing insights into their ownership experience. It also often puts the spotlight on fans in the community with honest and heartfelt stories.
Welcome to Wrexham Season 5 showcases the club’s return to the Championship, their first time in the second tier since the 1981/82 campaign. The owners dreamed of getting the Red Dragons into the Premier League, and while they didn’t quite manage it this past season, a seventh-place finish is incredibly impressive.
There will be eight episodes in the new season, airing weekly from May 14 through to June 25 on Disney+. In a rather unorthodox move, the show has already been given the green light for three more seasons, running through to 2029, thanks to its overwhelming popularity over the years.
