‘YOU can’t write this,” quipped actor Rob McElhenney to no one in particular.
The Wrexham Dragons, of which he co-owns with fellow actor Ryan Reynolds, was engaged in a roller coaster ride of a match against Grimsby Town. There was one goal after another and by the end of regulation, both teams were level, 4-4, and they were going into extra time.
Then in the 199th minute, with less than a minute to play before going into a penalty shootout, Grimsby’s Luke Waterfall scored in the 199th minute. Right at death’s door. A late goal of which hardly any team can recover from. Gimsby were winners and moving on.
Wrexham was not going to get promoted. For the 14th straight season, they were staying put in the National League. Furthermore, they lost a heartbreaking FA Cup title game to Bromley, 1-nil.
As Reynolds and McElhenney walked off the Wrexham pitch, the latter said, “There’s always next year.”
True enough, this past 2022-23 season, Wrexham, won the league and were promoted to the next level, the English Football League 2 in the penultimate match of the campaign, a 3-1 win over Boreham Wood. Their star striker Paul Mullin scored two scintillating goals with either foot. On the run and hitting the far post. Incredible!
The Wrexham Dragons closed out their league campaign on a good note with a 1-1 draw with Torquay United this past April 29. Ted Lasso has nothing on this and I have to say that I enjoy watching the aforementioned television series about an American Football coach hired to manage a Premier League squad with the hope that he will fail.
Watching “Welcome to Wrexham” the reality series documentary on Disney-Plus, I was riveted to every episode. There were one or two episodes of the 18-episode first season that I felt dragged out, but otherwise, it was thoroughly enjoyable and riveting; well-produced.
I like the fact that the series not only featured their celebrity owners but also the players, the coaching staff, the backroom staff, and several supporters.
Their stories too were just as fascinating including hooligan Jonny Barkley and his stunning girlfriend Saskia Barkley who was unable to land a job because of her relationship with a football hooligan.
Wrexham AFC and their promotion has got to be one of the great underdog stories of all time. The first season of their celebrity owners coming in, they came within a whisker of promotion. The team’s inability to do so only added more to the drama and greatly heightened the Hollywood ending.
And that the “Welcome to Wrexham ‘’ series that goes hand-in-hand with the purchase of Wrexham AFC, was inspired by the equally magnificent series “Sunderland ‘Til I Die”, only make it better.
I am not a fan of Sunderland, but that two season series has got to be heart-breaking and painful. Your heart goes out to them even if you don’t root for them. Hopefully, they too can move back up to the Premier League.
Other football underdog stories that one simply cannot write—Denmark winning the 1992 European championships. Greece winning Euro 2004. There Celtic defeated Inter Milan for the 1967 European Cup. The Italians were laughing at Celtic thinking the game was over before it was even played. Celtic won, 2-1, with Stevie Chalmers putting Celtic ahead with a goal in the 84th minute.
Back to Wrexham, what a boost for this Welsh town that wholeheartedly opened their arms to McElhenney and Reynolds who conducted themselves quite incredibly.
I first saw McElhenney when my old company Solar Sports’ sister channel ETC was showing It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the actor starred. Reynolds, I first saw in Green Lantern.
Because of the duo’s celebrity status, they were able to get Tik Tok and Expedia as shirt sponsors.
Speaking of shirts, I jumped on the Wrexham bandwagon when their North American owners bought in. Since then, I have been unable to purchase a jersey! No joke. It has always been sold out.
For sure I will get a kit for the next season to celebrate their EFL promotion.
Now, Season 2 of “Welcome to Wrexham” cannot come soon enough. If you have seen it, watch it. It’s worth the time you put into bingeing the series.