Wrexham has secured back-to-back promotions and will play in League One next season. The club, co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, celebrated their second successive promotion with a 6-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers. The duo has invested significantly in the club, splurging nearly twice as much on wages as their promotion rivals each week. This investment has propelled Wrexham into the third tier of English football.
The club’s ascent to League One is expected to bring about a financial boost of approximately £1.6 million, with a significant portion coming from a “solidarity payment” from Premier League clubs. Despite the attention garnered by their rapid rise and the investment from Reynolds and McElhenney, Wrexham’s finances present a different picture. The club’s wage bill has skyrocketed by over 70% this season, with midfielder George Evans becoming one of the most expensive players in the division, earning £7,200 per week. In terms of spending, Wrexham ranks among the highest in the league, with only five teams spending more than them this season.
Reynolds and McElhenney have expressed their ambition to continue climbing up the league pyramid, aiming to eventually reach the Premier League. However, they will have to navigate through the third tier and then the Championship, where costs escalate further. Clubs in the Championship spend over £1 million a week, nearly 10 times what Wrexham currently spends on wages.