Welcome to League Two: What Awaits Wrexham?
If you’ve been watching Welcome to Wrexham, there’s a good chance you’re counting down the days until the English Football League Two season gets going. After 15 years of exile in non-league action, Wrexham finally makes its return to the EFL after a 111-point season last year in the National League. With much of the roster back, fans of the Red Dragons will be asking: can they do it again?
However, Wrexham and its fans are about to find out that life in the EFL is different from the National League. Here’s what’s coming for the Red Dragons this season.
Building on Last Season’s Success: The Fan Factor
Beyond the financials and on-field strategies, one element that could play a pivotal role for Wrexham in EFL League Two is the passion and support of their fan base. The Red Dragons enjoy one of the most passionate followings in lower-tier football. Last season, this helped create a formidable home advantage, turning their stadium into a fortress where points were hard to come by for visiting teams.
It’s not just about numbers; it’s about the emotional and psychological lift that a roaring crowd can give to players, especially during tense moments in a match. Moreover, the high-profile ownership has added an extra layer of spotlight and expectation, further electrifying the atmosphere at home games.
Financial Fair Play Matters
Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took control at Wrexham, they’ve mostly been able to spend, spend, spend and worry about the bills later. They don’t spend much on transfer fees, but they do open the wallet for players on free transfers. And in the National League, teams can spend with no restrictions.
Not so in League Two. Wrexham is now limited to spending no more than 55 percent of its revenue on salaries. What’s more, it’s now competing on a level playing field. One of Wrexham’s biggest edges in the National League was similar to what Manchester City does in the Premier League: it had more money than anyone else and could get the players it wanted far easier than its rivals. In League Two, spending $3 million on a roster isn’t unheard of; it’s the norm. Wrexham’s financial edge is mostly gone.
The Long-Term Vision: Sustainable Growth
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhinney aren’t just focused on the here and now. They have frequently spoken about their long-term vision for the club, which includes not just sustaining their League Two position but eyeing future promotions as well. To achieve this, they have begun investing in the club’s infrastructure, including youth development programs aimed at producing homegrown talents who can serve the team in the years to come.
Will Wrexham survive the Campaign?
Almost certainly. For one, the gap between League Two’s worst and the National League’s best isn’t very wide. That’s why, since League Two expanded to two relegation places in 2003, not one newly promoted side has gone straight back down. For another, Wrexham almost lapped the field last season. The Red Dragons’ point total was so obscene that Notts County had to come through a playoff after a 107-point campaign.
That doesn’t disappear overnight. Wrexham has its nucleus and a genuine star in Paul Mullin. The Red Dragons will be competitive in almost every match.
The X-Factor: Paul Mullin
Any conversation about Wrexham’s prospects in League Two would be incomplete without mentioning their talisman, Paul Mullin. Last season, Mullin was a revelation, contributing crucial goals and assists that powered Wrexham’s 111-point campaign. If he can adapt quickly to the rigors and challenges of League Two, he could be the X-factor that separates Wrexham from the mid-table obscurity and propels them into promotion contention.
Life in EFL League Two will pose new challenges for Wrexham, from adapting to financial fair play regulations to competing against teams with similar or better resources. However, with a passionate fan base, committed ownership, and key players like Paul Mullin, the Red Dragons have all the ingredients to not only survive but potentially thrive in this new chapter of their storied history.
Is Promotion a possibility?
It’s a possibility, but not a likelihood. Just seven out of the past 42 sides to win promotion to the EFL managed to win another promotion to League One the next year. To become the eighth, Wrexham will have to shore up its defense against better attacking sides. Too often, the Red Dragons relied on Mullins and the attack to try to bail them out when the defense made a mistake.
Realistically, Wrexham has to get to 70 points to have a realistic chance at promotion. But because two powerful sides got promoted with Notts County also coming up, there won’t be many oases for Wrexham to pick up long winning streaks. Most likely, Wrexham will find itself in the top half of the table, but it’s probably going to take two or three campaigns to make the jump to League One.
