Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham failed to qualify for the Premier League and will now face rivals Cardiff City and Swansea City in the Championship next season. Wrexham, co-owned by Hollywood stars Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, booked their place in the play-offs on Saturday after being upset by promotion rivals Hull City on the dramatic final day of their Championship campaign.
Phil Parkinson’s side started the day inside the top six on goal difference but needed a win to secure a place in the play-offs. However, a thrilling but ultimately gut-wrenching 2-2 draw at home to Middlesbrough and Hull’s 2-1 win over Norwich City ultimately saw the Red Dragons slip two points clear. In addition to the huge disappointment of missing out on promotion to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history, Wrexham also suffered a financial blow. Had the Welsh side won promotion through the play-offs, they would have been worth at least £100 million in financial fortunes in the first year alone.
This figure is largely driven by the Premier League’s global broadcasting deal, with clubs receiving large central distributions just for participating in that division. The total value of the three-year promotion, including parachute payments in the event of relegation, is widely estimated at more than £170m, with commercial income, sponsorship and global recognition pushing the figure even higher.
The disappointment will be compounded by the fact that Norwich were denied a late penalty against Hull. This could have been the difference between Wrexham qualifying. The Canaries’ final appeal was rejected, despite many fans describing it as a “Stonewall” spot-kick decision and a “robbery”.
One fan gushed: “Wrexham were completely robbed by the referee against Hull. Stonewall’s penalty wasn’t awarded at the last minute and he was given no extra time after the referee took over a minute to deal with the ensuing corner. Tough.” Another said: “Well done Hull! The officials lost it for us today. Offside goal and Stonewall penalty at the end but oh well!”
Another season in the Championship will set the stage for a bitter reunion with second-division side Cardiff City next term. Cardiff finished second in League One with 91 points, securing promotion to the Championship. The two historic rivals missed out on the chance to play in the same division this season, with Cardiff relegated last year just as Wrexham won promotion for the third year in a row. However, the two sides had a misunderstanding earlier this season in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, their first meeting in over 21 years.
Wrexham suffered defeat at the Racecourse Ground on this occasion, losing 2-1 and missing out on a place in the quarter-finals after Will Fish’s winner against the Bluebirds. Wrexham had a poor showing and were booed at half-time, but Reynolds will be keen to settle things next season to claim bragging rights when both clubs enjoy their first league match since 2002.
The Red Dragons will also face fellow Welsh side Swansea City again after finishing 11th in the Championship with a 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic on the final day of the season. It means next season’s Championship will feature a head-to-head showdown between Wales’ strongest teams, after Wrexham finished ahead of their rivals for the first time in 25 years.
