Wrexham end 38-year hoodoo under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney on Boxing Day

Wrexham broke a 38-year hoodoo on Boxing Day after defeating Swindon Town at the Country Ground for the first time since 1985. The Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney-owned Club secured victory via a James McClean goal despite playing 16 minutes plus added time with ten men following James Jones’ red card.

Ex-Premier League star McClean latched onto a loose ball early on in the first half, got away from a defender, and fired past Lewis Ward. The three points pushed Phil Parkinson’s men within four of League Two leaders Stockport while also holding a game in hand. “It’s an outstanding win for us. We had other chances to kill the game, second half the kid (Lewis Ward) has pulled off some great saves,” Parkinson said after the game. “We just got on with the job today and it’s a magnificent win for us. It’s a really important three points for us on our travels, especially with the disruption we had to face.”

Wrexham are targeting back-to-back promotions. The club currently sits inside the automatic promotion spots to join League One next year, which would be a fantastic achievement for the Red Dragons, whose profile has been significantly boosted by the arrival of TV and film stars Reynolds and McElhenney. The takeover had the signs of turning into a fairytale, Parkinson said on his first impressions of the pair. “I looked at it, spoke to the owners, weighed everything up and thought, ‘Wow, what a story that could be’,” Parkinson said in an interview with FourFourTwo. “Being in football is about creating memories.

“That initial chat I had with the owners was very good. We spoke about what I felt would be needed going forward and everything we discussed they backed up 100 percent. “They are genuine people – they don’t say things unless they’re going to back it up, which is refreshing. They’ve been very supportive to me and the staff, and I think they’ve enjoyed it themselves.

“I’ve really enjoyed it, too. This club has been a very different journey for me, with so many dynamics at the club – getting to know Rob, Ryan, and our executive director Humphrey Ker, plus everything with the documentary.” Up next for Wrexham is an away trip to Walsall on Dec. 29, followed by a New Year’s Day home match against Barrow. The latter also find themselves in the hunt for promotion from League Two. Barrow sits fourth and just two points behind Wrexham.

Off the pitch, Wrexham also has a new stand to look forward to opening in 2024. The temporary Kop stand will be opened at full capacity on New Year’s Day.