The next step is the biggest one yet for Wrexham.
The Premier League is in sight for the Welsh soccer team transformed by Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney after successive promotions from non-league to playing in the second tier of English soccer next season.
But making a further leap from the Championship to the top flight will be another challenge entirely.
“I think everybody knows the jump is huge,” Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said. "I think that a lot of tough decisions will be made this summer, in terms of who we bring in and how we add to this fantastic squad of lads we’ve got. But let’s see if we can build a squad to compete at that level.”
From next season Wrexham will face the likes of Leicester - a Premier League champion in 2016, Champions League quarterfinalist in 2017 and FA Cup winner in 2021. Leicester is just one of a clutch of teams with recent top-flight experience and finances, such as Southampton and Ipswich, which were both relegated this season.
Recruitment
Wrexham's transfer business in the off-season will likely be key to its chances of competing at such a high level. Its rise in double-quick time has been partly achieved by convincing players to drop one or two divisions to help the club progress.
Iconic striker Paul Mullin moved down from the fourth tier to non-league and fellow forward Ollie Palmer dropped down two divisions.
If Wrexham follows this same model that has proved so successful, it will need to attract players from the Premier League, where the top earners can command in excess of $400,000 per week.
“It’s interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing,” Parkinson said. “That is a challenge, but what we’ve always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right and I think that’s key. No superstars, no egos in the dressing room and we’ve got to try and get that balance right again where you always need extra quality.”
Big names
Parkinson may say no superstars, but there will be some big names available as free agents at the end of the season.
The likes of Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City and Jamie Vardy from Leicester.
So just how realistic a prospect would it be to see players of that stature wear the Wrexham jersey?
Parkinson was not prepared to write off anything as he basked in the afterglow of promotion on Saturday.
“We’ve always got our eye on players who are free transfers and are going to be available and will continue to do that,” he said when asked directly about De Bruyne and Vardy.
Ambition
No team has ever risen from non-league to the top flight in successive seasons.
Swansea climbed from the fourth tier to the top flight in five seasons from 1977-1982. More recently Luton climbed from non-league to the top division over a 10-year spell.
It would be uncharted territory if Wrexham were to do it in consecutive years, but Reynolds and McElhenney are still dreaming big four years after they bought a once down-on-its-luck club for $2.5 million in 2021.
“I remember the first press conference, we were asked what our goals were... and I think Rob jumped in with, ‘The Premier League,’ Deadpool star Reynolds posted on Instagram on Sunday. ”People laughed. They had every right to. It seemed insane... but we weren't kidding."
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Robson, The Associated Press
