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Wrexham has been in the limelight ever since its acquisition by Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2021.
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The two actors went all in to become the owners of one of the oldest football clubs in Wales. The team has experienced its fair share of ups and downs throughout its history, but is currently garnering plenty of attention due to the change in ownership which has given the fans the hope of bringing the team back to its former glory.
The big long-term dream, of course, would be to get promoted to the Premier League, but how can a Welsh club play in and climb up the English football hierarchy? GOAL has you covered.
Why do Wrexham play in English football?
Wrexham currently plays in the National League, which is fifth tier of English football after the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two.
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Wrexham, along with several other Welsh clubs, play in the English Football League because no Welsh football league existed when they were first formed.
Therefore, their only option was to join the English Football League, and they have been playing there ever since. The Welsh Premier League (also known as Cymru Premier) was formed in 1992.
Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County are the other Welsh clubs currently plying their trade in the English football system.
Have Wrexham played in Welsh football?
Wrexham was founded in 1863 and their rise has been gradual but steady, with several key moments of success. One of the club's impressive achievements was during the 1975-76 season, when the team reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup.
But it isn't just in English football where Wrexham have made an impact. They are also the record winners of the Welsh Cup (23 trophies) and the FAW (Football Association of Wales) Premier Cup (five times).
The Red Dragons were also part of the Welsh football ecosystem until 1996 when the FAW decided that only clubs playing in Welsh leagues can take part in the region's tournaments. The Welsh clubs playing in England were excluded from 1996.
In 2011, they were invited to take part in the Welsh Cup but with the teams not being allowed European qualification from Welsh Cup success by the UEFA, these teams did not want to enter.
With the new ownership and the injection of funds and enthusiasm from Reynolds and McElhenney, Wrexham are poised for promotion to the upper levels of English football hierarchy. Fans will be excited to see what the future holds.