Wrexham eye Hollywood ending on final day, with Dragons needing to win and leaders Stockport to lose

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson says he is desperate to get the club back to ‘where they belong’ with the backing of the club’s Hollywood owners.

The Dragons lie in second place in the National League and are away to eighth place Dagenham & Redbridge on Sunday, with anything but a win and a defeat for league leaders Stockport County consigning Wrexham to the play-offs.

With Wrexham’s automatic promotion hopes out of their control, manager Phil Parkinson believes despite the extra Hollywood stardom in the form of owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, he is under no pressure to secure promotion to the Football League.

‘Have they put me under pressure? No,’ Parkinson said. ‘There’s nervousness, excitement, but also belief.

‘We all understand what the aim has been since day one. We know it’s been a challenge because there’s a lot of clubs in this division who are more established in the way they’ve put structures in place for a number of years.

‘But we’ve fast-tracked ourselves right to the top end and it’s been an enjoyable experience. Wrexham should not be in non-league. Other teams say that, but you’ve got to do something about it in terms of building the structure of the club back up.

Wrexham fans hope for a Hollywood ending on the last day of the National League season

Manager Phil Parkinson (above) says he is desperate to get the club back to ‘where it belongs’

With the added hype surrounding Wrexham since Hollywood actors Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the club back on February 9, 2021, the Dragons have come on leaps and bounds after a slow start to the league campaign.

Now, with the club on the verge of a potential promotion back to the Football League after 14 years away and an FA Trophy final next weekend, Parkinson says these were the short-term aims of the new owners, with the hope of awakening the beast within if promotion can be secured.

‘Of course, we want to finish the job off. The short-term aim was to be competing at the top of the division.

‘I spoke to the owners, and I do think this is a sleeping giant. This club represents the whole of North Wales, there’s so much potential here and from day one I’ve really enjoyed being here and I’m relishing the challenges ahead.

The Dragons beat fellow promotion contenders Stockport County 3-0 last Sunday (pictured)

Unless Stockport lose against Halifax and Wrexham beat Dag & Red, County will be champions

‘The owners have been great. When I spoke to Rob after the Stockport game, he just said, ‘anything you need from us this week, just don’t hesitate to let us know.’

If you go up then the momentum carries on, but if you don’t then you have to live with the disappointment. 

‘The squad is strong, we have a lot of the players are signed up long-term and we will make this squad even stronger regardless of what league we’re in next season.’

With the new owners coming in and galvanising the town, along with the eagerly anticipated documentary of the club coming to the big screen in August, Parkinson is adamant added exposure will only increase the ever growing stature of the club.

Parkinson added that the added exposure from rich owners and Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds (centre left) and Rob McElhenney (centre right) can only take the club forwards

‘We have a good core of the players that have embraced the TV cameras being around us all the time.

‘What they’re trying to do is tell the story of the town as well as the football club. It’s not just the training ground, the changing room, it’s going to the players houses, speaking to the families and getting an idea of what it’s like playing for Wrexham.

‘Obviously if we can finish the promotion job off it will be a great documentary to follow.’

Second place in the National League is already secured for the Dragons, with automatic promotion out of their hands.