Wrexham hasn`t competed in the second division of English football since 1982, but they are now tantalizingly close to achieving promotion. As the League One season enters its final stretch, the Welsh club finds itself within striking distance of the Championship. However, their fate is not entirely in their hands after a recent 2-2 draw against Cambridge United, a team battling relegation. This result came on a night when their rivals missed an opportunity to give Wrexham control of the promotion battle.
Phil Parkinson`s team currently occupies second place in the league table with six games remaining. Birmingham City leads the league and seems set for Championship promotion, holding an 11-point advantage over Wrexham with two games in hand. The race for the second automatic promotion spot is shaping up to be intensely competitive.
Wycombe Wanderers, despite taking 30 shots against bottom-ranked Shrewsbury Town and failing to score, managed to secure a point. Meanwhile, Charlton Athletic and Stockport County both gained ground on Tuesday, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the season on May 3rd.
League One Automatic Promotion Standings
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal Difference | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 39 | 28 | 8 | 3 | 43 | 92 |
| 2 | Wrexham | 41 | 24 | 9 | 8 | 27 | 81 |
| 3 | Wycombe | 40 | 21 | 12 | 7 | 28 | 75 |
| 4 | Stockport | 41 | 21 | 11 | 9 | 24 | 74 |
| 5 | Charlton | 41 | 21 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 73 |
| 6 | Bolton | 40 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 66 |
The top two teams in the league will gain automatic promotion to the Championship. Teams finishing third through sixth will enter a playoff series, consisting of two-legged semi-finals and a final held at Wembley on May 25th.
Wrexham`s Upcoming Fixtures
- April 5: Wrexham 3, Burton 0
- April 12: Wigan (Away)
- April 18: Bristol Rovers (Home)
- April 21: Blackpool (Away)
- April 26: Charlton (Home)
- May 3: Lincoln (Away)
What Wrexham Needs for Promotion
There`s no guaranteed path to a top-two finish for Wrexham at this point. If Wycombe wins all of their remaining seven matches, even if Wrexham matches that perfectly, they would end up tied on points. In that scenario, goal difference would become the deciding factor, and Wycombe currently holds a five-goal advantage, having also scored more goals overall.
However, such a consistent winning streak is unlikely. The promotion race may very well hinge on crucial matches for both teams. On paper, Wrexham`s games against Burton Albion and Bristol Rovers should be straightforward, given their significant point difference in the standings. Yet, at this stage of the season, facing teams fighting to avoid relegation can be particularly challenging.
Perhaps the most critical games for both Wycombe and Wrexham will occur in late April. Charlton will play against both teams within five days, first visiting Adams Park to face Wycombe and then traveling to the Racecourse Ground to play Wrexham. If Charlton, currently in fourth place, wins either of these matches, it could dramatically shift the promotion race. Winning both would put Charlton firmly in contention themselves.
Wrexham`s Rapid Ascent
If Wrexham manages to stay ahead of Wycombe and other contenders, they will achieve their third promotion in as many seasons. After a 15-year absence, they rejoined the English Football League in 2022-23, and immediately followed that up with promotion from League Two as runners-up.
While other English football teams have achieved three consecutive promotions, including Truro City and Shaw Lane who even managed four, none have climbed so quickly through the higher levels of the English pyramid. For example, FC United of Manchester achieved three promotions after their formation by Manchester United fans in 2005, but reached the Northern Premier League Premier Division, which is level seven in the pyramid.
Wrexham`s journey is at a higher competitive level as they aim for the second tier. The 2022-23 National League and both League Two and League One are composed entirely of professional clubs. It`s worth noting that Wrexham, under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has had significant financial resources to dominate each level they`ve played in. This leads to a crucial question regarding potential further promotion.
Can Wrexham Compete in the Championship?
Consider the possibility of Wrexham achieving yet another promotion to the Premier League. Consecutive promotions from League One to the top flight are rare, though Ipswich Town accomplished this recently. Typically, only the biggest clubs achieve such rapid ascent. While Wrexham has gained a large global fanbase since their takeover, the Championship is a financially demanding league.
In League Two, Wrexham`s annual wage bill exceeded $14 million, and this figure has surely increased with the signings of former Premier League players like Jay Rodriguez and Matty James. Even with increased spending, a newly promoted wealthy club might still spend only a third of what the Championship`s wealthiest teams pay. Wrexham director Humprey Ker has even suggested that their salary expenditure might need to quadruple to remain competitive after promotion.
This level of investment might be necessary because Wrexham`s underlying performance statistics don`t definitively suggest they are ready for the Championship`s challenges against teams like Southampton and Leicester. Parkinson`s team has converted 48.1 expected goals (xG) into 56 actual goals and faced shots worth 42.4 xG, conceding 32. While they are currently second in League One, ranking teams by non-penalty xG difference places Wrexham ninth.
These statistics might not bode well for Wrexham`s promotion chances in their remaining six games, let alone their ability to survive in the Championship. However, Wrexham`s story since 2020 has been one of a club rising to meet challenges. If they do secure promotion from League One, expect the financial benefits of the Championship to be reinvested in ensuring Wrexham`s continued presence there.
