April 27 – League One football has been illuminated by celebrity ownership this season, with NFL legend Tom Brady’s Birmingham City breaking the league points record while Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham secured promotion to the Championship on the same day.
St. Andrews erupted in celebration as Birmingham reached an impressive 105 points with two matches remaining after a commanding 4-0 victory over Mansfield. The Blues are stormed past Wolverhampton Wanderers’ League One record of 103 points set in the 2013/14 season.
The new champions now aim to surpass Reading’s all-time record of 106 points from their 2005/06 Championship-winning campaign.
This marks a swift return to form for Birmingham, who were relegated to League One for the first time in 30 years last season. Fans can expect to see more of Brady in attendance next season as the club pursues its ambition to return to the elite.
Meanwhile, Hollywood owners Reynolds and McElhenney were present to witness Wrexham’s promotion-clinching 3-0 victory over Charlton Athletic, securing Championship football at their first attempt since the takeover. This achievement makes Wrexham the first team in English football history to secure three consecutive promotions.
Reynolds, who has invested millions in the Welsh club, boldly stated after the match: “Our goal is to make the Premier League.”
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, celebrating his sixth career promotion, offered a more measured assessment: “I think everybody knows the jump [to the Championship] is huge. I remember when I took Bolton up, it was [exhales] ‘This is huge!’ in terms of the physicality and power in the division.”
“But I’m confident we will be well prepared for that. 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.”
Parkinson highlighted the financial challenges ahead: “The jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing. Even coming up to this level [League One], the jump to get players of Championship quality is expensive. I don’t think people outside football quite realise the drop-off from what people read about Premier League players.”
“That is a challenge, but what we’ve always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right – no superstars, no egos in the dressing room. We’ve got to try and get that balance right again. You always need extra quality when you go up a level to make sure the right people come into the building.”
As the Championship stands as one of the most competitive leagues in world football, Reynolds and McElhenney will need to invest substantially to realise their ultimate ambition of Premier League football.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1745834952labto1745834952ofdlr1745834952owedi1745834952sni@o1745834952fni1745834952