Wrexham’s fairytale rise up the English soccer pyramid might have stolen the hearts of fans worldwide, but former Premier League star Landon Donovan doesn’t believe it’s been as ‘miraculous’ as depicted
The rapid rise of Wrexham under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney from National League minnows to a globally renowned Championship side pushing for the Premier League has been undeniably remarkable.
Documented from day one via the FX docuseries, ‘Welcome To Wrexham,’ fans have had a front row seat throughout the Red Dragons’ fairytale rise. However, former Premier League star Landon Donovan, while admittedly impressed by their “phenomenal” rise, has made it clear that Wrexham’s growth is far from the “miracle” depicted in the much-loved series.
“If you watch the show, you think it’s some miracle, but it’s not a miracle,” the U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder told former teammate Tim Howard on their ‘Unfiltered Soccer‘ podcast. “It’s an amazing story, but they have also spent at the top of every one of the leagues they’ve been in.”
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Wrexham’s ability to outspend their opponents and attract players from higher leagues has been undeniable. In 2021 they broke the National League transfer record when they signed Ollie Palmer for $406,000 from AFC Wimbledon.
The following summer, they were able to bring in former Premier League star Elliott Lee on a free transfer, while late in the season, amidst an injury crisis, they recruited ex-England international Ben Foster to help them secure promotion to League Two.
Upon promotion, former Ireland international James McClean was brought in from Wigan Athletic for $392,000, while ex-Scotland star Steven Fletcher signed on a free.
After their second consecutive promotion was finalized, they broke the club’s transfer record three times during the summer of 2024, before the arrival of Reading’s Sam Smith for $2.7 million set the new benchmark in January 2025.
However, it is worth noting that while their wage bills were the largest in the National League and League Two, once Wrexham reached League One, they were no longer the biggest spenders in the division. In fact, their wage bill of over $14 million was third last season, behind Huddersfield and Birmingham City, as per Capology.
What’s more, Birmingham also blew their competitors out of the water in terms of transfer fees in order to gain promotion, spending $20 million on Jay Stansfield alone.
“Now, the question now is whether they can do it in the Championship,” Donovan asked of Wrexham.
“My first thought was no, but I did see a report last week, I dont know who the player was, that they were willing to offer a player £50,000 ($67,700) a week. To play in the Championship!
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“They clearly have the money to do it, are they going to take the risk? Cause now it’s a big risk. It’s not losing £6 million ($8M) like they did last year, now you could lose £30M ($40M) or £40M ($54M) and not get promoted. So, it’s going to be interesting to watch.”
The jump from League One to the Championship will be a stern test for Wrexham, to say the least. They’ll be coming up against international and Premier League caliber players and coaches on a weekly basis, with teams and facilities worth far more than what Wrexham currently has to offer.
“They say the hardest jump in all of the promotions is the Championship to the Premier League. Why? Because there is just more money in that league,” Howard noted.
But despite his words of warning, the former Everton shot-stopper believed that if Wrexham played their cards right, they could yet complete the fairytale and reach the Premier League.
“Money makes the world go round when it comes to football or sports, and they are pumping a ton of money into that team,” he said. “They’re just better if they continue to do that, and they have that financial plan. Sure I think they could possibly do that (reach the Premier League).”
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
