Why ‘players had to leave’ Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney at Wrexham – with club director explaining long-term planning on contract & transfer fronts

Hollywood co-owners in North Wales have made the Red Dragons one of the most talked about clubs in EFL circles and beyond – with an award-winning documentary series opening up a window to the world that has allowed a global fan base to be established.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Understandably, players are jumping at the chance to form part of Phil Parkinson’s plans – with back-to-back promotions already being enjoyed en route to League One. Shrewd recruitment has helped Wrexham to this point, but tough decisions also need to be made when it comes to departures.

  • WHAT SHAUN HARVEY SAID

    Harvey has told The Leader that emotional farewells are inevitable as the club chase down their Premier League dream, saying: “In reality, the planning for this season started three years ago. Three years ago, we had no idea which division we were going to be playing in but in that first summer of Rob and Ryan’s ownership, the club gave numerous players three year contracts who we felt were best placed to start this wonderful journey that the club is on.

    “We always knew that the likes of Ben Tozer, Aaron Hayden and others would be out of contract this summer and if the club was going to be successful, we would have to review whether we needed to replace them going forward, and that was the decision that was made. That is not a reflection on them. All of the players who left could have played a part this season because they were certainly good enough. It is just that our ambition and the journey that we were on was moving on as well. We are two divisions higher than when they came in, which is credit to them. We will be forever thankful to Ben, Aaron and that group of players.

    “It is a perverse world where you deliver everything that was asked of you and had success, but that is the thing that counts against you. People have said to me that they believe this window was the club’s best ever window. I’m not the person to judge that but players had to leave to enable us to strengthen to keep going forward and continually improve, and I think this season we are seeing the real benefits of that.”

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    WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

    Wrexham invested heavily again in the summer of 2024 – as Reynolds and McElhenney made more funds available – with the likes of Arthur Okonkwo, Lewis Brunt, George Dobson, Sebastian Revan, Ollie Rathbone and Mo Faal being snapped up. They have helped the Red Dragons to second place in the League One table.