What do Hollywood-owned Wrexham need to reach playoffs and keep their Premier League dream alive?
Wrexham head into the final game of the season with the playoffs in their sights
Wrexham face a huge weekend in their recent history as they attempt to achieve their dream of making it to the Premier League. The Welsh side became the first in England’s top five divisions to achieve three successive promotions 12 months ago when they were elevated to the Sky Bet Championship a little more than four years after Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had pushed through their takeover. On Saturday, they play their last Championship game of the season against fellow contenders Middlesbrough , and they head into that match in the final playoff spot.
Here, the Press Association takes a look at the opportunity which lies ahead. Co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be hoping Wrexham can make the playoffs (Cody Froggatt/PA) (PA Wire) Where do Wrexham sit going into the final day of the regular season? Phil Parkinson’s men have suffered something of a wobble in recent weeks, losing to Southampton, Birmingham City and newly-crowned champions Coventry City either side of victories over Stoke and Oxford.
However, they head into the final round of games lying in sixth place on 70 points, ahead of Hull City in seventh on goal difference. They can finish no higher – Southampton are seven points better off in fifth – but could slip to as low as eighth if events conspire against them. What do they need to do to clinch a playoff spot?
Basically, they need to match whatever Hull do in their home clash with Norwich, although it may prove slightly more complicated than that. Wrexham currently lead the Tigers by virtue of a single goal having scored 67 and conceded 63 to City’s 68 and 65 respectively, giving rise to the possibility that even victory might not be enough should the Yorkshire side win by a greater margin. Alternatively, should both draw, Derby, who are just a point behind and have a superior goal difference, would leapfrog them with a home win over Sheffield United, and would prevail with a draw if both Wrexham and Hull lost.