Ryan Reynolds ‘absolutely gutted’ as Wrexham miss out on play-offs

Wrexham Co-owner Ryan Reynolds said he was “absolutely gutted” after reaching Wrexham’s dream. Premier League Ends, for this season anyway, on Saturday.

The Welsh club fell two points short of a play-off place in the second-tier Championship 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough In a dramatic finale to the regular season.

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It moved Hull ahead of Wrexham and into sixth place — the fourth and final place in the play-offs — courtesy of a 2-1 win over Norwich in a match played at the same time.

Hull’s winning goal by Ollie McBurnie in the 67th appeared to be from an offside position but there is no video review in the English Football League.

It ends an unprecedented run of three straight promotions under their legendary owner Reynolds and co-star Rob Mack — a streak that began with a fifth-tier exit in the 2022-23 season and is documented in the globally popular, Emmy Award-winning “Welcome to Wrexham” FX series.

Nevertheless, seventh place marked Wrexham’s highest finish in their history, bettering the 15th position they achieved in the second tier in the 1978–79 season. And Reynolds echoes Manager Phil Parkinson said saying that the club “has a lot to be proud of.”

“I’m totally disappointed with today’s result but incredibly proud of our season,” Reynolds wrote on X.

“We have come a long way in five years and this was the best result in our 150+ year history.” There is more to do. But for now, we Reds have a lot to be proud of.”

Wrexham had a memorable campaign in their first season in the second tier since the 1980s.

However, the short-term pain was intense, and the Wrexham players sat on the ground and looked dejected after the final whistle – although the Hull-Norwich match was not over.

Wrexham started the day in sixth place, ahead of Hull on goal difference, and lost to Middlesbrough in the fourth minute, only to go 2–1 up in the 41st with goals from Josh Windus and Sam Smith.

Middlesbrough immediately equalized in the 43rd-minute but Wrexham finished strongly, wasting several late chances for a winner that would have secured a play-off place on goal difference.

In the end, Wrexham finished two points behind Hull.

“This squad as it stands, a preseason together, will be stronger next year,” said Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, who oversaw a summer spending spree of around $40 million last year.

“Obviously we will always try to add to that and give ourselves a better chance … We know where we want to strengthen and what we need to improve on. We will do that and we will make this squad as strong as possible to meet the challenge next year.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.