Wrexham have marched into Championship play-off race in search of fourth successive promotion
Wrexham have charged into the Championship play-off race as they search for an unprecedented fourth straight promotion. Watch Sheffield Wedneday vs Wrexham live on Sky Sports+ and the Sky Sports app on Saturday; kick-off 12.30pm
Thursday 29 January 2026 15:39, UK
It was a cold Boxing Day evening in north Wales when it all kicked off again for Wrexham.
Five without a win, a bit of heat was building on Phil Parkinson, with the club with higher expectations than any in the pyramid labouring down at 15th in the table.
Down 3-1 at the Racecourse Ground, and things didn't look good. But a chaotic second half saw them come back to win 5-3. Since then there have been five wins from seven games.
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The latest was almost as unlikely as that blunting of the Blades. Trailing 2-1 at QPR on 89 minutes, before an Amadou Mbengue red card inspired a remarkable late turnaround. Josh Windass equalised in third minute of added time, before Ollie Ratbone won it a minute later.
The tight nature of the Championship table this season meant those two goals took Wrexham from a provisional 11th in the table, to sixth - occupying the final play-off spot.
Automatic promotion, which they have achieved in each of their three previous seasons, is out of reach. But they are right in the thick of the race for at least sixth.
What changed... and what didn't
As Wrexham have risen, there has been major upheaval in the squad as they have had to rush to continue with their unprecedented progress.
It took Parkinson a while this season to find his best formula, but he now seems to have struck relative gold. Two forward players, usually Nathan Broadhead and Josh Windass, feeding off the target man Kieffer Moore.
Elsewhere, George Thomason - signed as a midfielder from Bolton - has proved a revelation as a left wing-back. He had never played that role in his entire career before that Boxing Day game against Sheffield United. That day he mustered three assists, and has held the position ever since.
Players who weren't working out early in the season have been quickly moved on. Conor Coady seemed like a wise summer recruitment for his experience, but he hasn't featured after starting their first five games and is now on the move.
Wrexham are a rapidly adapting organism. Of the side that started at QPR on Saturday, only Moore and Matty James were in the first XI on the opening day of the season.
While many owners may have got itchy after huge investment and a slow start, the Hollywood duo of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have held faith in their leader Parkinson.
Despite the triple promotion, questions were asked of his ability to manage at this level having struggled in the past in the Championship. But he is currently proving the doubters wrong.
'Every promotion brings a different and harder challenge'
Someone who has seen the club change more than anyone is defender Max Cleworth.
Aged just 23, he is Wrexham's longest-serving player. He joined Wrexham in 2014 as a 12-year-old, and has been there for all three promotions from the National League.
Rather than approach the task with trepidation out of fear he may never get a chance at the club, Cleworth instead leaned into the challenge head on.
"I am fairly proud of it," he tells Sky Sports of his journey. "When the owners came in, the feeling around the place changed straight away and it felt like the club was only going in one direction.
"I joined when I was about 11 or 12 and went through the academy and youth team just trying to enjoy it. That was always my approach, and my family's as well, to enjoy every session and every game.
"When you get to the first team you hope you can make an impression, and then the owners came in and everything changed so quickly that it just became normal.
"Cameras being around all the time, the owners coming in after Covid, all of that madness settled down really fast. It quickly became normal. I'm just thankful I've been able to be part of the journey.
"I just tried to work really hard every day, every time I trained and every time I played, to prove I was good enough to stay with the club. Every promotion brings a different and harder challenge, and I've tried to enjoy that and take it on.
"I've had my down moments, it hasn't all been plain sailing, but I'm really grateful to the management staff who have shown faith in me and played me a lot, and I've tried to repay that."
Cleworth has started 27 of Wrexham's 29 Championship games this season.
"It was obviously a tough and challenging start, but since then it's been very enjoyable," he says. "With how many changes we made in the summer, it was hard for everyone to gel straight away, so it took a bit of time.
"We went through some hard times, found a bit of consistency in the middle part of the season and then had a good Christmas period. Overall, both personally and collectively, I'm really enjoying it."
'The big question now is whether they can go the distance'
Tommy Smith on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast:
"It's a sign of a team with real momentum. Against QPR, most people thought the game was over. To equalise so late was impressive, but what stood out was their belief to go on and win it moments later. That turnaround summed up their attitude.
"It shows a never-say-die mentality, and in this league that can take you a long way. Plenty of teams would have accepted defeat at that stage, but Wrexham always seem to stay in the fight. Where they are in the table is no fluke. You don't reach sixth place after this many games by accident.
"Full credit goes to Wrexham, Phil Parkinson, and everyone at the club. The atmosphere, the resilience, and the way they've accumulated points all deserve praise. They're hard to beat and fully merit their position.
"The big question now is whether they can go the distance. With the transfer window still open, it'll be interesting to see if they strengthen, particularly with talk around adding a centre-forward. Any additions could push them even further."
