Admitting that their push for European football is “unashamedly financial,” Wrexham has Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds eyeing a return to continental competition.
Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney want to see the team play in Europe again, but the Red Dragons freely acknowledge that money is a major factor in their decision.
Wrexham’s Aspirations in Europe
Welsh football teams playing in the English Football League (EFL) have since been prohibited from participating in Welsh Cup competitions. Wrexham last participated in European football during the 1995–96 Cup Winners’ Cup. But talks are under way to alter that, possibly opening the door for Wrexham, Swansea, Cardiff, and Newport to return to a reorganized Welsh League Cup. This might offer a route to European tournaments like the Europa Conference League.
Shaun Harvey, the director of Wrexham, explained the rationale for the club’s push for European football, pointing to both the chance to bring back the club’s rich history in Europe and the financial advantages.
Speaking to The Leader, Harvey said:
“We are interested because we have got an obligation to give the club the best chance of success. The club, like the other three clubs, is steeped in European history, albeit going back over a period of time. If those days can return to Wrexham at some stage in the future, it’s another step on a remarkable journey.”
Harvey emphasized that while Wrexham’s ambitions may face opposition, the potential financial benefits for both the club and Welsh football are significant:
“Every so often, opportunities like this present themselves, and we have got an obligation to both ourselves and football in Wales to look at them. With things such as this, you are always conscious that it might not be universally popular, and on that basis, it needs to be well thought out.”
Financial Benefits for Welsh Football
The possibility of re-entering European competitions could bring financial rewards to not just Wrexham, but also to other Welsh EFL clubs and football in Wales overall. According to Harvey, research commissioned by Swansea City’s new owners supports the idea that Welsh EFL clubs competing in Europe would be financially beneficial.
“There would be financial benefits for whichever club managed to win the Welsh League Cup, but only one of the four [EFL clubs] could win it, and it doesn’t mean the Cymru Premier clubs can’t win it either,” Harvey explained.
