In 2023, Wrexham AFC was a non-league club grinding it out in the fifth-division National League. Fast forward to this past Saturday, and the Red Dragons were just one goal away from securing a play-off spot for the Premier League—the pinnacle of English football.

Under the ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Wrexham made history by becoming the first club in English soccer to achieve three consecutive promotions. But their quest for an unprecedented fourth straight promotion came to a heartbreaking halt over the weekend.

Needing a win to keep their dreams alive, Wrexham battled fifth-place Middlesbrough to a 2-2 draw in the second-division EFL Championship. Meanwhile, Hull City's victory over Norwich City pushed Wrexham down to seventh place—just outside the final play-off spot. A few more wins could have sent the Welsh club on a path to the Premier League.

Reynolds, understandably gutted by the near-miss, took to Instagram to put Wrexham's meteoric rise into perspective. "Disappointed, but so proud of this team," he wrote, reflecting on a season that saw a non-league underdog transform into a Championship contender. For fans and players alike, this historic campaign is a testament to how far the club has come—and a promise of even bigger things to come.