Wrexham reach huge milestone as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney plan continues to take shape

Wrexham have reached another huge milestone under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Back in 2021, Hollywood duo Reynolds and McElhenney took over Welsh side Wrexham, who were in the National League.

Since then, the Red Dragons have secured back-to-back promotions from the National League to League Two and then to League One.

On Wednesday afternoon, the club announced that they have been granted the EFL Category 3 Academy License.

A statement on the club’s website read: “Wrexham AFC are proud to announce, following the completion of the Club’s Academy Full Audit Assessment, we are able to confirm our status as an EFL Category 3 Academy from the 2024/25 season.

“Following a successful PGAAC audit, and the announcement of a multi-million pound investment in the academy training facility to be built in partnership with Darland High School, we have received confirmation that we have been granted the provisional Category 3 licence in line with our ambitions.”

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Andy Lowe, Wrexham’s academy manager said: “I am absolutely delighted and extremely proud to confirm we have been awarded a license to operate as an EFL Category 3 Academy.

“This is an extremely proud moment for the club and all staff who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to achieve this outcome and I would personally like to thank each staff member for their efforts. I'd also like to thank all the players, families and parents for their patience and support.”

He continued: “A monumental amount of hard work goes into setting up a new academy and this is an extremely exciting project for the football club and young people in the Wrexham, North Wales, and surrounding areas.

“We are ambitious and want to be the best academy for producing young players for the first team and beyond; while this does not happen overnight and is indeed a long-term project, we do not shy away from those long-term aims and objectives which this new license status allows us to do.”