A message to Chelsea from Wrexham’s owner established just how clear their aspirations are
Rob Mac made sure to send a message to Chelsea after their clash(Image: AP Photo/Jon Super)
Wrexham welcomed Chelsea for their FA Cup fifth round encounter but it was following their previous international meeting that the Championship team signalled their Premier League aspirations to the London club.
The Saturday evening match at the Racecourse Ground marked the first competitive game between the two sides since Wrexham’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea in 1982. However, the two teams did face off in July 2023 during a pre-season match held at Chapel Hill in the United States.
Ahead of the Red Dragons’ inaugural season in League Two after being promoted from the National League, they were put through their paces against the Blues, then managed by Mauricio Pochettino.
Competing before a crowd of 50,000 spectators in North Carolina, Wrexham suffered a hefty 5-0 loss with the final three goals netted in the last 15 minutes. Despite the disheartening outcome, the club’s co-owner Rob Mac, previously known as McElhenney, remained upbeat as he delivered a message to their top-tier rivals post-match.
The Red Dragons were hammered 5-0 by Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)
The Always Sunny star posted on X: “Thank you @ChelseaFC!!!! Hopefully we’ll see you again in 5 years or so.” Currently enjoying a run of three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship, Mac’s optimistic forecast remains feasible with Wrexham currently occupying sixth place in the league – the final playoff spot.
After a challenging start to their campaign in the second-tier, which saw Wrexham secure just two victories from their first 10 league matches this season, Phil Parkinson’s team have rallied and now sit just nine points adrift of second place with 11 fixtures left.
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Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
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The club have triumphed in their last three games – their second-longest winning run this season – and their 1-0 victory over Charlton earned them particular commendation from Parkinson. The manager said: “We showed incredible resilience today to get the win.
“There were some key moments in the game. Brilliant blocks by [Issa] Kabore and [George] Dobson — then a brilliant finish from Ollie. Arthur made a save from their first shot on target — but what a save it was. We know Carey is lethal from those situations. He has hit it low and hard, through legs, and Arthur has produced a match-winning save.”
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