Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney & ‘Hollywood FC’ generate ‘pure jealousy’ - with Welcome to Wrexham making Red Dragons a team ‘everyone will want to beat’

That is the opinion of former Racecourse star Lee Trundle, who is among those to have watched on from afar as the Welsh outfit have enjoyed a meteoric rise under two superstar co-owners.

Three successive promotions have lifted Phil Parkinson’s side into the Championship, with the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series capturing every dramatic moment on camera. Big money has been invested along the way, with the promise of more to come.

That spending, which has delivered a historic run of success, has not been universally well received, but Trundle is eager to point out that the Wrexham bandwagon will not stop rolling despite becoming a team that “everyone will want to beat”.

The ex-Red Dragons frontman told the Fearless in Devotion podcast when asked if Wrexham can reach the Premier League: “I can’t see why not in the next few years - I think they will be challenging up there. I don’t think Wrexham will be in a relegation battle. I think they will have too much.

“The other thing you are going to have, even though Wrexham have just come up from League One, they are a club that everyone will want to beat - the same as Birmingham, because of the backers. If we are being honest, people are jealous of the clubs. Everyone would love that ownership, so you want to beat this team - especially when they have got their own documentary.

“For Wrexham as well, you are going into these games where suddenly you are the underdog. As a player, your expectation goes to the middle. Hopefully that will make the lads relax a little bit because the quality that they have got, they can easily challenge in the Championship. I think it will be mid-table, but who knows with what they have done over the last couple of years. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were up amongst the play-offs.”

Trundle added on the presence of Reynolds and McElhenney and what they have achieved over the course of four memorable years: “It’s just pure jealousy. How can you say people like that are ruining your football club with what they have done?

“They brought it from the bottom division and brought it right the way up into the Championship. Not only that, they have helped people around the city, have brought the women’s football on and highlighted that more. Everything that they have done is a positive. I don’t think anyone from outside can look at something negative they have brought to the club.

“People are saying ‘Hollywood FC’, well of course when you are owned by two owners that are well known - especially with Ryan being a superstar movie star. People are always going to label you like that, but it’s total jealousy. Any football fan would want ownership like that.

“Not only have they put their money where their mouth is and backed everyone, they also care about what they are doing in the city as well. They are not coming and taking it by storm and whoever gets left in the past, gets left. You can see they care. Everyone has played their part in getting it where it is and they are appreciated by everyone.”

Wrexham are currently in the process of identifying targets for the summer transfer window, with Parkinson seemingly eager to bring Premier League pedigree onto his books as collective sights become locked on promotion to the top flight.