‘Breach regulations’ – Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney & Tom Brady spending prediction as Wrexham & Birmingham chase Premier League promotion dream

That is the opinion of Dr Rob Wilson, a professor of economics at Sheffield Hallam University and football finance expert. He is among those watching on from afar as famous investors in North Wales and the West Midlands take aim at a standing among the elite of English football.

Both clubs find themselves in League One for now, having experienced contrasting fortunes in the last 12 months, but are sat among the third-tier frontrunners as automatic spots in the Championship begin to open up.

Once that level has been reached then important decisions need to be made on how to approach one of the toughest and most competitive divisions in world football. Wrexham and Birmingham may, with funds at their disposal, look to flaunt Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) in a bid to reach the big time.

Dr Wilson has told Slingo of chasing the dream: “In the Championship, Birmingham and Wrexham will be smaller fish in a much bigger pond because particularly with clubs that have come out of the Premier League that have had the parachute payments, it's very very difficult to compete with those. I think if they are promoted, particularly from Wrexham's perspective, more of a stabilisation in the Championship rather than a continued rise through the ranks.

“Birmingham would be interesting because obviously they were relegated last season so they're looking to bounce back in. But you would imagine both clubs would spend aggressively, so would comfortably be top half.

“Who knows if they sort of hit the play-off places then they might just try and push the boat out a little bit more and try and breach Championship regulations because they don't really count if you get into the Premier League. This is what we see lots of clubs do, historically and then they get into the Premier League and they stay put so they don't get done on a breach.”

Hollywood stars Reynolds and McElhenney have made no secret of their desire to reach the Premier League with Wrexham, as more investors are welcomed onto the Red Dragons’ board, while NFL legend Brady is putting his vast experience in the art of winning to good use at St Andrew’s.