Maidenhead return shows Wrexham growth since Reynolds and McElhenney’s first game

Maidenhead’s York Road home does not look like the sort of place where an enduring love might blossom.

Even in the twilight of a cold, early-spring Saturday evening, with a bumper crowd lining the pitch at kick-off and a sense of anticipation in the air, the survival instinct of a ground that has been Maidenhead’s home since 1871 seems its most remarkable aspect.

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There is a nondescript main stand that stretches around half the length of the touchline, the fast trains to London thunder past so close behind it that the vibrations shake. A shallow, covered terrace can be found at either end of a town-centre site that is clearly popular with property developers, judging by the five cranes that can be spotted in the vicinity.

Nevertheless, York Road is where it all truly began for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as the co-owners of Wrexham.

Sure, the Hollywood pair officially bought the Welsh club in February 2021. But it was here, seven or so months later in a commuter town that sits just 30 or so miles west of the capital, where Deadpool movie star Reynolds and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia sitcom creator McElhenney got to see their team in the flesh for the first time.

Speak to those around the club who know the owners and it is matches such as Maidenhead away last season and their home ‘debut’ at the Racecourse Ground four days later, against Torquay United, that helped forge the deep feelings they hold for Wrexham.

Perhaps fittingly, considering the heartbreak that the culmination of the 2021-22 campaign would bring via a semi-final exit in the play-offs, that debut visit to Maidenhead ended without the Hollywood ending demanded by the presence of the co-owners.

After fighting back from two goals down to level through Paul Mullin and Jordan Davies, 10-man Wrexham were beaten by a late Josh Kelly goal. Worse still, defeat left the club languishing in 11th place in the fifth-tier National League.

“I don’t know how people do this… it’s heartbreaking!” said Reynolds on the car journey home, possibly realising for the first time the emotional rollercoaster he had clambered aboard by buying a club.

Sixteen months on from that crushing opening night in Berkshire, things feel different.

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For a start, Phil Parkinson’s side had gone top in midweek courtesy of a 2-1 triumph over Chesterfield.

Macaulay Langstaff’s 93rd-minute equaliser for Notts County at Bromley earlier in the afternoon meant Wrexham kicking off Saturday’s televised tea-time fixture back in second place on goal difference.

But with two games now in hand, there was a sense among the 1,200 travelling army of fans that the momentum in what has been a relentless title race may just be swinging the way of north Wales.

Mullin twice put the visitors ahead to further fuel the feelgood factor, even prompting an airing of the chant, “We’re gonna win the league…”, after the second of his goals to make it 2-1 on the hour.

“He just can’t stop scoring goals!” 🔥@Wrexham_AFC retake the lead in a matter a minutes through that man, Paul Mullin!

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 4, 2023

As with last season’s corresponding fixture, however, Maidenhead spoiled the party, this time via a 90th-minute equaliser as substitute Shawn McCoulsky capitalised on a mix-up between goalkeeper Mark Howard and his defence.

90th minute drama 🤯

Shaun McCoulsky bags a late equaliser for @MUFCYorkRoad, which keeps the @TheVanaramaNL title race very much alive!

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 4, 2023

Parkinson’s frustration at dropping two points was clear for all to see. Nevertheless, the 55-year-old is able to appreciate the wider picture — and, in particular, just how far the club has come since that previous visit to York Road.

“I was looking at the game we played here last season,” he told The Athletic. “And looking at the team we fielded. This team now is miles better. People say, ‘Maidenhead make it really difficult’, as they showed by beating us last year, but we came here this year with a strong team and a strong bench.

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“We expected to win. Unfortunately, we haven’t managed that but this is a far better day than when we came here last season.”

A glance at the XI who lost at Maidenhead last season illustrates how much has changed in the intervening months.

Almost half have since moved on, with Tyler French, Christian Dibble, Shaun Brisley, Jamie Reckord and Dior Angus all plying their trade elsewhere.

In their place came players with proven English Football League pedigree, the tone being set by the January 2022 addition of Ollie Palmer from third-division AFC Wimbledon for a club-record £300,000.

After being pipped to the title by Stockport County and then beaten by Grimsby Town in the play-offs, Parkinson moved quickly in the summer to add quality and strength in depth by bringing in Jordan Tunnicliffe, Elliot Lee, Sam Dalby and Jacob Mendy.

All four summer signings were in the starting XI here — it would have been five, but Anthony Forde was absent through illness — alongside Andy Cannon, who dropped down three divisions when he joined just before the turn of the year from Hull City of the Championship.

“There is a strong mentality in the group,” said Parkinson, when asked about what has changed the most about his team this season. “Moments like what happened at the end of the game here are rare.

“We are a team who prides itself on building platforms by doing the basic things in football well.”

Looking at Wrexham’s points-per-game return of 2.43 this season and position at the summit with a game in hand, it is easy to forget Parkinson’s future was the subject of intense speculation last season.

There was a time when supporters were not happy — an episode in the first series of Welcome To Wrexham was even titled Sack The Gaffer. It ended with McElhenney admitting: “We decided to stick with Phil. Not just because of the wins and losses. But also the team culture he was building.”

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That faith from the owners may yet bring the ultimate reward by the end of April.

Parkinson’s experience has been honed across almost two decades in management, making one of the few things that has not changed since that crushing defeat at Maidenhead the club’s biggest weapon of all.

(Main image: The Athletic)