|
|Title = Welcome Back to Wrexham
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|9|12}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = Following the failure to get promoted out of non-league in the 2021–22 season, Wrexham A.F.C. doubles down on ensuring the best roster to achieve promotion: [[Mark Howard (footballer, born September 1986)|Mark Howard]] is brought in as a new goalkeeper to replace an injured Lainton and a departing Dibble, while midfielder [[Elliot Lee]] arrives to strengthen the offensive line – Lee immediately turns a match against Eastleigh around, but Howard struggles to get a good start for the season. Fans continue to remain hopeful, and embrace the club's sudden international exposure, which helps the town financially, but the board of directors is worried that the club becomes unsustainable if promotion isn't achieved this year, based on the expenses to build a competitive squad and renovate the stadium.
[[Charles III|King Charles III]] arrives to honor Wrexham becoming a [[City status in the United Kingdom|city]], and visits the Racecourse Ground; Reynolds and McElhenney, after going through a crash course on royal [[etiquette]], hope that the visit helps their bid to the [[Levelling Up Fund]] to renovate the Kop stand be viewed more favourable; while the full renovation would require £20 million, running out of time, they fund the initial demolition of the old Kop themselves. McElhenney continues to be frustrated by the British bureaucracy, and their bid is eventually rejected, leaving the Kop renovation in limbo.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| Wrexham 2–1 [[Eastleigh F.C.|Eastleigh]]
|Title = The Quiet Zone
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|9|19}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = This episode profiles Millie Tipping who is a teenage Wrexham fan diagnosed with [[autism]] at an early age. She uses her Wrexham fandom as an outlet for her condition; her mother notes that after she was cut from the football team, something which gave her stability and socialization, she began to withdraw but being a fan allowed her to be more confident and outgoing. Similarly, Mullin shares his struggles about his young son, Albi, who was also diagnosed with [[nonverbal autism]]. When Mullin goes public with the diagnosis, and adorns his boots with his son's name, it encourages Tipping to approach Mullin and bond over their shared situation. She then gives him a goodie bag of things for Albi that help her cope with her condition and her prediction of a 5–0 victory comes true.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| Wrexham 5–0 [[Solihull Moors F.C.|Solihull Moors]]
|Title = Nott Yet
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|9|19}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = Eleven games into the season, Wrexham is top of the league with nearly no contest in sight; supporters of other clubs are ambivalent about the Hollywood injection: while some see it as pay-to-win and an additional motivation to beat Wrexham, others appreciate the positive effects on the communities and non-league football as a whole. Wrexham's perfect season, however, is spoiled by an unexpected rival: [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] and their star striker [[Macaulay Langstaff]], who have been on Wrexham's heels in the table. As their first head-to-head arrives at [[Meadow Lane]], everyone is keenly aware that the two teams will likely decide the championship among themselves, and that their first clash is critical to the rest of the season. In the match, Langstaff takes the lead for Notts early, and Mullin's response in the second half is called offside, leaving the away game as a 1–0 loss.
The episode also profiles Mark Griffiths, the long-time [[Sports commentator|commentator]] of Wrexham's games; it also shows The Declan Swans record a new song "Mullin 10", which Mullin himself is shown approving of in the studio.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] 1–0 Wrexham
|Title = Shaun's Vacation
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|9|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = After a year of work, Harvey finally gets to go on holiday to [[Tenerife]] with his wife, leaving Ker in charge. Immediately on the first day of Harvey's absence, McElhenney arrives to Wrexham to film a prank for Reynolds' birthday involving a [[blimp]] with Reynolds' face - in character as the scarred version of [[Deadpool]] - on it, violating Welsh [[aviation law]]. The next day, during an away match against [[Boreham Wood F.C.|Boreham Wood]], unaware of the [[English football on television#3pm "blackout"|3pm blackout law]], McElhenney suggests putting the private live feed from the documentary cameras up on the televisions in The Turf. In both cases, Ker reluctantly contacts the vacationing Harvey to intervene.
Two days later, Mullin posts an [[Instagram]] photo of his new [[Football boot|boots]] emblazoned with the phrase "F*** THE [[Conservative Party (UK)|TORIES]]", causing a national uproar, worsened by the photo being taken at the Racecourse and Reynolds putting a [[Like button|like]] on it, both of which imply a club endorsement. In the resulting [[public relations]] chaos, Harvey threatens to cut his vacation short and travel back to Wrexham, but Ker successfully implores Reynolds to get McElhenney to talk Harvey out of it and let the club do damage control. Ultimately, McElhenney witnesses a 3–1 win against [[Halifax F.C.|Halifax]].
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Boreham Wood F.C.|Boreham Wood]] 1–1 Wrexham
|Title = First Losers
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|9|26}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = As Wrexham trails Notts County on the league table, fans worry that the team will once again "do a Wrexham" and let victory slip in the last minute, as it has happened many times during the club's history. McElhenney similarly muses on his past year where he has watched Wrexham place second both in the National League and the FA Trophy, [[Wrexham A.F.C. Women]] place second in the [[Adran Premier|Adran North]], [[Philadelphia Union]] [[2022 Philadelphia Union season|place second]] in both [[2022 Major League Soccer season|the MLS league]] and the [[MLS Cup 2022|MLS Cup]], the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] [[2022 Philadelphia Phillies season|lose]] in the [[2022 World Series|World Series]], and the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] lose [[Super Bowl LVII]] – most of which he witnessed in person.
The episode interviews people who demonstrated a desire to win despite setbacks: Actress [[Susan Lucci]] - known for having [[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series|19 Emmy nominations for Lead Actress]] before winning one - describes using her losses as a motivation to work harder; newcomer Wrexham defender [[Jacob Mendy]] talks about being a [[Gambia]]n [[immigrant]] to [[Spain]] and the [[United Kingdom]], and working as a [[cleaner]] and [[construction worker]] while pursuing a football career; and [[Dorking Wanderers F.C.|Dorking Wanderers]] owner/manager [[Marc White]] tells the story of creating his club from scratch and going from the [[Crawley and District Football League]] (then the 17th tier of [[English football league system|English football]]) to the [[National League (division)|National League]], gaining a record setting 12 promotions in 23 years in the process.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Dorking Wanderers F.C.|Dorking Wanderers]] 3–1 [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]]
|Title = Ballers
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|3}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = While the Wrexham men's team is chasing promotion, the [[Wrexham A.F.C. Women|women's team]] is aiming to do the same, trying to qualify to the [[Adran Premier]], which would allow the team to go [[semi-professional]], as opposed to their current [[Amateur sports|amateur]] status: lead goalscorer [[Rosie Hughes]] works in [[HM Prison Berwyn]] as a guard, while child prodigy midfielder Lili Jones works as a [[kitchen porter]]. The players also have deep Wrexham connections: Jones' father, Gareth "Powsy" Jones, was a dedicated Wrexham fan before his suicide in early 2021, while defender{{efn|Erroneously referred in the episode as a midfielder.}} Mia Roberts is the daughter of Wrexham legend [[Neil Roberts (Welsh footballer)|Neil Roberts]], captain of the ill-fated team who were [[2007–08 Football League Two|relegated to the National League in 2008]].
Under the management of Gemma and [[Gareth Owen (footballer, born 1971)|Gareth Owen]], the team is looking to have a perfect season, despite the substantially smaller crowds and destitute conditions they play in; after defeating season rival [[Connah's Quay Nomads F.C.|Connah's Quay]], the team clinches the top spot of Adran North in a staggering 1–11 win against [[Rhyl F.C.|Rhyl]], and earns the chance to compete in the promotion playoffs against [[Briton Ferry Llansawel A.F.C. (ladies)|Briton Ferry Llansawel A.F.C.]].
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Wrexham A.F.C. Women]] 5–2 [[Llandudno F.C.|Llandudno F.C. Women]]
|Title = Giant Killers
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|10}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = Concurrent to the National League, Wrexham competes in the [[FA Cup]], a [[single-elimination tournament]] with every English football club from all tiers participating; over the decades, Wrexham has become known for its "[[FA Cup#Cup runs and giant killings|giant killings]]", unexpectedly eliminating much higher tier teams, such as the surprise [[Wrexham A.F.C. 2–1 Arsenal F.C.|1991 victory against Arsenal]]. The team is drawn together in the third round with [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]], an [[EFL Championship]] team three tiers above Wrexham, with Coventry playing home. During the match, Wrexham goes into the game with tremendous energy, with [[Sam Dalby]] and Elliot Lee taking an early lead, and [[Thomas O'Connor (footballer)|Tom O'Connor]] and Mullin rounding it up to a 4-1 by the 60th minute; the match tightens, however, when Coventry closes up to 4-3, and it takes Howard's last moment saves to keep the score as a victory - as both McElhenney and Reynolds are watching from the United States, an unexpected [[ESPN]] broadcast disruption adds to their anxiety, but the team eventually prevails. The town is ecstatic about the results, and everyone looks forward to the next opponent in the fourth round: [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]], a team who also plays in the EFL Championship, but is expected to be promoted to the [[Premier League]].
The game at the Racecourse starts nightmarish: [[Oli McBurnie]] takes the lead for Sheffield in the second minute, and both [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|centre-backs]] Hayden and [[Jordan Tunnicliffe]] have to come off with an injury. With a 0–1 half time, the team comes out aggressively to the second half, and [[James Jones (footballer, born 1996)|James Jones]] eventually equalizes. O'Connor takes the lead for Wrexham, but [[Oliver Norwood]] brings Sheffield up level; Sheffield's [[Daniel Jebbison]] is [[Penalty card|sent off]] for running into Tozer. Mullin puts victory and another giant killing in reach with a 86th minute goal, but [[John Egan (footballer, born 1992)|John Egan]] equalizes for Sheffield in [[injury time]], sending the two teams to a [[replay (sports)|replay]] at [[Bramall Lane]]; despite the disappointment, a visibly shaken Reynolds, who witnessed the game in person, on the verge of tears tells the players in the locker room that what they have achieved that day is extraordinary. In the replay, Wrexham holds up for most of the game, but loses 3–1 in injury time; both fans and the team agree that they have more than measured up to their opponent, pointing to Sheffield captain [[Billy Sharp]] who taunts Wrexham supporters after the final whistle, and gives some incensed remarks to the press, which he is eventually [[Fine (penalty)|fine]]d for by [[The Football Association|The FA]].
Now eliminated from the Cup, the team turns its focus back on getting promoted out of the National League.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Wrexham A.F.C. 2–1 Arsenal F.C.|Wrexham 2–1 Arsenal (1991–92 FA Cup Third Round)]]
|Title = The Grind
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|17}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = In the manic race against Notts County, as a result of a number of match postponements due to the FA Cup run, pitch conditions, and the passing of [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth]], Wrexham has to face nine matches in the period of a month, with two matches per week; the physical demand gradually increases the number of injuries on the team. Midfielder [[Anthony Forde (footballer)|Anthony Forde]] eventually goes on hiatus when his brother is diagnosed with [[leukemia]], and his wife is diagnosed with a [[brain tumor]] and loses some motor function on her left side of the body. Before the match against [[Southend United F.C.|Southend]], temperature drops to {{convert|-24|C|F}} and the entire Racecourse pitch freezes with a thick layer of snow; as the match cannot be postponed, the club calls on everyone on club management, staff and fans to help with the chore of shoveling the snow; around fifty people, including Harvey, Parkinson, Gemma Owen, and women's captain Kim Dutton, take part in the operation and clean the snow off the pitch by noon; the team wins later that day, collecting 23 points from the possible 27 in the nine games, finally taking over Notts at the top of the table by four points with ten games to go.
The episode profiles team captain [[Luke Young (footballer, born 1993)|Luke Young]], detailing his "workhorse" mentality and immense physical work statistics per game, and returns to profile fan Shaun Winter, who reflects on his appearances in the previous season of the show, how they helped him face his [[alcoholism]], and his current efforts as a coach for his son's football team.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| Wrexham 3–1 [[Wealdstone F.C.|Wealdstone]]
|Title = Glove Triangle
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|17}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = After a year-long injury, Lainton returns to take back the number one goalkeeper spot from Howard; while Howard has been having an outstanding season, he's supportive of Lainton. At a match against [[Bromley F.C.|Bromley]] at [[Hayes Lane]] - the same place where Lainton was injured with a [[concussion]] in 2020 and a fractured wrist in 2022 - during a seemingly routine kick nearing half time, Lainton feels a pain in his knee: during half time, physio Mulholland immediately diagnoses a torn [[Medial collateral ligament|MCL]]. Lainton is subbed off for Howard, and is forced to miss the rest of the season.
Both fans and staff continue to trust Howard, but the club wants to ensure squad depth in the position, and takes an opportunity to sign retired former [[England national football team|England]] national [[Ben Foster (footballer)|Ben Foster]]; Foster credits Wrexham for kickstarting his legendary professional career, having played for the club in 2005, but has been retired for nine months at the age of 40, and has been spending his time running a successful [[YouTube]] channel and - like Howard - a [[podcast]]. Media and football fans are skeptical of the move, labeling it a "money grab", but Foster makes it clear on his podcast that his financial terms on the contract are modest, and that his main motivation is to get the club promoted. Howard openly supports Foster becoming the number one, also arguing that promotion is the main goal, and the two discuss the situation on Howard's podcast.
In Foster's first match against [[York City F.C.|York City]], he keeps a [[Shutout|clean sheet]] contributing to a 3–0 win; both him and fans speculate that the team may be good enough not just for [[EFL League Two|League Two]] but [[EFL League One|League One]]. For that to happen though, the team first has to win the next two games against [[Halifax F.C.|Halifax]], and, more critically, against their season nemesis: Notts County.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Bromley F.C.|Bromley]] 1–2 Wrexham
|Title = Gresford
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|24}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = The episode explores the relationship of the football club and the memory of [[Gresford disaster|the tragedy of the Gresford Colliery]]: on 22 September, 1934, a gas explosion in the [[Gresford Colliery|Gresford coal mine]] causes the mine to cave in, trapping and killing 266 men - men who traded their [[Shift work|shifts]] to be able to witness a Wrexham football match earlier that day.
McElhenney and his father visits the memorial and learns about the event; McElhenney's father explains that his great-grandfather was also a miner in [[County Donegal|Donegal]], but also draws a parallel with the [[working class]] lives that have been lost in the [[Vietnam war]]. They learn that while one of the colliery wheels from the mine have been restored as a [[memorial]], the other is currently abandoned; McElhenney explains his plans to restore the wheel and place it behind the renovated Kop, to connect the memory of the tragedy closer to the club.
On the match played on the anniversary of the disaster, Wrexham beats [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay]] 6-0, as the crowd sings along to "[[Yma o Hyd]]".
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| Wrexham 6–0 [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay]]
|RTitle = {{efn|[[Welsh language|Welsh]] for "Rise"}}
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|24}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = As the women's team prepares for their final league game to set a historic 100% win record, another record is in sight: The club arranges for the game to be played at the Racecourse, allowing the team to set an attendance record for a women's football game in Wales. The players all express anxiety about the chance to play in front of such a large home crowd, and the stadium eventually is filled with 9,511 ticket holders - near double the previous record. At the game, T.J. Dickens [[Chip (association football)|chip]]s Connah's Quay keeper Grace Murphy in the fifth minute to get Wrexham the lead, but Ella Harvey equalizes soon after; Wrexham eventually wins the game by a half-pitch solo run by Hughes, setting the win record, and preparing the team for the eventual [[Adran Premier|Adran]] playoff final against [[Briton Ferry Llansawel A.F.C. (ladies)|Briton Ferry Llansawel A.F.C.]].
The playoff game, taking place at [[Latham Park]], proves to be the toughest challenge the team faced, and Wrexham - for the first time in the season - is forced to defend, with some goalkeeping heroics by Delyth Morgan. In the second half, Hughes locks on a stray ball and her [[Cross (association football)|cross]] is deflected into the goal by Rebecca Pritchard; Briton Ferry applies tremendous pressure in the remainder of the game, but Morgan keeps a clean sheet, and the team eventually finishes with a 1–0 win, earning promotion to the top Welsh women's football league, the [[Adran Premier]].
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Wrexham A.F.C. Women]] 2–1 [[Connah's Quay Nomads F.C.|Connah's Quay]]
|Title = Hand of Foz
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|10|31}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = With five rounds remaining in the season, both Wrexham and Notts County are both on track to break the 103 point record set by [[Fleetwood Town F.C.|Fleetwood]] in [[2011–12 Football Conference|2012]], but everyone is aware that whoever wins the head-to-head encounter is likely to earn automatic promotion; Wrexham's confidence is shaken when three days before the Notts game, the seemingly routine away match against [[FC Halifax Town|Halifax]] turns out to be a shocking 1-3 loss. McElhenney and Reynolds arrive in Wales for the match, and are awarded [[Freedom of the City|Freedom of the Borough]] for Wrexham, but both them, the players, and the fans admit they can only ever focus on the upcoming title race; management reiterates that promotion at this point is necessary to keep the club financially sustainable.
In the match on [[Easter Monday]], the first half brings a tense battle, with Wrexham disputing many of [[referee (association football)|referee]] Scott Tallis' calls; just as the half is about to end, [[John Bostock]] scores for Notts from a free kick. Wrexham comes out full swing in the second half, with Mullin equalizing and Mendy taking the lead, but [[Kyle Cameron]] brings County level. Lee takes the lead for Wrexham again, but six minutes into added time, the referee awards Notts County a penalty after [[Eoghan O'Connell]]'s handball. Fans and staff watch in horror as [[Cedwyn Scott]] steps up to take the penalty, but Foster dives the right way and saves the shot, winning the game for Wrexham, and putting promotion now in direct reach.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] 1–0 Wrexham
|Title = Family Business
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|11|7}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = The episode focuses on some of the family relationships of the people around the club: Reynolds's mother Tamara admits being the emotional support for her children, acknowledging that their father Jim had difficulties being emotionally connected; CEO Robinson talks about her heritage at [[Burton Albion F.C.|Burton Albion]] where her father Ben is chairman; Lee talks about his father 21-time English international [[Rob Lee]].
Ollie Palmer admits to similarities in the difficulties of his current life - commuting between London and Wrexham, and having less time with his family as a result - to his growing up where his father Andy Palmer, a Protection Officer to the [[British royal family]], had often had to sacrifice his family time to his job. Andy eventually divorced Ollie's mum Sue, after admitting to himself that he was a [[closeted]] homosexual; after the initial shock, all three maintain a good relationship today, and Ollie talks about feeling a kinship to McElhenney, whose mother also came out of the closet.
|Aux1 = {{TableTBA|N/A}}
|LineColor = CFB7A0
|Title = Worst Case Scenario
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|11|7}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = After a scoreless draw against [[Barnet F.C.|Barnet]], Wrexham must win at least two games of the upcoming three for promotion; management reiterates that they effectively gambled their financial plan on getting promoted, and bring in sponsors to offset the cost. McElhenney develops a [[stye]] under his eye from the stress.
Forde returns to the team after his six-week sabbatical; he highlights that Reynolds helped him and his partner get a [[second opinion]] on her tumor, and that the results were reassuring. The team prepares for the game against 22nd place [[Yeovil Town F.C.|Yeovil]], an easy win in theory, with ''[[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]]'' cast members Olson, [[Glenn Howerton]] and [[Charlie Day]] in attendance for the match. The team keeps the pressure up in the match, but half-time still ends scoreless after many missed chances. Forde finally breaks the deadlock in the 60th minute, with Jones and Mullin rounding up the score to a 3–0 home win, putting Wrexham just one win away from the coveted promotion.
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| [[Barnet F.C.|Barnet]] 0–0 Wrexham
|Title = Up the Town?
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|11|14}}
|ShortSummary =
|ShortSummary = With only three points remaining to promotion, Wrexham faces [[Boreham Wood F.C.|Boreham Wood]] at the Racecourse {{ndash}} Boreham Wood is widely believed to have the league's best defense and best goalkeeper, [[Nathan Ashmore]]. Notts County players Langstaff, Bostock, Scott and head coach [[Luke Williams (footballer, born 1981)|Luke Williams]] talk about the risk of the playoffs; Williams also talks about consoling Scott about his missed penalty against Wrexham.
The decisive match against Boreham Wood begins with an immediate shock as Lee Ndlovu [[Chip (association football)|lobs]] Foster and takes the lead for the visitors with less than a minute played. Wrexham begins to apply pressure against a tenacious Boreham Wood defense, and Lee equalizes in the 15th minute, leading to an 1–1 half-time. In the second half, the pressure eventually breaks through as Mullin scores twice, putting Wrexham minutes away from the coveted promotion. When referee Scott Jackson blows the final whistle at 3–1, emotions run high as the euphoric supporters [[Pitch invasion|invade the pitch]], carrying the players on their shoulders, with the 15 year curse ending with Wrexham's promotion back to the football league.
In the epilogue, 40,000 people show up for the celebratory [[open top bus]] [[parade]] for both the men's and women's teams' promotions {{ndash}} in attendance is Davies, with his newborn daughter, who was born on the morning of the parade {{ndash}} and Notts also [[2023 National League play-off final|achieves promotion in Wembley]] against [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] after Scott scores the winning penalty in the [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|shootout]].
|Aux1 = {{hlist
| Wrexham 3–1 [[Boreham Wood F.C.|Boreham Wood]]
| 