<
>

Wrexham chief: Premier League promotion would be 'greatest sports story ever'

Wrexham director Shaun Harvey has said the club's season can be considered a success whatever happens this weekend.

The Red Dragons' campaign is finely poised, given they occupy the final Championship playoff position heading into the climax to the league on Saturday when they host Middlesbrough.

Goal difference alone separates them from seventh-placed Hull, with Derby still in the top-six mix too, as the club co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac target an historic fourth successive promotion.

- Championship promotion race: Ipswich, Millwall, Wrexham - who's going up?

And while Harvey again claimed if they do achieve that feat it would be the "greatest sports story ever," he would not want missing out on a play-off place to be deemed a failure.

"The time is now. We've got one game to go of the league season," Harvey said at SportsPro London.

"To use Alex Ferguson's favourite phrase, it definitely is squeaky bum time. Will we make it or won't we make it? Well, there's a story to be written either way.

"Because whatever happens, we've gone from being a non-league team to the best team in Wales by virtue of league position.

- York owner seeks to give Wrexham's Reynolds 'run for his money'

"We've finished in our highest league position ever and the women's team have won the league and will compete in the Champions League.

"In all circumstances, our season should be viewed as 'we nearly made it', rather than 'we just missed out'.

"And whilst that's a subtle difference, the reality is we have no right to actually achieve what we have done so far this season."

He continued: "If we do make it to the playoffs on Saturday afternoon, we have the chance of going back-to-back-to-back-to-back promotions.

"If we achieve that, as others have said and I agree, it would be the greatest sports story ever.

"There's no script, just a story to tell.

"As it happens, it's authentic and that's what makes Wrexham so relatable to many others who care to dream."

Reynolds and Mac have taken Wrexham from the National League to the brink of the Premier League since buying the Welsh club five years ago.