I’ve been watching Wrexham religiously since the first season in the National League back in 2008, all I’ve ever known is disappointment and heartbreak, but now all of that seems like a distant memory.  

Throughout my time watching the dragons I’ve been used to travelling up and down the country to places like Chorley, Dover, and Gateshead, but on Monday night we swapped Solihull Moors for Birmingham City, and it gave me a moment to appreciate just how far we have come as a club.

Before Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over, it felt like we would never get out of the non-league system.  

People would often say to me “Why do you still watch them?” and don’t get me wrong at times I questioned that too, but I always had the hope that one day we would return to the English Football League (EFL).  

During those non-league years, my niece Evie was born, and after being mascot for her second birthday she also fell in love with the football club, despite us drawing 0-0 with Dover that day.  

My niece Evie is Wrexham mad   (Image: Alex Whilding)
Since then, she has joined me with a season ticket in the Mold Road Stand, and she also had that same belief that one day that special moment would come.  

In 2021 when the owners took over, suddenly that dream felt a lot closer to reality, and in 2023 that dream did come true.  

READ MORE:

I won’t lie, I cried when the full-time whistle went against Boreham Wood to secure the promotion out of the National League, but as Evie whispered “We did it Auntie Alex” the pure adrenaline kicked in and before we knew it we were on the pitch with the players soaking it all in.  

That pre-season felt like the longest few months in history, but as soon we got into the swing of being back in League Two, that belief returned, but this time that we could achieve back-to-back promotions and end up in League One. 

Me and Sarah travelled more than 3,000 miles last season   (Image: Alex Whilding) After travelling more than 3,000 miles up and down the country from Crawley to Harrogate and everywhere in between alongside my best friend Sarah, again we achieved that dream. 

Once again me and Evie were back on the pitch celebrating promotion alongside Sarah, and thousands of other Wrexham fans who couldn’t believe what had happened. 

On Monday night we played Birmingham City  (Image: Alex Whilding)
The pre-season that followed was again long, but when the fixtures came out and I looked at the teams we would be playing this season, the likes of Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, and our rivals Shrewsbury Town, I couldn’t help but feel like all of a sudden we were back where we belong. 

Whilst it still seems surreal that we are playing in the same league as former Premier League teams, it feels like all of those years sat in the freezing cold Racecourse Ground watching us against teams such as Ebbsfleet United and Weymouth were worth it. 

On Monday night against Birmingham, as the teams came out and the fireworks were set off, I felt a bit choked up as it sunk in just how far little Wrexham have come both on and off the pitch.