Why Wrexham have been given a trophy for finishing second as EFL make silverware decision
Wrexham have made history with a third straight promotion after securing successive runners-up finishes since returning to the EFL. The Red Dragons have made a rapid ascent from the fifth-tier of English football to the second and have the silverware to show for it. Wrexham have won 26 of their 45 League One matches this seasonGetty Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney missed out on a day at Wembley after a penalty shootout defeat to Peterborough United in the semi-finals of the EFL Trophy in March. Wrexham won’t need to reach the national stadium via the playoffs either in their bid to secure League One promotion. A 3-0 League One home win over Charlton guaranteed that the club would clinch the runner-up spot in the division behind Birmingham. It marked the second successive season that Wrexham have been promoted in second after failing to win the championship title. However, in both scenarios, the Welsh outfit were permitted to parade a trophy around the Stok Cae Ras – here’s why… Why have Wrexham won a trophy for finishing second? The silverware lifted by Wrexham on Saturday is awarded to mark a team’s promotion, rather than their second-place finish. It was introduced by the EFL to counteract complaints that clubs who secure automatic promotion but are not champions are snubbed. In addition to the three EFL titles, Championship, League One, and League Two playoff winners all lift silverware at Wembley. Crewe Alexandra were handed a shield for their runners-up finish in the old Division Two following the 2002/03 season. A year later, the Football League rebranded, and now a smaller version of the respective title trophy is issued for teams in second. Wrexham have secured a runners-up finish in League OneGetty Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds lifted the promotion trophy on the pitchGetty Derby County claimed the Championship runners-up trophy last season, with one of Leeds or Burnley set to do the same this term. Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson lifted the same piece of League One silverware after overseeing Bolton’s promotion as runners-up in 2017. The 57-year-old has now done so again in Wales, but said co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney are the ones who ‘deserve’ success. “I think it’s about the collective. The owners have come in and done an amazing job,” said Parkinson. “I’m so pleased for them because they deserve it. The National League remains the only league title under their ownership despite their promotionsGetty “There’s lots of ways you can be supportive as owners. It can be making sure we get a key player when it matters the most. “But it can also be support when the results don’t go quite as well as you want them to, but still allowing us to do our jobs. “That’s what they’ve always done. “They’re invested in all of the decisions, but they trust us in our decision making, and that’s why we’ve had success over the last three years.”
Wrexham have made history with a third straight promotion after securing successive runners-up finishes since returning to the EFL.
The Red Dragons have made a rapid ascent from the fifth-tier of English football to the second and have the silverware to show for it.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney missed out on a day at Wembley after a penalty shootout defeat to Peterborough United in the semi-finals of the EFL Trophy in March.
Wrexham won’t need to reach the national stadium via the playoffs either in their bid to secure League One promotion.
A 3-0 League One home win over Charlton guaranteed that the club would clinch the runner-up spot in the division behind Birmingham.
It marked the second successive season that Wrexham have been promoted in second after failing to win the championship title.
However, in both scenarios, the Welsh outfit were permitted to parade a trophy around the Stok Cae Ras – here’s why…
Why have Wrexham won a trophy for finishing second?
The silverware lifted by Wrexham on Saturday is awarded to mark a team’s promotion, rather than their second-place finish.
It was introduced by the EFL to counteract complaints that clubs who secure automatic promotion but are not champions are snubbed.
In addition to the three EFL titles, Championship, League One, and League Two playoff winners all lift silverware at Wembley.
Crewe Alexandra were handed a shield for their runners-up finish in the old Division Two following the 2002/03 season.
A year later, the Football League rebranded, and now a smaller version of the respective title trophy is issued for teams in second.
Derby County claimed the Championship runners-up trophy last season, with one of Leeds or Burnley set to do the same this term.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson lifted the same piece of League One silverware after overseeing Bolton’s promotion as runners-up in 2017.
The 57-year-old has now done so again in Wales, but said co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney are the ones who ‘deserve’ success.
“I think it’s about the collective. The owners have come in and done an amazing job,” said Parkinson.
“I’m so pleased for them because they deserve it.
“There’s lots of ways you can be supportive as owners. It can be making sure we get a key player when it matters the most.
“But it can also be support when the results don’t go quite as well as you want them to, but still allowing us to do our jobs.
“That’s what they’ve always done.
“They’re invested in all of the decisions, but they trust us in our decision making, and that’s why we’ve had success over the last three years.”
