Wrexham seal third promotion in a row as Sam Smith double sinks Charlton

The Guardian

26-04-2025

The Hollywood scriptwriters have etched another extraordinary chapter in the Wrexham story. The Welsh club made English Football League history by claiming a third successive promotion, becoming the first club to achieve that feat in the top five tiers. The Racecourse Ground is living up to its English name; Wrexham are racing a course through the divisions under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Ollie Rathbone and Sam Smith's first-half goals against Charlton put the Reds on the path to League One promotion with a game to spare, and consigned the Addicks, along with Wycombe and Stockport, to the playoffs.
The celebrations in north Wales will go on for days but they reached a cacophonous climax on the 80-minute mark, the 12,774 sell-out crowd erupting when Smith nodded his second of the afternoon to make it 3-0. 'We are going up,' they chanted. They did not stop.
They had arrived expectant, having got their first win of the day four hours before kick-off, when Leyton Orient's Randell Williams scored what proved to be the only goal of the game against Wycombe. If that left the Chairboys in a precarious position, two points behind Wrexham having played a game more, it also served as a perfect pre-match pep talk for Phil Parkinson.
Not that Wrexham needed an extra boost, even with Charlton sensing the chance to throw an almighty spanner in the works. The Addicks had won 15 of their previous 20 games and another three points would have set up a final day for the ages. Their manager, Nathan Jones, had referred to Wrexham as a 'circus' in the buildup – a comment that irked Parkinson – although with Reynolds and McElhenney in situ and a further spike in media coverage with promotion on the line, it was clear this would be no ordinary day at the STōK Cae Ras.
The Wrexham fans didn't miss a beat, singing 'football in a circus' throughout the game. And their side responded swiftly to the sizzling atmosphere with strikes on 15 and 18 minutes to set another perfect picture in motion.
Smith almost broke through the Charlton defence early on but after the visitors snuffed him out, it was from the resulting corner that Rathbone ignited the party. The set piece was tapped short by James McClean, with Matty James rolling it on to Rathbone to lash home. The blockbuster goal prompted a big bear hug between Reynolds and McElhenney in the directors' box, and even wilder celebrations in the terraces.
The jubilation was to get wilder still. The second goal stemmed from a delicious chip over the defence from James, with Smith swivelling to volley a cute chip into the corner. Even the seldom extravagant Parkinson struggled to contain his emotions this time. Red balloons and pyro went up in the stands.
Charlton had to respond, knowing even a draw would do nothing to resuscitate their fading hopes of automatic promotion. And as Arthur Okonkwo in Wrexham's goal denied Tennai Watson the visitors' clearest first-half opportunity, 2-0 still didn't feel comfortable at the break.
Sign up to Football Daily
Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football
after newsletter promotion
A nervy second half brought little in the way of chances as the hosts sought to hold on. It seemed Charlton had become resigned to their fate, dominating the ball but producing next to nothing. Smith's header from Max Cleworth's cross was the final red stamp to seal it.
From there the day belonged to Wrexham, their fans – who invaded the pitch at full time – the players and, of course the owners, who may soon start plotting a path to the Premier League. For now, celebrating yet another promotion and place in the Championship will more than suffice.