Idaho Today host Mellisa Paul donned the Wrexham Red Dragon scarf and spoke exclusively to the Head of Women's Football Gemma Owen. Season 3 shows how all boats have risen in this true docuseries, where the Hollywood stars' investment elevates the teams for both men and women. But can they keep that Red Dragon momentum going? Season 3 on FX and Hulu promises great game action and twists for the players and fans alike.
Rob McElhenney (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) continue to invest in and navigate running the world's third-oldest professional football club. Welcome to Wrexham docuseries is action-packed with actual games and poignant stories of the people in the team's inner circle, including the local The Turf pub owner Wayne Jones and the volunteers who create safe spaces for fans with various disabilities and challenges.
It's a feel-good yarn that has won over a legion of new soccer [football] fans here in the USA, and as a result, tours for both the men's and women's teams are in the works.
The series reveals the players' more private home lives as it underscores the footage with the local fans' dreams and worries of their beloved Wrexham, a working-class city in North Wales, UK. Is their success a fluke or a steady build with the right people in the right places? The latter, if you ask Rob and Ryan, whose personal investment of money and their own time has convinced even the most critical of boosters that their hearts are in it to win it.
Fans of the Welcome to Wrexham docuseries got to know the women's team in season two, which showcased several key figures such as prison-guard-by-day, leading-scorer-by-night Rosie Hughes, teenage midfielder Lili Jones, and the head of women's football, Gemma Owen, who oversees the women's team. These volunteer players with day jobs are now elevated into the semi-pro league and are getting a paycheck for their efforts. TV fans were properly introduced to the rest of the women's team as Rob and Ryan were bowled over by their scoring skills and tenacious defense.
Cut back to 2020, when Rob and Ryan teamed up to purchase the [then] 5th-tier Red Dragons with a vision of turning their underdog status into a story the whole world could cheer on. It worked. The Wrexham team had fifteen seasons. Relegated to the lower-status National League, and with good hires both on the team and as a coach, the Club finally achieved promotion back into the English Football League.
Now, League Two brings competitors to the field that are bigger and stronger than their usual foes, and the intensity and the Club continue to be plagued with injury and setbacks this season. Women also deal with similar issues. One thing is for sure: the local fandom is dedicated to their team, and the Wrexham staff is bolstered by new sponsorships and a level of notoriety that any English or UK club has never seen, thanks to the FX/Hulu docuseries showing the ascent of the teams.
Wrexham AFC's Women's Team had an undefeated season the year prior, which saw them promoted to the Welsh Adran Premier League. Owen shared that the new players, a new pitch, and a new level of competition combined with Rob and Ryan's commitment to them are the fuel they need to continue to dominate and make a name for themselves at the top of the League. The team has since moved to The Rock Stadium, where they now play in the Adran Premier after winning promotion via a playoff game against the winners of Adran South. Lucky for us, the Wrexham Women are coming to the United States this summer, taking part with the men's team in the 2024 "Wrex Coast Tour."
So, this season, the question is: Will the newer challenges that come with a kick-up in leagues keep the men and women of Wrexham on their trajectory?
In previous interviews, Rob McElhenney congratulated the women's team, which he and Ryan feel are the best in the world. "We've continued to tell the story of our women's team, both from a human and sporting point of view," McElhenney told The Athletic. "I'm most excited for our fans to continue to get to know our players on and off the pitch and for our journey to be the best in Wales."
Welcome to Wrexham is executive produced by McElhenney, Reynolds, Josh Drisko, Bryan Rowland, Jeff Luini, Humphrey Ker, Nick Frenkel, George Dewey, and Boardwalk Pictures' Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Sarina Roma, and Andy Thomas.
Rating: PG 13 (for language)
Welcome to Wrexham – Season 3 is now on FX and streaming the next day on Hulu.