Max Cleworth, a 23‑year‑old centre‑back who came through Wrexham’s youth system, has been a fixture in the club’s back line since breaking into the first team in 2019.
When the BBC‑style documentary “Welcome to Wrexham” first surfaced more than six years ago, Cleworth admits he was skeptical, recalling the disbelief that greeted the idea of a small Welsh side becoming a global curiosity.
The club’s meteoric rise — from a fifth‑tier National League outfit to back‑to‑back promotions that landed them in the Championship — has been amplified by the visibility the series has brought, but it has also introduced a new kind of scrutiny for players accustomed to the more private environments of European football.
Next Sunday, Wrexham will host Sunderland at Subaru Park, the American venue that has become a familiar stop for the team’s growing transatlantic fan base, with the match streamed live on ESPN at noon.
Cleworth notes that locker rooms in Europe traditionally keep media interactions to a minimum, making the open‑door approach of the show feel foreign to many of his continental counterparts.
Last season the side finished seventh in the Championship, just two points shy of the playoff places, with Cleworth logging 45 appearances and chipping in three goals while performing his defensive duties with consistency.
The club’s strategy, overseen by manager Phil Parkinson, hinges on an unwritten policy of recruiting “good people” first, a philosophy that both the player and the ownership group endorse.
The Road Ahead for Wrexham
Co‑owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are frequently described as hands‑on yet unpretentious, often attending training sessions and engaging with supporters; Cleworth has even mentioned McElhenney’s ardent support for the Philadelphia Eagles, despite the latter’s limited knowledge of American football.
As the team looks ahead to another ambitious campaign, the blend of on‑field progress, media exposure and celebrity ownership promises to keep Wrexham in the spotlight, but the players remain focused on translating that attention into a long‑awaited return to the Premier League.