22 April 2023 , 06:00
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On a weekend where football's most famous domestic cup competition returns to take centre stage at Wembley, there's a good chance that the magic of the FA Cup will be trumped by the marvels of a fifth-tier match on the other side of the border.
On Saturday evening, after an agonising 15 year odyssey, Wrexham have the opportunity to punctuate the remarkable journey the club have been on since the arrival of Hollywood heroes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney with a fairytale finale: promotion to the Football League.
The eyes of the world will be on their clash with Boreham Wood to keep abreast of the latest chapter in the journey being fronted by Reynolds and McElhenney, whose purchase of the club prompted plenty of scepticism back in February 2021. But Wrexham star Jacob Mendy believes that the actions of the club's famous owners have forced critics to eat their words.
"A lot of people maybe had doubts because it's a bit crazy, but they're showing every week, every month how invested they are in this club," Mendy tells Mirror Football on the eve of the club's seismic promotion clash.
"I think not only Wrexham, but the whole community and football, are really lucky to have these two people doing what they're doing."
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Although Reynolds and McElhenney missed out on the blockbuster promotion they coveted last year, Wrexham look good value to exercise the demons of their failed play-off campaign this time around. They need to win just one of their remaining two games to clinch the National League title; a win on Saturday evening at The Racecourse would guarantee them a coronation on home turf.
Such a feat would be a fitting reward for the the trials and tribulations that Wrexham's loyal fans have endured. There have numerous false dawns in the league over recent years and it was just over a decade ago that they were forced to dig deep to keep their beloved club alive following an earlier stint in administration.
The frenetic 5-4 defeat against Grimsby that extinguished their promotion hopes last year was befitting of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham', which has captured the imagination of the world since hitting the airwaves.
"It doesn't just feel like a player-chairman relationship," Mendy adds of Reynolds and McElhenney, who are "always" in and around the dressing room whenever they are in the UK. "They really take an interest in you: I remember when I got injured, the first person to message me was Ryan wishing me a speedy recovery. You don't get that normally. They really care in all aspects."
For Mendy, Saturday's showdown is far more than just a crack at promotion - it's the chance to realise a life-long dream of playing in the Football League. The left wing-back already has a promotion on his CV following Wealdstone's promotion to the National League South, but will go one step further if Wrexham can overcome his old club at the weekend.
Reynolds and McElhenney have made a major impact at Wrexham since taking over the club (Getty Images)The 26-year-old, who is hoping to return from injury in Saturday's match, adds: "For me, it would be a dream come true to play in the Football League. When I signed, I knew it was a great opportunity, but it's way bigger than I could have imagined. I knew how big the club was - I didn't know it [the Wrexham story] was going to have such a big impact on the world."
People from all across the planet have travelled to Wrexham to watch Mendy and co play and train since the show hit the airwaves. But Mendy was already well aware of the history of the club, which has been mired in obscurity for far too long.
"It's a massive club with a great history. Everyone's waiting to get Wrexham back to where they belong, which is the Football League.
"The expectation is a lot higher. You've got thousands and thousands of fans around the world and 10,000 at every league game expecting you to win. But I think that helps us deliver: when you have high expectations, you tend to give that little bit extra.
"Everyone has embraced it: we all know what need to do and we're excited to go out and get it done. We know what we can achieve and what it would mean."
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Mendy was on the scoresheet in Wrexham's huge 3-2 win over Notts County over Easter (Simon Stacpoole/Offside)Expectation has weighed heavily on the Dragons all season, but they have coped admirably, losing just once. Mendy credits manager Phil Parkinson for that.
"The gaffer keeps everything simple and as normal as possible; that helps you out a lot and brings you back to reality. At the end of the day, what we need to do is win this game and we're out of this league.
"He's really good at that [keeping people in the moment]. He analyses everything. You've got to give him credit as well: not everyone can keep their cool in this type of position. It's really easy to get ahead of yourself when you think about what we could achieve, but he manages it well."
Wrexham ensured their destiny would be in their own hands by beating Notts County in an enthralling box-office showdown over Easter. Mendy was on the scoresheet in the 3-2 win, which was punctuated by an injury-time penalty save from former Manchester United and Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster, who was lured out of retirement to help one of his former clubs over the line in the promotion race.
"Ben is a really funny guy. He's one of the big characters in the changing room; that says a lot about how good he is with people when you consider how long he's been here. From day one, it was clear how professional he is. He's quality, but he's a real role model; he arrives early, pitches in with everyone and he's always helpful on the pitch."
While Wrexham stand to profit from their seismic win over Notts County, Mendy is bemused by the draconic promotion system which sees just one team automatically promoted into League Two.
"To have over 100 points and still not go up is crazy. I believe they [Notts County] will win the play-offs, but that needs to change in the National League. There's some top teams that would compete very well in League Two. Look at Stockport: they won the league last year and they're close to going straight up into League One. I believe it will change at some point, but it needs to happen soon. It can't just be ignored.
Mendy believes that Wrexham have the scope to go on and replicate Stockport's success at the next level if they do manage to see the job through between now and the season finale.
Regardless of what the future may hold, including a money-spinning tour of the United States which will involve a dream clash against Chelsea and the promise of a "monster" party if promotion is achieved, Mendy is relishing his role in the most remarkable story in football ahead of Saturday's match - even if he sometimes struggles to take it all in.
"Sometimes it hits you, like how surreal this all is," he admits while reflecting. "You're standing there speaking to the guys and you're like, 'Wow, they're really here'. This is real. Sometimes you don't realise how crazy this story really is!"