Denis Smith has watched Wrexham's remarkable ascent from the non-league depths to the Championship with undisguised joy, and the club's former manager says he wants to see them push as high as the division will allow.

A journey Smith helped shape

Smith, who managed Wrexham during a turbulent period in the club's history, spoke warmly about what the north Wales outfit have become since Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took the reins. The BBC Radio Wales interview captured a man who has followed every step of the rise and cannot help but feel personal pride in where the club now stands.

"I love the Wrexham story," Smith said, in remarks aired on Radio Wales. "To see them aiming for the top is brilliant. I'm delighted for the club, the fans, everyone involved."

His words carry weight. Smith managed Wrexham in an era when simply keeping the club afloat was the priority, which makes the current ambition of competing in the Championship feel all the more extraordinary to those who lived through harder times at the Racecourse Ground.

What Championship life means for Wrexham

Wrexham's promotion to the second tier capped one of the most accelerated climbs English football has seen in years. The club moved from the National League to the Championship in successive promotions, each campaign building on the last with a combination of targeted recruitment and a collective belief that the owners' ambitions were not mere celebrity theatre.

Second-tier football brings a step change in the demands placed on a squad. The Championship's relentless schedule, 46 league fixtures packed into nine months, separates sides that have the depth to rotate from those that lean too heavily on a core group. Wrexham's recruitment in recent windows has acknowledged that challenge, bringing in players with experience at this level.

The club's fanbase has grown at a pace that would have seemed fantastical a decade ago. Attendances at the Racecourse Ground climbed sharply through the National League years and have continued to swell. That support creates both an advantage on matchday and an expectation the club must manage carefully as competition for promotion places intensifies.

Eyes on the top

Smith's observation that Wrexham are "aiming for the top" reflects a mood around the club that has shifted from gratitude at simply being in the division to genuine belief that the ceiling is higher still. Whether that means a push for the play-offs, or a tilt at automatic promotion, the ambition is no longer treated as outlandish in the second tier.

The Championship will test that ambition severely. Established sides with larger wage bills and longer histories at this level will not yield ground easily. But for those who watched Wrexham in the days when survival meant something far more basic than a top-six finish, the current position represents something close to a miracle, and Smith is not alone in savouring every moment of it.

For Wrexham supporters, hearing a former manager speak with such warmth about the direction of the club serves as a reminder that this story belongs to everyone who played a part, long before the cameras arrived.

Frequently asked

What division are Wrexham in now?
Wrexham are currently competing in the Championship, English football's second tier, following successive promotions from the National League.
Who is Denis Smith and what is his connection to Wrexham?
Denis Smith is a former Wrexham manager who oversaw the club during a difficult period in their history. He has spoken publicly about his admiration for the club's recent rise through the divisions.
Who owns Wrexham AFC?
Wrexham are co-owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who took over the club and have overseen a rapid rise from the National League to the Championship.