It's always sunny in Wrexham

The time is just before 11pm. It is a cold night in Sheffield, the sort where clouds of condensation emanate from the breath of waiting travellers at the main train station before rising into the darkness.

- James Kelly

As a train pulls into platform five and grinds to a halt, the vacant carriages are boarded by waiting Wrexham supporters. They embark ready for a one-hour journey to Manchester having just seen their side lose 3-1 at Bramall Lane in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

As the train pulls out the station, four adolescents sat at a table, each clutching a can of Fosters, start up a chant:

“Less than a mile from the centre of town, a famous old stadium crumbling down. No-one’s invested so much as a penny, bring on the Deadpool and Rob McElhenney.”

Taken from local band Declan Swans’ song “It’s Always Sunny In Wrexham”, the chorus has been adopted by Wrexham fans since the club were taken over in February 2021 by American actor McElhenney and his Canadian business partner Ryan Reynolds. A tongue-in-cheek song, it has become the soundtrack for the revival of the club.

Nearly 5,000 Wrexham supporters made the journey across the Pennines for the Sheffield United replay, watching their side in that stage of the competition for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Having witnessed a pulsating first match at the Racecourse Ground nine days earlier – ending in a 3-3 draw thanks to John Egan’s header in the fifth minute of stoppage time – the visitors were in dreamland in the replay when their side were handed the chance to take a 2-1 lead from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute.

Yet after Adam Davies had saved Paul Mullin’s spot-kick, the hosts went on to progress thanks to late goals by Billy Sharp and Sander Berge.