Wrexham 3-3 Nottingham Forest: FA Cup Epic

Wrexham A.F.C. is a **professional football club** based in Wrexham, north Wales, competing in the **EFL Championship**, the second tier of English football, after a historic run of **three consecutive promotions** from the National League to League Two, League One, and then the Championship between 2023 and 2025.[1][2][4] Founded in **1864**, Wrexham is the **oldest club in Wales** and one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world, playing home matches at the Racecourse Ground, a stadium with deep historic roots in both Welsh football and international fixtures.[1] The club spent much of its modern history in the lower divisions of the English league system and outside the Football League entirely from 2008 until its return in 2023.[1][2] The transformation of Wrexham into a global sports-business story began when **Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney** acquired the club, injecting capital, modern sports management, and a savvy media strategy centered on the “Welcome to Wrexham” docuseries and global fan engagement.[1][2][3] On the pitch, Wrexham won the **National League title in 2022–23 with 111 points**, then finished **second in League Two and League One** in successive seasons, an unprecedented feat in the English pyramid.[2] From a business and technology perspective, Wrexham functions as a **modern sports media brand** as much as a club: it leverages streaming content, social media, and international partnerships to turn a small Welsh team into a global commercial property, driving shirt sales, sponsorships, and international tours. Off the pitch, the club is investing in **infrastructure and talent pathways**, including an academy development project at Darland High School designed to meet **EFL Category Three** standards, emphasizing youth development, community integration

Nottingham Forest Football Club is a **professional football organization** based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England, competing in the **Premier League**, the top tier of English football.[2] It operates as a modern sports business, generating revenue from broadcasting, sponsorship, matchday income, and global fan engagement, and is registered as **Nottingham Forest Football Club Limited**.[5] Founded in **1865**, Forest is one of the **oldest football clubs in the world**.[2][3] The club initially functioned as a multi-sport entity—originally named Nottingham Forest Football and Bandy Club—before football became its core activity.[3] Forest have played at the **City Ground** since 1898, a stadium that has evolved into a key commercial asset through hospitality, events, and media operations.[2][3] Historically, Forest’s defining era came under manager **Brian Clough** (appointed 1975), who transformed the club into a domestic and European powerhouse.[3] After promotion in 1977, Forest won the **First Division title** and **League Cup** in 1977–78, then remarkably captured **back‑to‑back European Cups** (now the UEFA Champions League) in 1979 and 1980.[2][3] The club has also won **one league championship**, **two FA Cups**, **four League Cups**, a **UEFA Super Cup**, and a **Charity/Community Shield**.[2][3] Forest remain the only European club to have won the European Cup/Champions League more times than their domestic league.[2] Following later decades of relegations and financial instability, the club underwent ownership and governance changes, with a more **analytics‑driven recruitment policy** and stricter wage structures introduced in the 2020s to reduce short‑termism and improve sustainability.[2] This shift aligns Forest with broader