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Wrexham's chief executive Michael Williamson has candidly spoken about the immense pressure of pursuing the club's Premier League aspirations. The former Inter Milan executive took on the top role at the Racecourse Ground in summer 2024, shortly after the Red Dragons' promotion from League Two . Under Phil Parkinson 's leadership, the team has continued its impressive ascent, achieving their third consecutive promotion from League One to the Championship in April this year. The club's Hollywood co-owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac , have made it clear that they have no intention of stopping there, with their ultimate goal being to take the club into the top flight . After nearly a year and a half in his position, Williamson has opened up about the challenges posed by the Welsh club's rapid expansion, as he grapples with a lack of infrastructure and staff to realise their ambitions. As the club strives to capitalise on the popularity of the ' Welcome to Wrexham ' documentary, Williamson admitted that when he first arrived, the existing staff were feeling the strain. In an appearance on ' That Wrexham Podcast ', hosted by ex-players Ben Foster and Ben Tozer , Williamson also revealed that the pressures of his role have led to many sleepless nights. "Probably the best way to describe it is like drinking from a fire hose," he said. "I feel like the last 18 months has just been taking all the momentum that's been built up over the last couple of years, with the documentary and the success on the pitch, and trying to build the foundations around that to make sure it's sustainable in the long term. "We ultimately want to keep pushing ourselves and keep trying to move up the pyramid. It is an exhausting job. I take things very seriously. I'm constantly thinking, analysing and obviously have worries, but I don't stress. "The important part of it is trying to take a step back. It doesn't mean I don't have a problem sleeping at night, I do. I suffer from insomnia and haven't been sleeping in the last three weeks." Williamson revealed there were just 40 full-time staff members at Wrexham when he arrived, a figure that has now soared to 120. Proposals for a new 7,750 capacity Kop stand have been fast-tracked, alongside a youth academy facility and a permanent home for the club's women's side. It comes after a hectic summer transfer window that saw a club record £33million splashed out on bringing in 13 new signings . "We previously had people who were doing six, seven or eight jobs at the club and it's just not sustainable for the speed that we're moving at," Williamson said. "We're trying to build a football club that is a community-based organisation but to arrive at the Premier League and ultimately stay there. "I think the challenge is making sure everyone understands what the DNA and the values of the club are. You have to understand when you're coming into a club like Wrexham that you have to be humble to learn what it means to be a part of Wrexham. "We are having to invest in all these areas. We're having to invest in a squad on the pitch because of the consequences of back-to-back-to-back promotions. That's also rooted in the fact that we don't have an academy pipeline historically. "We're starting to see the foundations of what the academy can be and the type of investment into that is critical for long-term success. But we're talking about five to seven years before some of those things are seen." Besides the difficulties of his fresh role, Williamson has also faced the practical hurdles of moving his family from Miami to North Wales. He added: "That's one area that took a little time to settle in all honestly. As far as the office goes, that was one of those things where I just came in and I sat and I listened. I tried to ask questions and I tried to create a positive environment as I think there were definitely some morale concerns within the club." Following early struggles to settle into Championship football this campaign, Wrexham have now found their feet and delivered a stunning 3-2 victory against previously unbeaten table-toppers Coventry last Friday. The Red Dragons sit 16th ahead of Wednesday evening's clash at Portsmouth , with Williamson convinced they're well-placed to maintain their upward trajectory. He said: "If you look at where we are right now, we are very competitive. We have been competitive in every single match that we've played in the Championship. In fact, if you look back on it, we could be sitting on 10 or 12 more points right now. "That's how difficult it gets and it's a game of moments. There are moments where 13 new players are all kind of feeling each other out a little bit and it's only going to get better. That's what I'm excited about." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
