Landon Donovan has insisted that the rise of Lincoln City is the real underdog story, not the Hollywood-backed surge of Wrexham, in an interview with Athlon Sports.
The former United States international, who has been involved with the club in an advisory role since 2021, believes what has been achieved at Sincil Bank stands apart from the ‘fairytale’ rise of the Red Dragons.
There has been no shortage of noise around Wrexham in recent seasons, largely fuelled by the presence of owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Here at the SW, we have no hate for Wrexham; we’d much rather see a ‘proper’ club given a boost over the likes of Forest Green. Their rise has been exciting for neutrals, and just because they have had money doesn’t mean they were going to be successful (does it, Huddersfield?).
Their story has been packaged, promoted and consumed globally, and while it has undoubtedly brought attention to the Football League, Landon is clear that it should not be mistaken for something it is not. Speaking about the way Wrexham have been portrayed, he said:
“It’s the underdog story, right?”
“Wrexham has been great for everybody, but they’ve done a great job of telling it as an underdog story, but it’s not really an underdog story, because they’ve been spending more than everybody else,”
Landon pointed directly to the financial imbalance when explaining why he views City’s rise in a different light.
“This year, Lincoln will spend the 17th most of the clubs in the league — 17 out of 24. And they’re top. The only metric that really matters in sports is where you finish based on what you spend.”
It is a point that resonates with us, as we’re happy to bang on about budget all the time. Of course, the only metric that matters to fans is the league table, and if we were to win League One, we’d be doing something Wrexham haven’t done since 1978 – winning an EFL title.
Landon did not stop there, doubling down on the contrast between expectation and delivery when it comes to Wrexham and us.
“Wrexham spends way more than everybody, so they’d better get promoted. It’s not like some miracle story. It’s amazing for everybody, and it’s brought attention that everybody is benefiting from, but this Lincoln story is miraculous. It’s been really fun to be a part of.”
To his credit, Landon was not dismissive of what Wrexham have done, instead acknowledging the broader impact their rise has had on the game.
“It depends on what you want. The bright lights and the reality show, that aspect is fun to watch. I’m a consumer. I love watching what Rob and Ryan have done. It’s amazing, and it’s fun to watch and be involved in.”
There is room for both stories in the modern game, and while comparisons are being made now, quietly, fans of both clubs probably respect each other. In November 2016, just over 3,000 watched us beat them in the fifth tier. In 2026/27, we’ll both likely attract a five-figure crowd in the second tier. When you’ve competed (and lost) to Salisbury and Hyde, you have a shared pain.
Shared pain, but different journeys. One has been amplified by global appeal and financial power; the other has been built in a quieter, more traditional way. That is where the real point of Landon’s comments lies. Strip away the cameras, the headlines and the narrative-building, and what remains is a club outperforming its means, competing with sides who should, on paper, be out of reach.
That is the real essence of an underdog story.
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