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• Wrexham can cherish Premier League dream under Reynolds and McElhenney, claims coach Jones

  Wrexham's first-team coach David Jones does not see why the club cannot dream of achieving Premier League status following their promotion from the National League.

  The Welsh outfit ended a 15-year exodus from the English Football League with promotion to League Two this season, Phil Parkinson's men finishing as champions with a record 111 points.

  Under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Red Dragons have experienced an explosion of fortunes both on and off the pitch.

  Any prospect of top-flight football is still several seasons away at the very least, but reflecting on their impressive rise, Jones does not see their hopes as fanciful.

  "I think with the way that the owners have come in and started to put infrastructure in the club, they're doing it the right way," he told Stats Perform.

  "The way that they've got that connection with fans, with players, they've really got together [and] united the whole club.

  "Anything's possible, especially with these owners and what we've witnessed in the last two years. 

  "Obviously, we're not naive enough to say that it's not going to be a difficult challenge to get to the Premier League.

  "Many teams try and do it every year, and they're already in the Championship, investing huge sums of money. There's no guarantee of anything in football.

  "But with the current manager and the staff that he's put in place, they're experienced football guys who know what it takes to get promoted and get through the leagues, and what the club needs to progress.

  "If those things are in place, you stand a better chance of success. I think it's a realistic aim, if we keep doing the things that we've been doing for the last couple of years."

  Eyebrows were raised when actors Reynolds and McElhenney took over at Wrexham, but any fears the move was a mere publicity stunt have abated amid the club's revival.

  Jones applauded the owners for uniting the city, highlighting how they have not sought to cut corners in helping to turn matters around after a decade-and-a-half in the doldrums.

  "With that kind of energy, anything's possible," he added. "From the word go, they've done everything the right way. They've done fantastically.

  "To be able to enter the football world and to be able to have the impact they have done is very difficult. Sometimes it's a closed shop, and if you don't speak the football language it is difficult for people to have to buy in.

  "The way that they've done things, they have the respect of everybody. I can't speak highly enough of the job they've done."

• Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to use FA Cup final defeat as motivation

  Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must use the pain of their narrow FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City to improve and eventually catch their dominant neighbours.

  The eyes of the footballing world were on Wembley as these rivals went toe-to-toe in a major cup final for the first time on Saturday afternoon.

  Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring with a stunning volley after 12 seconds, with Bruno Fernandes’ penalty cancelling out the quickest goal in FA Cup final history.

  But City regained the lead through another Gundogan volley to seal a 2-1 win, giving them a chance to emulate United’s 1999 treble heroes in next weekend’s Champions League final.

  Many United fans had started the long, train strike-impacted journey home when their rivals lifted the trophy, but Ten Hag and his team watched those celebrations.

  “First of all, show respect always,” the Dutchman said. “But, yeah, of course, it’s a motivation.

  “You have to feel it in your stomach. This hurts and it has to be fuel.

  “We want to be there and our team, my players, deserved it, but you have to grab it and that is the next step we have to make.”

  It was a galling end to a promising first season under Ten Hag, who is proud to have overseen a third-placed finish, Carabao Cup win and narrow FA Cup final loss.

  “I want to congratulate City for winning the FA Cup, but I think it was very narrow, it was head to head,” he said. “We played very competitive out of a very good organisation.

  “We didn’t allow them out from open play against probably the best team in the world in this moment.

  “We fought back after going a quick goal down and I think we are the only team in the world who is capable of fighting back against this team from City.

  “So, yeah, I was happy with the performance of my team.”

  David De Gea’s role has been debated all season and his part in City’s second goal has been called into question, leading Ten Hag to be asked whether he was comfortable having him going into next season.

  “In this moment, I don’t want to talk about such issues, about criticism because we played all a great season, including David De Gea,” he said of the goalkeeper, who has yet to extend his contract beyond the summer.

  “He played a fantastic season. If you consider that City and us before today both had 42 wins.

  “Now they have one win more, so the difference was made today. Then you can tell we played a fantastic season and it’s more than we could have expected before.

  “We were third in the league, we are qualified for the Champions League, and we won a trophy and we were in another final.

  “So, yeah, I’m really happy with the performance from my team all over.”

  Ten Hag bemoaned “soft goals” after a loss and season where the lack of quality and depth compared to treble-chasing City has been clear.

  United have work to do in the summer but the interminable takeover process continues to hang over the club as the Glazer family drag the process out.

  Co-owner Avram Glazer was at Wembley for the final and ignored questions about the takeover as he left through the interview area.

  “I think in this moment I don’t want to discuss that,” Ten Hag said when asked about the takeover and summer improvements.

  “It’s about finalising the season. We have to be quiet, analyse the season, go into the depth, then set the right conclusions and then take action. It’s about that.

  “Of course, during the season you continually make your considerations and already some actions are into process.

  “But, yeah, now the season is finished and the conclusion all over is we played a brilliant season.”

  Asked if he has different plans for whether there is a takeover or not, Ten Hag said: “I have only one plan and that is to improve this club and to improve this team.

  “I will fight for (that). I have my ideas and I already talked with the club about what we have to do for that.

  “But also what I said, yeah, I have to work with my staff, with my players to be better in next season.”

• Erol Bulut named new Cardiff manager

  Cardiff have appointed former Fenerbahce coach Erol Bulut as their new manager.

  The 48-year-old takes over from Sabri Lamouchi, who left the Championship club after his short-term deal expired at the end of 2022-23 season, and will be presented to the media on Monday.

  German-born Bulut, a former Turkey Under-21 international who played for the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce and Olympiacos, coached Fener between 2020 and 2021 before taking charge of Gaziantep, who he left in January.

  Cardiff owner Vincent Tan said: “This summer allowed us to consider applicants for the manager’s position from across Europe and, having taken our time with the process, I’m extremely confident that we have chosen the best candidate to take us forward.

  “Erol has vast experience both as a player and as a manager, having played Champions League football and managed European sides across 200 League games to date. This level of experience is needed at this time and I think will prove invaluable to the squad.

  “His excellent record in European football represents a standard of managerial experience that we have not had at Cardiff City before. His experience in this field, I hope, will allow us to attract a higher profile and standard of player in the coming years.”

  Cardiff finished 21st in the Championship last season, five points above the relegation zone, after having four different managers during the campaign. Steve Morison was sacked in September following a poor start, with his replacement Mark Hudson dismissed in January and – after a brief spell with Dean Whitehead as interim boss – Lamouchi was then handed the reins.

  The Bluebirds have not publicly announced the length of Bulut’s contract.