Birmingham and Wrexham are ahead of each other in different areas and to where they want to be. Ready money against marketing, resources against reach.
Wagner has not been afraid of being bold and loud with ambitions, supporting manager Chris Davies to a point that few are expecting the Blues not to return to the second tier.
The plan is to be in the Premier League within five, with a similar timeframe given for the new stadium, something that could create a sustainability and ability to compete.
Sustainable has been Wrexham’s watch-word to this point, spending offset by sponsorship deals from big US companies such as United Airlines and HP, attracted by the documentary’s cross-platform appeal.
But currently, while Birmingham have been ready and able to flex financial muscles at this level, Wrexham are playing catch-up on that front for the first time since the takeover, with club officials admitting there is a need for infrastructure and the off-field organisation to keep pace with the club’s rise.
“It’s if they go to the Championship where the jump is much bigger,” warns Maguire. “With the size of the clubs and the resources, including those coming down from the Premier League, it’s a completely different business with average losses around £400,000-a-week.”
Challenges face both: greater profit and sustainability rules await in the Championship, and can Wrexham’s documentary appeal continue if things begin to plateau on the pitch?
Regardless, at Wrexham a £20m new Kop is still in the planning and McElhenney’s talk of boosting the stadium to 50,000 may not be as fanciful as it might appear – especially with the possibility of the showbiz pair and the clever profile created making Wrexham an obviously attractive investment.
So what price an expanded Racecourse or a new St Andrew’s hosting this third-tier fixture in the top flight soon enough? Time will tell, but it is already clear the American dreams of these clubs’ owners will go far beyond Monday’s match.