To understand the Blue Hen’s role requires first absorbing the significance of the club he leads. Wrexham AFC is one of the oldest football clubs on the planet, playing its home matches in the world’s oldest international football stadium, the Cae Ras (Welsh for The Racecourse). Its hometown is a Welsh city by the same name — one that’s smaller in square mileage than Newark, Del., with a population of 61,000. 

A decade ago, it would have been uncommon to see people wearing Wrexham AFC kits outside of the United Kingdom. Today, more than half of the club’s revenues come from international sources. The people of Wrexham have witnessed their club’s unparalleled rise through the English football system under its relatively new ownership. The Red Dragons have moved up leagues three times in three years — a feat never before achieved in English football — parlaying their on-field performance into promotion from the fifth tier all the way to the English Football League Championship competition.

Wrexham AFC capped off a historic 2026 season with a 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough FC, narrowly missing out on the EFL Championship playoff spots (a potential route to promotion into the Premier League).

Despite finishing seventh — just two points shy of qualification — the campaign represented an extraordinary achievement, surpassing pre-season expectations, reinforcing the club's upward trajectory and underscoring the momentum that Williamson is working to sustain and scale.

His ascendant career has produced a remarkably unique résumé: auditing, strategy, operations, facility construction, player acquisitions. He has overseen organizational ops and financial portfolios. He has supported smaller, community-based teams and clubs with worldwide fanbases.

“Michael reflects the very best of a University of Delaware education,” said Oliver Yao, dean of UD’s Lerner College of Business and Economics, from which Williamson earned his accounting and finance degree. “He combines strategic thinking with thoughtful, steady leadership and brings a global perspective without ever losing sight of local impact.”

Yao and Ravi Ammigan, UD’s vice provost for global engagement, visited Williamson in Wrexham last fall to witness up close one of global football’s rising stars and his “deep respect for the club’s local Welsh heritage,” Ammigan noted.

That last part is key. Williamson arrived at Wrexham in May 2024.  As he sought to continue the club’s climb through the English football hierarchy, Williamson wanted to better understand the people behind the scenes. He spoke with employees and conducted a survey, finding that a strong majority connected with the club’s values, while only a few felt valued in return.

In formulating his next steps, Williamson reflected on BUAD309, UD’s undergraduate course in management and organizational behavior. “I learned then that understanding and motivating people to behave in certain ways within organizations is a deeply personal thing,” he said.

That mindset led Williamson to establish “The Red Dragon Way,” a concept for using clear communication to strengthen institutional identity, improve feelings of value and belonging and minimize fear around the club’s growth, progress and inevitable change. In the last 18 months, the club has more than doubled, expanding from 40 employees to 140 full-time personnel.

The Red Dragon Way “is the heartbeat of our people and culture, and the foundation of everything we do,” said Ann-Marie Bradley, who oversees Wrexham’s human resources functions as its head of people. Williamson’s work isn’t merely a catchphrase or a transactional gesture, she adds; it’s woven into the organization’s fabric. Bradley recalls an email she received from a former employee: The culture here at Wrexham is exceptional, the letter read. You can lose it as you grow bigger, but I don’t think you or Michael will.

“That speaks to Michael’s leadership,” said Bradley. “Doing things our way and not the way of other football clubs, and keeping the connection with our community.”

Wrexham AFC’s season concluded in May with the club achieving its highest-ever league finish. While it fell just short of the playoff places, the team looks ahead with significant momentum on its side.

One thing that remains unchanged? Williamson’s philosophy.

“It’s something I learned at UD, and something I’ve carried throughout my career,” he said. “Be ambitious, but kind. Pursue what you believe in, while respecting others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t forget to enjoy the experiences along the way. If you do those things, even when you make mistakes, you have been battle-tested and you know how to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and keep moving forward.”