Tuesday 07 February 2023
The traditional football club AFC Wrexham is on the verge of collapse. Then the Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney take over the fifth division. The ambitious duo makes fans dream. In the FA Cup, the Welsh club is fighting for its greatest success in over 30 years.
Hollywood is looking to Sheffield today. Fifth division football club AFC Wrexham from Wales wants to create the sensation in the FA Cup replay against second division club Sheffield United that the team narrowly missed a week ago in a 3-3 draw at their own stadium. Red Dragons supporters have every reason to be optimistic. Almost exactly two years after the traditional club was taken over by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, something sporty is happening in Wrexham.
The third-oldest professional club in the world and oldest in Wales is currently second in the table in the fifth-tier English National League. That would not entitle them to promotion, but only to participation in the promotion playoffs between teams ranked 2nd to 7th. However, in-form Wrexham are only three points behind the direct promotion spot and have played two games fewer than leaders Notts County.
Founded in 1864, the North East Wales football club has come through tough times. The industrial region’s economic decline also had an impact on AFC Wrexham, who suffered two relegations in the 1980s – whilst curiously taking part in the 1984/85 Welsh Cup as runners-up in the European Cup Winners’ Cup, where they knocked out FC Porto.
Hollywood stars take over at rock bottom
Wrexham was relegated three times in the 2000s and struggled with numerous financial problems. In 2011, fans took control in the form of the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust. Wrexham finished the 2019/20 season, which ended prematurely due to the corona pandemic, as 19th in the table. the National League – it was the worst placement in the more than 150-year history. Due to a lack of viewer income during the pandemic, Wrexham was threatened with closure.
The timing for Canadian superstar Ryan Reynolds (“Deadpool”) and his fellow US actor Rob McElhenney (“It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”) could hardly have been better. They pledged to uphold the club’s heritage and tradition, promote the club at home and abroad and – most importantly – create “a culture of success”. The vision of the two investors convinced the Wrexham Supporters Trust. The announcement of a documentary series, which can now be seen on the Disney+ streaming service, should have been the icing on the cake. More than 98 percent of the 2000 members spoke out in favor of the new owners.
When the takeover was complete, overjoyed fans celebrated at the Racecourse Ground – the oldest international football stadium still in use – and set off fireworks. When Reynolds and McElhenney first visited the city of 65,000 in October 2021, there was a state of emergency in Wrexham. Thousands of fans and onlookers came to see the Hollywood duo. The two patiently posed for selfies and were shown the city and stadium.
King Charles III calls Wrexham AFC a ‘miracle’
The international attention for the small club is gigantic, not least because of the entertaining documentary series entitled “Welcome To Wrexham”. “A lot of people outside the UK don’t even know that Wales isn’t in England,” it says. After all, AFC Wrexham is now known far beyond its homeland. The club has just been invited to a football tournament in the USA.
The history of the traditional club is also being closely observed in the United Kingdom. King Charles III only visited in December. with his wife Camilla Wrexham to unveil a memorial. He took this opportunity to visit the Racecourse Ground as well. “I also had the chance today to see one of the other wonders of Wrexham: the football club that is putting Wrexham on the map with a vengeance,” the king later told dignitaries.
Memories of the big win against Arsenal
According to the new owners, they are aware that the hopes of the fans are accompanied by an obligation. “There’s a version of the story where we’re the bad guys,” McElhenney says at the beginning of “Welcome To Wrexham.” “That’s the version where what we’re doing doesn’t work. Then we have to sell the club and we’re the bad guys.” Reynolds doesn’t believe in it. “Fuck it!” he yells, and McElhenney agrees. “Fuck it! It’ll work.”
There are currently some indications that it can work. Wrexham are unbeaten in 16 league games. The team only just missed out on entering the fifth round of the cup. Before Reynolds’ eyes, the strong Red Dragons had conceded the annoying equalizer to make it 3:3 in the fifth minute of injury time and outnumbered.
A replay in Sheffield would mark the biggest win for AFC Wrexham in 31 years. In January 1992, the then fourth division club defeated the English champions FC Arsenal 2-1 in the cup. Hundreds of fans then stormed the Racecourse Ground and celebrated with the players. Things could be a little more harmless in Sheffield. It’s hard to imagine, however, what could happen at the end of the season should AFC Wrexham succeed in promotion.
