Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been praised for transforming Wrexham from a "horrible place" into a "Hollywood-type" club.
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Hollywood stars purchased Wrexham in 2021Have brought success and worldwide fameEx-player and manager praised co-ownersWHAT HAPPENED?
The famous actors have brought worldwide fame to the Welsh team after purchasing a majority stake in the club in early-2021. Since then, the Red Dragons have won promotion in back-to-back seasons, rising from the National League to League One, with the aim of eventually making it to the Premier League.
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Reynolds and McElhenney have also brought in major sponsorships and partnerships with global companies, such as TikTok and Hewlett-Packard, while an award-winning documentary series, 'Welcome to Wrexham', has had three full seasons. Furthermore, famous faces such as Hugh Jackman, Will Ferrell and Eva Longoria have attended the club's matches.
The Disney-esque magic that the co-owners have brought has amazed former Wrexham player and manager Andy Morrell, who is in awe of the transformation.
WHAT MORRELL SAID
He told : "The football team was on its backside and really struggling, and the club was being turned into a bit of a farce really. It was just a horrible, horrible place to be. Then eventually the fans got a hold of it which gave it some stability but obviously not the financial clout that you would have hoped to put the club up and forwards, and it was just really tough times."
He added of Reynolds and McElhenney: "They are actors, that’s what they’re known for, but I honestly really do think they’re so, so genuine. They’re properly interested in people, and that’s what comes across in the documentary isn’t it? The outside’s not just all football, football, football. It is the community, it is the people that have been following the club for years, and what they’re thinking, and I think that’s why it’s gone down so well because it’s slightly different to the norm documentary.
"They are thoroughly invested in making Wrexham as good as it possibly can and I do think it’s genuine. It’s very difficult when there’s a camera in your face as a player and as a manager, do you know what I mean? I think it’s a bit weird to start with but I think once you get used to it – and they do get used to it – it’s just the norm isn’t it?
"We’ve had A-List celebrities coming to games… Eva Longoria was there two weeks ago and nobody bats an eyelid any more. It’s just the norm of what goes on at this crazy, Disney, Hollywood-type football club."
GettyWHAT NEXT?
Wrexham are still unbeaten after their first three League One matches of the season, having won two and drawn one. They are in action again on Saturday when they face a Peterborough team with six points from three games.
