Has Ryan Reynolds delivered on his promises to Wrexham?

Ryan Reynolds continues to deliver as he takes strides in helping Wrexham AFC, the North Wales soccer team he bought with friend and fellow actor Rob McElhenney in 2021, climb up the English footballing pyramid.

Wrexham is on the precipice of stepping into the professional ranks. The team only needs one more win to get the National League title and advance up to League Two.

Reynolds makes his pledges

During a council meeting with the team’s trust in November 2020, just prior to Reynolds and his business partner taking over ownership of Wrexham, Reynolds made three significant promises.

The takeover was not well received at first, with many in the town and involved with the club expressing concerns over the celebrities’ lack of background knowledge and skepticism that they would take their newly acquired ownership seriously.

A pledge to win

“[We want] to reward the faith of the supporters who have stood by Wrexham AFC through its history by putting everything we have towards what all fans want most for their club, and that is to... win, win, win,” Reynolds promised at the meeting.

Wrexham won 33 of their 44 National League games that season, and picked up 107 points, even more than the 103 they were aiming for.

The team, which has not been in League Two in 15 years, need one more win to make the transition fully legitimate.

Building team values

Reynolds and McElhenney also put an emphasis on the team’s values.

“[We want] to reinforce the values, traditions and legacy of this community,” Reynolds declared at the 2020 meeting. “We understand and respect the intense loyalty and love for this club and how it’s woven into the fabric of the town and its supporters.”

The two both regularly attend games, with Reynolds even bringing his wife, ‘Gossip Girl’ star Blake Lively, and their four children — including their youngest child who was born around the time of Super Bowl 57 in February.

Reynolds has also purchased property only a few miles away from the team’s home pitch, and both Hollywood actors join in the local camaraderie at the small-town North Wales pub.

Global appeal

The Canadian-born actor made a third promise of turning the team into a globally-renowned force.

“This is the third-oldest [professional] club on the planet and we don’t see why it can’t have a global appeal,” Reynolds said prior to takeover. “We want Wrexham to be a global force.”

When the Hollywood duo bought the team, it was a small fish in a big pond. Since then, Wrexham’s fame and merit have skyrocketed.

Disney+ released a Netflix series called ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, which documents Reynolds and McElhenney’s takeover and the early stages of the team’s development.

Reynolds has also invested a reported $12 million in advertising and is working to develop the soccer club’s brand by investing in trademarks, many of which have already been granted.