Reynolds and McElhenney heroes to Wrexham fans
The fans at Wrexham have been waiting years for this moment - they’ve moved up to Division Two and much thanks is owed its Hollywood co-owners.
A few years ago, you may never have even heard of Wrexham. Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have changed that. Not only has their fame brought the Welsch team into the limelight, but the success it’s had since then has made Wrexham a team people are talking about.
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When the actors bought Wrexham in 2020, the fans embraced them. A docu-series was released on FX called “Welcome to Wrexham”, which brought some fame to the team, which was then in the National League, the fifth tier of English soccer leagues. The newfound visibility brought new fans to the club like they’d never seen before.
“It’s bonkers people want to come to Wrexham,” said one fan. “To us that are from Wrexham, it’s crazy. I still don’t know why.”
But it’s not just the visibility they’ve brought to the team, but the success, that has made Reynolds and McElhenney so beloved by the fans. This season, the team made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup, something no other National League team accomplished. Throughout the whole season, they were back and forth with Notts County for first place in the league and set new records in the meantime - for wins, goals, and goal differences. On Saturday, they won the league with a victory over Boreham Wood. It was Wrexham’s first league title in 45 years and it bumped them up to the EFL League Two, the fourth tier division.
As for the fans, they are forever grateful to the new owners.
“I was one of 1,000 club members who voted yes for the two guys to come in,” said a fan outside the stadium on Saturday. “They looked genuine guys, genuinely interested in the town, and they have put their heart and soul into this club. I can’t speak more highly of them. They are absolutely brilliant. They are from heaven.”
The fans also noted that the town itself has benefited from the newfound recognition. With so many new fans coming in to support a lower division of English soccer, the town is seeing an influx of customers.
“Every single business has just benefited so much from it all, haven’t they? Every hotel, every pub, every restaurant,” said another fan.
And many fans believe the success won’t stop here, with some believing they’ll move all the way up to the Premier League.
“So now we’ll be in Division Two. Next year, we’ll be in Division One,” said a fan. “And in a few years’ time, we’ll be playing Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League.”