Sports

Ryan Reynolds’ And Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham FC Promoted To Football League As Pandemonium Ensues

#Wrexham AFC
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Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds celebrate

Getty Image / Jan Kruger


Mast Americans know about the film and television exploits of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The two of them have been pleasing audiences for over a combined sixty years. But, the two are making waves together as the co-owners of Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC.

Wrexham plays in the National League in English Football, which is the first league out of the what is called the Football League.

The Football League contains the top four leagues of the English pyramid: the Premier League, The Championship, League One, and League Two.

All the teams in the Football League are truly professional clubs, and most importantly, the money made by the top clubs in the Premier League like Manchester City, Arsenal, etc., trickles down to all the clubs in those three lower leagues.

This financial lifeblood is crucial for the survival of these smaller clubs, who often have small fan bases and limited revenue streams—and when teams are relegated out of League 2 into “Non-League Football” into the National League (or a lower league) the financial strain often leaves teams with only two options; sell all of their players worth anything, or disband.

So, for clubs like Wrexham, getting promoted back into the Football League, whether by finishing first in the National League table or winning the six-team playoff among teams that finish 2nd-7th, is everything.

Wrexham, which is the subject of a popular FX docuseries called Welcome to Wrexham that has introduced millions of Americans to the club, has had a dream season so far. They missed out on promotion in tragic fashion last year, losing the playoff final in Extra Time. But Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who bought the club for around $2 million last year, committed to putting in place the pieces that would get the club back into the Football League.

And, Wrexham had a marvelous season. They set the single-season record for points in the table with two games to go. But, league rival Notts County is also in the midst of a historic season, so Wrexham needed a win in their penultimate match Saturday to clinch promotion to the Football League with one match to spare.

But, things didn’t start out well, as opponent Boreham Wood scored in the first minute of the match to go up 1-0, sending a wave of nervousness over the Wrexham fans at their home ground, the Racecourse Ground, as well as Reynolds, McElhenney, and their guest Paul Rudd in the owners’ box.

But, Wrexham equalized before halftime, and scored two more in the 2nd half to clinch the biggest win in club history.

Wrexham will play in League 2 next year for the first time since since 2007-2008. And, fans were quite enjoying a truly magical set of circumstances.

It even brought a tear to the eye of Rob McElhenney.

And, with strong financial backing, alongside a growing fan base in America, they will have plenty of resources to compete in League 2. Who knows, maybe they will find themselves in the Premier League soon.

Garrett Carr
Garrett Carr is a recent graduate of Penn State University. He lives and dies Penn State football, wrestling, and the New York Mets.
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