Amid the cheers of thousands of euphoric AFC Wrexham fans, Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds snatched the silver trophy for a kiss. “Everything I (wear) smells like champagne, beer and weed,” wrote the 46-year-old about the little Welsh football fairy tale and felt “still somewhere between giggling and sobbing”. A good two years after the traditional club was taken over by Reynolds and his acting buddy Rob McElhenney, Wrexham rose to the fourth English division on Saturday.
“This city and this sport are among the most romantic things in the world,” wrote Reynolds (“Deadpool”) on social media on Sunday. The 3-1 win against FC Boreham on the penultimate day of the National League, which made promotion perfect, was followed emotionally by the two club owners from North America in the stadium. “In the Hollywood world of illusion, all that glitters is not gold,” wrote the BBC – in little Wrexham, that’s the conclusion, but yes.
Founded in 1864, the north-east Wales club has come through tough times, and the entry of world-renowned investors came at the right time. Reynolds and McElhenney (“It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”) had declared the project a matter close to their hearts – contrary to the rather anonymous donor habit in great English football. There was even royal praise for this on Saturday.
“Congratulations,” Prince William and Princess Kate tweeted at the club, “with such an amazing story looking forward to an exciting future in the Football League.” They concluded with: “You have made Wales proud.” As heir to the throne, William bears the title Prince of Wales.
The football club from the small town with almost 70,000 inhabitants describes itself as the third oldest in the world and clearly benefits from the glamor and investments of the two film stars. On Saturday, buddy Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man”) was part of the party. “I’m not entirely sure I’ve come to terms with what happened tonight,” Reynolds told BT Sport. “I’m still a bit speechless.”
The fourth division, League Two, is part of professional football in England, for Wrexham a 15-year dry spell ended on Saturday. But there is still a long way to go before the Premier League with the giants from London and Manchester. “What’s going through my mind right now is people kept asking at the beginning: why Wrexham, why Wrexham? What’s happening right now is exactly why,” Reynolds said. The wild ascension celebration was already raging on the lawn. Which fifth division professional can claim that pictures of him go around the (soccer) world like this.
“We can hear what it means for this city,” said McElhenney to cheers from the fans. “The fact that we can experience this and be part of this community is the honor of life for me.” Wrexham is undefeated from first place in the National League with one game left. The Hollywood Club has 110 points, four more than Notts County in second place.
