Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s bid to acquire the lease of STok Racecourse from the Wrexham Supporters Trust has received a significant boost.
WHAT OCCURED?
Reynolds and McElhenney’s stunning takeover of the Red Dragons was completed in the spring of 2021. It was announced in June 2022 that the club had purchased the freehold of the Racecourse from Wrexham Glyndwr University for £2 million, with a covenant agreed at the time that the Welsh outfit would remain in their current home until “at least 2115.
THE LARGER IMAGE
Wrexham expressed their displeasure in January 2023 at the inability to progress from there, with the leasehold for StoK Racecourse proving difficult to acquire from the WST. Several rounds of “complex talks” have been blamed for the delay in a complicated legal matter that loyal supporters understandably want to see completed properly – with the club’s best interests at heart. Back in July, WST chairman Barry Jones told the Fearless in Devotion podcast, “We have 100% faith in Rob and Ryan.” The problem is that Rob and Ryan will eventually sell the club. I hope it’s not for another 20 or 30 years. What we do not want is Hamilton.
HOW THEY SAID IT
The WST has now revealed that they have agreed “in principle” to part with the Racecourse lease. “On Monday November 6th, the Trust board considered the proposal received from the Club regarding the surrender of the current Racecourse Cae Ras leasehold structure,” the Supporters Trust said in a statement. The board unanimously agreed, subject to the completion of the legal documents, to seek approval at a special general meeting of Trust members to surrender the leases to the Club and replace them with legally binding covenants to ensure that Wrexham AFC’s home remains where it is today. The board will issue a members’ document pack next week and will hold a meeting the following week.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
Reynolds and McElhenney, along with the rest of the Wrexham board, will be hoping that there are no more roadblocks to overcome and that the legal process goes smoothly. The Dragons are in the process of renovating their famous old ground, with the Kop stand getting a major facelift, and superstar co-chairmen have contributed to a remarkable turnaround in fortunes in North Wales, both on and off the pitch.
