Wrexham AFC, a Welsh team that competes near the top of League Two, is hoping to achieve consecutive promotions after finally making a comeback to the Football League last year.
Director of Wrexham Humphrey Ker feels that the support of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has given the Welsh club greater latitude to operate in the community’s best interests. Ker likened Wrexham to Liverpool, a Premier League team, implying that the Red Dragons have the financial wherewithal to make meaningful choices that may not directly improve the club’s bottom line.
Deadpool actor Reynolds and McElhenney, who is well-known for writing and starring in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” teamed up to buy Wrexham for £2.25 million back in November 2020. Thanks to the attention their platforms have brought to the club and region—most notably through the well-liked Disney+ documentary “Welcome to Wrexham”—the two have come to represent Welsh football globally.
The Red Dragons won the National League championship to guarantee their promotion to League Two after 15 years away from the football field. Wrexham, which was in second place behind Stockport, made a number of additions to strengthen the team as the club’s celebrity owners planned to promote the team one after the other.
Despite residing in the US, Reynolds and McElhenney’s influence is felt greatly as Wrexham’s earnings soar. According to Ker, Wrexham’s anticipated £20 million in revenue for the current fiscal year enables the team to operate differently from both its contemporaries and competitors.
We are shielded from some of the demands, difficulties, and stresses that other people experience, which is why this is still so enjoyable, Ker said to The Athletic. Recently, there has been discussion at Liverpool regarding Joel Matip’s injury that is beyond the terms of his contract, which expires in the summer. “Should Liverpool give him a new contract to see him through?” is the topic of discussion.
“At Wrexham, we’ve been in that position before and have been able to tell them to just move the player because we can afford to. When I talk about the absolute privilege of doing this, I mean all those things.
“If I had succeeded in life and purchased, say, Chippenham Town, which is located in Wiltshire close to Ker’s family, I would not have been able to make financially reckless choices that will ultimately win over the fans.”
However, decisions that might be made here, like the temporary stand, could help us in the long run in ways that go beyond the black and white of a balance sheet. That is truly a privilege.
The club has made a number of high-profile acquisitions thanks to Reynolds and McElhenney’s support, and more might be announced in January. Phil Parkinson, the manager of Wrexham, has just reorganized the team and may look to the transfer market to help them push for promotion.
Parkinson recently stated to The Leader, “I don’t want to make any predictions for January – in terms of incoming players.” Although we have a solid team, we are constantly searching. We are constantly looking to improve, as our supporters are aware, and we are now evaluating a number of problems, but we are keeping things under wraps.
