Rob McElhenney, Rob Reynolds and Ryan Reynolds, Hollywood stars, have vowed to stay in it for the long-haul at Wrexham. Their goal is a fairytale rise into the Premier League together with the non-league club.
The actors braved the rain in North Wales to address the media for the first time since February, when they had taken over the Racecourse Ground.
Wrexham currently lies 11th in Vanarama National League. Wrexham’s owners laughed as it became apparent how long it would take for them to join Manchester United and Liverpool in top flight.
Reynolds, who said ‘f**k’ live on TV without realising earlier in the media event, said: ‘We’d be lying if the dream wasn’t Premier League. It won’t happen overnight.
“Look, our goal in football is to get back in (Football) League. We will continue our climb upwards.
McElhenney said, “Promotion is the perfect ending to this season.”
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney held their first press conference at Wrexham after taking over the club
Both Hollywood stars spoke about their big plans for the club that includes the Premier League.
“We have a goal for this club as well. It’s a story that will be remembered for many years.”
The It’s always sunny in PhiladelphiaStar added: ‘As an avid sports fan, I would ask the owner to tell me that we’re going for the championship and do it as fast as we can.
“Whether it’s this year, next year, or the year after. You want that level if optimism.
The duo invested £2million into the club when their takeover from the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust was sealed – with some of that being given to furnish a much-changed playing squad.
In came Cheltenham Town captain Ben Tozer for £200,000 and Carlisle defender Aaron Hayden for £150,000.
McElhenney was able laugh off any suggestion that oil was behind their wealth, just like Premier League owners.
The fans greeted the couple outside the ground. Some waited as early as 10 AM to greet them.
They attended their first match on Tuesday, when Wrexham lost 3-2 against Maidenhead
He said, “Why not dream large?” I read that oil money was coming into Wrexham. I can confirm that I have no oil stocks.
One question that was left from the pitch events was who could expect to see it.
Reynolds replied, “Will Ferrell,” “That’s the one I would like (to visit). He’s a friend of mine.
McElhenney was less forthcoming about who was on his invite list, but Jason Bateman, a fellow Hollywood star, has been among those who have received Wrexham clothing in recent weeks.
While they were taking their first steps across the Racecourse pitch on Wednesday, FaceTiming was popular with the owners. McElhenney described it on social media as ’emotional.
While the FX documentary was impressive in its answers, and everything was being filmed for Disney+’s FX documentary, it was the undercurrent of how it meant to their families that really resonated.
McElhenney said, “I can remember sitting on the couch during the pandemic and watching football. I turned to my wife to say, “I think I want to purchase a football team.”
“I discussed it with her from that point onwards and while the sport was a factor, but it is more about the community. I recognize the people.
“I clearly remember looking at that screen and thinking, “I know these people.” I believe we can do something extraordinary here.
McElhenney and Reynolds had a great time at the Turf Hotel, the night before the conference
He added, “I have a ritual on matchday where I walk the dog, put on the shirt and watch the games with my oldest son.”
Reynolds stated, “I was surprised at how emotionally invested my family and friends are if I have a match.”
“They are always following and watching on social media. I don’t profess any football expertise, but I do see the beauty of the fan through others.
Their second day in Wrexham was marked with a press conference. This evening, they will address 100 supporters at an fans forum.
On Wednesday night, they sat in a select group with around 20 others inside the Turf Hotel. They were treated to Wrexham Lager, as well as stiffer shots Aviation Gin (a company Reynolds holds a significant stake).
The owners were able to see from afar and track their children’s sporting events, which was a lot of fun. Before that, their access to the Racecourse was limited to humorous ad-board messages.
McElhenney & Reynolds soon realized the jokes were trite after they lost back-toback games, and their involvement was becoming a joke.
‘Football needs to be entertainment and a fun experience for the whole family so if we can do things we’ll take it,’ McElhenney said.
Torquay will play in their first home game at Racecourse Ground.
‘We had the fun LED boards for a while but we lost two games and so we took those down because it’s not fun for us to lose and we want people to recognise we are serious.’
Torquay will visit the Racecourse to give owners their first experience. However, it was a gloomy awayday at Maidenhead which gave them their first exposure to football in England’s fifth tier.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more exciting than that in the world sports.” Reynolds stated that Reynolds believes his nerves have never been so fried.
McElhenney described the Racecourse in his own words as a “cathedral” and he can’t wait to see it this weekend.
“It could be more important than the Super Bowl for me. It was the best day of my life to see my Philadelphia Eagles win it. It’s hard to imagine anything that could match it.
Sporstmail’s Kieran Lynch provided live updates as Wrexham’s celebrity co-owners made their first official appearance in front of the media at the Racecourse Ground.