How about this plot for a Hollywood blockbuster? The third-oldest football club in the world languishing in the fifth tier for English professional football was bought during the pandemic by two actors who never met each other. The team performs to keep getting promoted and are now one game away from sealing a spot in the Championship, the second tier of English football. This Saturday, it could happen.
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds of Deadpool fame and Rob McElhenney, the creator and star in the sitcom Sunny in Philadelphia, is one step from completing its third consecutive promotion. With two games remaining in League One, the Red Dragons are in second place in the standings, which would allow them to be promoted directly to the Championship, the second tier of English soccer. From semi-professional football to the elite in such a short period of time, it’s been quite a journey.
Wrexham can secure Championship promotion on Saturday if they beat Charlton and if Wycombe Wanderers lose their earlier game away at Leyton Orient.
McElhenney, who was among the fans for the last game, tweeted out: “Incredible energy from our Wrexham family today in the away section. Bring it back home Saturday, we need you all! Nonstop cheering. This team, this town. You all mean everything.”
We’re all @RMcElhenney 😄
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/Y3Zh15T8HW
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) April 21, 2025
The club’s community director Humphrey Ker summed up on the BBC: “What they’re [Reynolds and McElhenney] very aware of is how much had work has gone into this. I think from the outside people think, ‘Wrexham they’ve got money and they’ve got this and that and the other and that’s all you really need to be successful in football’. It helps. It certainly helps. But there are many many instances; you look at Manchester City when they first had their big influx of money, it took a bit of time for it to work. It’s not just as simple as spending a lot of money.”
On April 22, 2023, Wrexham celebrated their promotion to the National League, after 15 years of wallowing in anonymity in non-league football. Two years later, they are verge of yet another dreamy chapter.
Canadian Reynolds and American actor McElhenney first expressed interest in investing in the club in September 2021. In November, the club’s supporters trust (WST), which owns the club, voted in favour of the move. Wrexham, who have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals three times but have never competed in the top-flight of English soccer, were founded in 1864 and have been owned by their fans since 2011.
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