Wrexham AFC, the football club co-owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, used taxpayer money to re-lay its pitch even though initial grant documents assessing the state investment made no reference to the works. The club received £18 million in grants, with the first tranche of £3.8 million in February 2022. Legally required state aid documents for that initial grant did not mention pitch improvements.
The Guardian reported questions over the lawfulness of the £3.8 million grant after the council acknowledged it did not have a contract or final subsidy control assessment at the time of award. The council had previously stated that “all due diligence and checks were in place ahead of the transfer of any funding”.
Wrexham spent £1.7 million upgrading the pitch last summer, installing undersoil heating, new drainage, and stitching with plastic fibres to improve longevity. The works were completed before a contract was signed on 17 September 2025 detailing how the full £18 million could be spent, which retrospectively included the pitch works. Neither the draft nor final assessments of the £3.8 million grant from 2022 reference the pitch.
Football finance expert Stefan Borson, a partner at law firm McCarthy Denning, questioned why the council proceeded with the remaining grant in 2025 given the club’s improved financial circumstances. By then, Reynolds and McElhenney had led the club to promotion to the Championship, secured large sponsorship deals, and attracted millions from the US billionaire Allyn family and private equity group Apollo. “During summer 2025, the club spent £2 million improving its pitch, presumably with a view to helping its players achieve a sporting advantage,” Borson said. “We now know these works were paid for by the taxpayer.”
Alexander Rose, a subsidy control specialist at law firm Ward Hadaway, described the principles assessment as “light touch given the sums being awarded”, adding that “very little consideration was given to the subsidy to re-lay the football pitch, which was more contentious given it was covering an operating cost of a football club”. The documents repeatedly referenced an aim to meet Uefa category 4 standards, which includes some pitch requirements.
Wrexham Council did not respond when approached about the pitch, but council leader Mark Pritchard previously said: “All due diligence and checks were in place ahead of the transfer of any funding and we refute any accusations to the contrary.” He noted the earliest draft subsidy assessment was “based upon the original concept – this was reviewed and amended as the scheme evolved”. A Wrexham AFC spokesperson said the funds “have helped to contribute to overall improvements to the Racecourse Ground facilities and the development of a new Kop Stand”.
