Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have confronted the 'Disney FC' label that has followed Wrexham since their takeover, with the club's owners dismissing criticism in the latest series of their documentary. The nickname resurfaced after James McClean's emotional farewell post, in which he thanked the Hollywood duo for 'the magic that is Wrexham – or to people outside of Wrexham, 'Disney FC''.
McClean, 36, returned to hometown club Derry City after mutually terminating his contract, ending a spell that saw him captain the Red Dragons to back-to-back promotions. The former Republic of Ireland international praised the club's handling of his exit as 'classy' and expressed no bitterness over his departure.
Reynolds and McElhenney have addressed the 'Disney' jibe head-on in the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, even naming an episode after the slur. Reynolds acknowledged similarities, saying: 'We get it, there are similarities. We like parades, we like fans, we like costumed characters and merch.' McElhenney admitted his initial scepticism towards Disney vanished after visiting the theme park.
In a typically unfiltered moment, McElhenney launched an expletive-laden rant at critics, inviting supporters to 'come experience that magic' while telling detractors to 'go f*** your f*****g selves'. He later reflected that 'Wrexham is just magic' and insisted the club's success is not manufactured, noting it has continued for 'the four years we've been there and the 150 years before that'.
Wrexham have surged from the National League to the Championship under Reynolds and McElhenney's ownership, attracting a global audience through the Disney+ documentary. The 'Disney FC' tag has become a popular taunt among rival fans, but the owners have embraced it with characteristic defiance.
