Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney marked the fifth anniversary of their takeover of Wrexham by taking on a prominent role in Sky Sports' coverage of the club's Championship match against Swansea City. The Hollywood duo, who bought the then-National League side for £2m in 2020, were part of a special broadcast that was unashamedly focused on the club's celebrity connection.
David Prutton stood alongside Reynolds and McElhenney on the gantry before kick-off, with the coverage described as "very Wrexham-heavy." The owners were actively involved throughout, marvelling at a superb save by Arthur Okonkwo and purring with admiration at Nathan Broadhead's goal. Their reactions, including a hearty high-five and an excited "here we go" whenever Wrexham crossed the ball, appeared genuine.
The pair, who have described themselves as "cheerleader owners" and "happy clappers," have largely avoided interfering in football matters, leaving on-field decisions to manager Phil Parkinson and his staff. Their enthusiasm was on display as a late own goal secured a 2-0 win, boosting Wrexham's playoff hopes and continuing the club's remarkable rise under Parkinson.
Former and current Wrexham favourites, including Ben Foster, Ollie Palmer and Steven Fletcher, also joined the broadcast, giving it the feel of an episode of "Welcome to Wrexham" filmed in real time. While some might question the focus on celebrity, Reynolds and McElhenney have clearly assimilated into British football, and the club's on-pitch success speaks for itself.
The result leaves Wrexham well placed for a fourth successive promotion, a feat that would have seemed unthinkable before the owners' arrival. As the pair themselves said of their takeover, "we genuinely have no idea how this will go" — but so far, it has gone rather well.
