With smiles, selfies and shots of Aviation gin!
What started as a low-key visit soon turned into a cause for celebration as Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney visited Wrexham in October. A buzz of excitement spread throughout the town as Wrexham AFC’s new owners received a warm Welsh welcome.
Embracing Wrexham AFC and North Wales
Deadpool star Ryan and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator and actor Rob began their visit by posing for photos with excited fans. They then visited the community pub, The Turf, no doubt having drinks lined up for them all along the bar.
An ITV press conference also showed the co-owners raving about their passion and hopes for the club. The vast media crowd listened as the Free Guy star pledged that Wrexham AFC is “not a toy”, instead, promising long-term commitment and enormous hopes for global expansion.
“I don’t understand why we can’t get to the Premier League. We have the structure here. Why not dream big?”
The stars also told ITV they found the beautiful Welsh landscape “simply breathtaking” and hoped to explore the country more.
Anything But Low Key
When the news of Ryan and Rob’s takeover of the historic club broke, most people never expected such massive stars actually to visit Wrexham, never mind showing this much commitment to the club and its community.
But the pair gave their visit everything they had, no matter how tired, cold, or hungover they might have felt. Social media was abuzz for days after with news stories and photos as they embraced everything about Wrexham and Wales.
Rob and Ryan did not disappoint by squeezing in selfie after selfie, meeting loyal fans, visiting local businesses and even learning a little Welsh. They also found time for some training with the Wrexham AFC guys and visited Wrexham Glyndŵr University and the historic St Giles’ church.
But Why Does Their Takeover Help the Town?
The town and club have certainly noticed the decline in Wrexham’s breweries, steel and coal industries. However, when now Club Executive Director Humphrey Ker mentioned Wrexham AFC to Rob, he showed a tremendous interest in the natural beauty of the surrounding area and the local community.
However, while most locals would probably agree with his statement that “Wrexham Town Centre has seen better days”, the good news is that Ryan and Rob want to reinvigorate the town. Rob even claimed, “We are hoping to change that. These are soon to be the better days that it will see.”
With the duo’s commitment to inject £2 million, plans to expand the club globally, and exposure the town will receive, their presence can only give the area a real boost, putting Wrexham on the map. People across the country could flock to the town, even if only to catch a glimpse of Rob and Ryan.
Those visiting may have caught a glimpse of or posed with the actors for a selfie, but more importantly, would have found many treasures and wares from the small independent shops and local businesses. Hopefully, they’ll be back soon for more.
For more information on Wrexham AFC, click here.
To read more about why Rob and Ryan bought Wrexham AFC’s club, click here.
