16 October 2023 , 17:03
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AFC Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has confirmed co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are heavily involved with the ongoings at the club - but stop short of picking his line-up.
The Hollywood pair took over the Welsh side in early 2021 and have spent big on getting the club up the English football ladder. They have also released two series of the documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham' - with the Welsh town going global as a result.
Following a historic promotion to League 2, Wrexham are fighting it out with the likes of Class of 92-owned Salford City. And they beat Manchester-based side 3-2 at the weekend.
After yet another dramatic win, in which Wrexham scored goals in the 88th and 89th minute to comeback from 2-1 down, Parkinson discussed the club's trajectory and how busy Reynolds and McElhenney really are.
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When asked on talkSPORT how involved are they, he said: "Very much so. Ryan is going to be here for a while, the next few months. Rob and Ryan are very interested in the players we sign and what team we're selecting and watch every single game over from America and yeah really, really involved.
"But not trying to tell us what team to pick or who to sign. They let us get on with it which is great. They're really enjoying being part of the club."
Two years after Reynolds and McElhenney took over the club, Wrexham have seen positives in match results, shirt sales, social media presence, and ticket sales. This season, Wrexham returned to League 2 for the first time in fifteen years after beating Boreham Wood 3-1 to win the National League.
TikTok has helped Wrexham Co-Owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney expand their social presence over 921.23%Reflecting on that impact, Parkinson added: "Wrexham, for fifteen years, had nothing. They were out of the league with no money in the club and were hanging on for survival.
"When Rob and Ryan came in, they lifted the whole area, not just the football club. On the back end, we've had some success getting promotion, and it's a great club to be a part of at the moment."
Shirts sold out during the 2021-22 season following team's instant success. And club supporters ordered 8,600 home shirts ahead of the 2023-24 season. Before Reynolds and McElhenney's takeover, the team's total order for shirts was 2,750 - home and away.
The club's rising popularity has also been reflected on social media and through game attendance. Wrexham currently has approximately 7,150 season-ticket holders, over 2,000 more than before the takeover.
According to the club, Wrexham's social media following has also increased by 921.23%. TikTok took over as the club's shirt sponsor on a two-year deal signed in June 2021 and the club made its social media debut on the platform that same day, hitting the 100k follower mark in just seven months. Today, the club has more than 1.4 million followers on the platform and has over 16.9 million likes.
Additional Hollywood stars such as Danny Devito, Blake Lively, and "The Crown" star Emma Corrin have all shown their support for Wrexham, increasing their exposure.