Rob McElhenney shares physical toll stress of owning Wrexham took on his face
Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney has detailed the effects of last season's promotion run had on his health - including a double stye near his eye.
McElhenney co-owns Wrexham alongside fellow Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds. The American duo completed the takeover of the Welsh club in February 2021 and eventually helped guide the club to promotion to the EFL.
Wrexham won the National League title in 2022/23 ahead of second-placed Notts County and managed to secure a record points total to win the title and end a 15-year wait.
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It was a game against Notts County towards the end of last season that saw Wrexham move a step closer to promotion. The Red Dragons completed a 3-2 win at the Racecourse Ground, with former goalkeeper Ben Foster saving a penalty from the visitors late into stoppage time to secure the three points.
Ryan Reynolds mispronounces name of new Wrexham signing in hilarious videoThe events of the game, as well as across the whole season, were filmed for the 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary that is currently streaming on Disney+. Despite the victory over their title rivals, Wrexham would be made to wait for the promotion party.
Wrexham's promotion quest would be secured in the penultimate game of the National League season against Boreham Wood. But McElhenney has revealed that the effects of the stress of waiting to find out if the club would be promoted cause his face to suffer from styes around his eyes.
“You, intellectually, know what happened,” McElhenney told The Athletic. “But you emotionally, almost forget.
“With my nervous system, I still feel the anxiety from the end of the Notts County game. I’ve mentioned in one of the episodes that I had a massive double stye. You can see them in the documentary. My eyes are swollen up like I’m a prize fighter. That was simply due to the stress.
“In watching some of the footage, I felt a lot of those things coming back, even though I knew it was a happy ending.”
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After Wrexham's season was completed and promotion was secured, McElhenney and Reynolds helped fund a luxury trip to Las Vegas as a celebratory treat for the squad after their efforts for campaign. McElhenney was in attendance for the trip as he celebrated alongside the players in the Nevada city.
Wrexham currently sit fourth in the League Two table in what is the club's first season back in the division since 2007/08. Phil Parkinson's team is level on points with third-placed Notts County and only outside the automatic promotion spots on goal difference, after losing 2-0 to Accrington Stanley at the weekend.