Meeting Reynolds and McElhenney confirmed what we already knew about Wrexham

16 May 2023 , 20:27

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Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds parade the Vanarama National League trophy (Image: Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Being a Wrexham fan for 30 years, it wasn't always as glamorous as this.

Back in 2019 - losing to Ebbsfleet, then Maidenhead and Aldershot - Wrexham were a Non-League club really going somewhere. Down.

After over 30 years of following the Robins (then Dragons), I'd seen some highs and lows in my time, but recently it was the latter.

Covid didn't help and the club stood on the precipice of relegation and even going out of business - until two unlikely heroes stepped in. Rob McElhenney may not be a household name to everyone - but Ryan Reynolds was.

And in one superhero sweep, everything changed.

Ryan Reynolds mispronounces name of new Wrexham signing in hilarious video

We set up a podcast and fanzine because we'd lived through the bad times and thought we'd have the cynicism - but also the hope - to tell the story properly and we've welcomed new supporters from all over the world. And we had something just as foreign to us - success.

Ryan and Rob have been at the forefront of all this.

They readily admit they don't know everything about football - so they leave the running of the club to those who do. What they do know about is marketing and storytelling. And my word have they sold the town and the club to the world.

They don't need to do a fans' podcast. There's little in it for them in their busy lives.

Andy Gilpin (bottom left) discussed all things Wrexham with their popular owners

Andy Gilpin