What are the chances of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney achieving the impossible with Wrexham?
Over the course of their respective acting careers, both Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been the protagonists in some far-fetched scripts. Nothing, however, is as unimaginable as leading Wrexham AFC to the Premier League from where they currently ply their trade - five divisions below the top flight.
While miracles can happen at the swish of a Hollywood writer's pen, the reality is that on the sodden pitches of northern Wales, achieving a fairytale ending is not as straightforward.
So, why do Wrexham's new owners now want to dedicate their lives to achieving what is seemingly an impossible dream?
Why did the pair buy Wrexham?
It's a question that both Reynolds and McElhenney get asked wherever they go. The short answer is that it comes down to the influence of scriptwriter Humphrey Ker, who worked with McElhenney on the comedy series Mythic Quest. McElhenney was perplexed by Ker's love for soccer given that the writer would spend most lunch breaks during filming watching something to do with the beautiful game on his laptop.
Subsequently, Ker suggested that McElhenney watch the Netflix series Sunderland 'Til I Die to get a better appreciation of why he has the passion for soccer that he does. This, in Ker's eyes at least, would provide a compelling glimpse into the unique relationship that fans have with the clubs they support.
One thing lead to another and all of a sudden, the American actor was immersed in the lives of the supporters in the northeast owing to the moving tale Netflix was able to tell about life at Sunderland Football Club.
Having been gripped by the story, the 45-year-old had, in effect, fallen in love with the culture of soccer in the United Kingdom, which is why he soon rang up his friend Reynolds and sold him the vision of buying a club. A month later, the duo was on the hunt for a team to buy and eventually settled on Wrexham.
What do they want to achieve?
Speaking before Wrexham's FA Cup tie against Sheffield United, which would ultimately end in defeat, Reynolds said that in the next decade, the plan was for the Red Dragons to achieve promotion to the Premier League. It is an ambitious goal and one that will take a significant amount of effort and money, but adopting such a bold mission statement is crucial in taking the first step toward the summit of the professional game in England.
On top of working their way through the leagues until they get to the promised land, Wrexham's new owners will also be keen to capitalize on the reach that their fame in North America has in terms of getting their fans emotionally invested in their Welsh journey. Indeed, when actors with the profile of Reynolds and McElhenney do something as unexpected as buying a semi-professional soccer club in a country smaller than the state of New Jersey, there is naturally a lot of attention paid to how this adventure will play out.
But there is a method to the pair's apparent madness. In America particularly, it makes sense to do this now as soccer is slowly becoming a favorite national pastime as it begins escaping the shadows of American Football, basketball, and baseball. As this nifty infographic, courtesy of Oddschecker, confirms, it's legal to bet on soccer in many states. In fact, as of February 2023, there are now 33 US states that offer legalized betting, with New York and Washington leading the way. Remarkably, a minority of just 16 states have not passed online sports betting legislation that would enable fans to bet on soccer, which goes to show how much the times and attitudes in the US are changing.
Undoubtedly, Reynolds and McElhenney will benefit from a country showing an increased interest in soccer and crucially, if they can convert that curiosity into passionate fans, then Wrexham will receive an invaluable financial shot to the arm that will help propel them up the leagues.
Unsurprisingly, Hollywood stars have already begun trying to channel this emerging interest into an affiliation with Wrexham after releasing the intensely captivating documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham' on Hulu and Disney Plus. In essence, this series follows Reynolds and McElhenney around and chronicles the early days of their purchase of Wrexham.
As you would expect, it is a slick production that successfully pulls at the heartstrings and leaves you feeling hopeful that they will be able to accomplish what they have set out to do in a city that has a population of just 61,000. For better context on how small Wrexham really is and how high they are aiming, there were over 67,000 fans alone at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona to watch Super Bowl LVII live in February 2023.
As you can see, the odds are stacked against the pair but there is a determination behind their actions that suggest that this is as much of a passion as it is an exercise in exposure for them.
Big hearts can fuel big dreams
There is a genuine likeability and authenticity to Reynolds and McElhenney, which has made their introduction into this region in North Wales a seamless one. In fact, the locals have warmly taken to them and already, it is looking like a match made in heaven.
In part, this is down to the way in which the new owners have backed up their words with committed actions. Above all, this can be seen with the new impressive expansion of a stand behind the goal at the Racecourse Ground, which has cost the duo £18 million. Upon completion, this stand will be able to hold an extra 5,500 Wrexham fans and will go one step further in making their home stadium - the oldest in international football, a place where the Welsh national team can once again play.
The reality is that these gestures from the two are meaningful and go a long way in reaching out to fans by giving something back. As briefly touched on, the response from Wrexham fans to the heartwarming work that Reynolds and McElhenney are doing in the community has been emphatic.
The million-dollar question: can it be done?
Anything is possible in soccer but it's also worth mentioning that even the best-laid plans can go awry, irrespective of the positive intentions that drive them. Soccer can, after all, be a cruel game that guarantees very little in the way of success.
There are, however, ways of maximizing the chances of success in soccer, and in the modern game, that is done by spending money on the best playing personnel available.
This is something that Reynolds and McElhenney can certainly do while the Red Dragons are in the National League and even higher in League One and Two. After that, the need for deeper pockets will become a pressing one, especially in the Championship, which is renowned for owners burning through working capital as they chase the bright light of the Premier League.
The point here is that it is, up to a point, an achievable dream for Reynolds and McElhenney to take Wrexham forward but when they begin getting close to the dizzy heights of the Championship and Premier League, it is unlikely that their personal wealth will be sufficient in helping Wrexham take one final leap toward greatness.
Put another way, they will have to bring investors on board with the financial muscle to compete with the eye-watering amounts of money that are thrown around in the rarefied atmosphere of English soccer. Encouragingly, this shouldn't be a problem for the pair given the well-heeled company they keep and the contacts that they have made after building a life in Hollywood.
So the answer has to be yes, Reynolds and McElhenney can achieve the impossible by taking Wrexham all the way to the world's most competitive soccer league. The only question that remains is whether will they play themselves when the story of the most astonishing climb through professional football is eventually dramatized.