‘Thank you, Wrexham AFC’: Hollywood owners join fans to celebrate promotion

Hollywood celebrities and fans have been celebrating Wrexham AFC’s glorious return to the English Football League in a comeback story that has captivated people across the globe.

The club’s co-owner, Ryan Reynolds, paid tribute on social media to his beloved team, which will be returning to the EFL after a 15-year absence.

“Everything I own smells like champagne, beer and grass. I’m still somewhere between giggling and sobbing,” he said. “This town and this sport is one of the most romantic things on earth. Thank you, Wrexham AFC.”

Thanks in large part to a Disney+ documentary that followed Deadpool star Reynolds and his fellow actor Rob McElhenney taking over and trying to transform the then-struggling Welsh team, the club has acquired legions of fans across the world.

Joe Russo, part of the American director duo the Russo brothers, was one of a number of Hollywood celebrities pictured at the Racecourse Ground for the historic game on Saturday, along with the actor Paul Rudd.

The former England captain David Beckham posted a photo on Instagram of Reynolds and McElhenney holding the National League Trophy and said: “This makes me very happy. What a story and what an achievement.”

The Prince of Wales, who is president of the FA, also praised the club after their 3-1 win over Boreham Wood. He said: “Congratulations Wrexham AFC! A club with such amazing history, looking forward to a very exciting future back in the Football League. Doing Wales proud.”

The north Wales team has undergone a momentous transformation since Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in 2020 for £2m, after it had finished the 2019-20 National League season (cut short due to the Covid pandemic) in the lowest position in its 150-year history.

Fans had