RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Wrexham's fortunes on and off the pitch have flourished since Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds's takeover of the club (Oli SCARFF)
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Hollywood owners of English second-tier side Wrexham, have restated their ambition for the club to win the Championship title and so complete a remarkable journey from National League to the Premier League.
Wrexham begin their 2026/27 Championship campaign with a Welsh derby away to Cardiff on Monday, having narrowly missed out on a play-off spot last term after finishing seventh in the regular season.
They went into the final day in sixth place, but a 2-2 draw at home to Middlesbrough allowed Hull to leapfrog Wrexham into the play-offs, with the Tigers going on to win promotion to the Premier League.
Deadpool star Reynolds said he felt "obscene pride" at Wrexham's league finish and co-owner McElhenney has underlined their determination to reach the top flight after playing in the fifth tier of English football as recently as 2023.
"What we say (to players) is we want to win –- and we want to win right now," "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia" creator McElhenney told the Men in Blazers video podcast.
"We don't want to win at all or any cost. But believe us when we say, we want to win the Championship, go to the Premier League, become the best, because that is the entire endeavour of what football is about.
"But it's not just winning. It's about becoming the best version of yourself on a day-to-day basis."
The actors celebrated their fifth anniversary as owners in February, with the duo's involvement in football reaching a global audience thanks to the "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary series that has also shone a light on the local community.
It was reported last week that Texan couple Jeff and Janice Ivey are moving to Wrexham, having fallen in love with the city after watching the Disney show and making numerous visits over the past two-and-a-half years.
Reynolds had playfully posted on X he was thankful the Iveys "didn't watch 'Chernobyl'", and was also reminded on the podcast that at his first appearance at the Racecourse Ground in 2021 he said playing top-flight football was Wrexham's aim.
"The expectation was set so indelibly in that first press conference when you even say the words 'Premier League' and there’s a wave of tittering laughter that extends up the stands, out the front door of the Racecourse Ground, across Wales, and then eventually all of the UK," Reynolds said.
"I think that in some ways (it) really worked in our favour. It allows that thing where we are right now that Wrexham is so well-known that a couple in Texas decide to move to Wales… five years ago I would probably have said you're crazy."
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