11 Years Before Ryan Reynolds’ $2,500,000 Takeover, Wrexham Fans Raised Huge Sum in Hours to Save Team From Extinction

We know soccer fans for their passion and emotions. Sometimes their sentiments are too high that the fans opt for violent ways to let the feelings flow. But what if the club is in trouble financially and close to extinction? The passionate fans always come together and try to save the club from blushes. That’s what Wrexham AFC fans did in 2011 when the club wanted to raise a massive sum to stay in the league.

The fans of the club came together and raised an enormous sum in seven hours to save the club, and Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST) took over. WST came into ownership in a critical situation when the club was on the verge of extinction in 2011. WST owned Wrexham AFC before the $2,500,000 takeover by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in February 2021.

The club was posting losses for a few years, and the Covid pandemic had implications for the club. It resulted in around 98.6% of WST members supporting the $2,500,000 bid of Reynolds and McElhenney in 2020. The Hollywood duo completely took over the club on February 9, 2021. However, it became a reality only because of the massive contribution of Wrexham AFC fans in 2011. 

Wrexham AFC fans came to the rescue of the club in 2011

Before the start of the 2011-12 season, Football Conference asked the club to pay over $250,000 bond to keep the club in the league. The owners of the club offered only over $150,000, leaving the club in limbo. It was an uphill task to raise the remaining money in the given time, and the owners made an emotional appeal to the Wrexham community.

Soon after the appeal, fans took to Racecourse Stadium. They contributed whatever they can. It took just seven hours to raise the required money, and they paid it to the Football Conference. The heroic efforts of the fans saved the club from the blushes, and WST took over and steadied the ship. A few members of the WST remember the day in August 2011.

They said every fan was contributing to whatever they were able to. Even children were at the Racecourse Stadium, breaking their piggy banks and handing their pocket money to save the club. The passion of the fans was unbelievable. Wrexham is looking for a promotion this season, and new owners have changed the club’s fortunes since taking over. 

The club takes one step closer to promotion

Wrexham is in scintillating form in the Vanarama National League. They are on 27 games unbeaten run in the league. The third oldest club in the world is three points clear at the top and took another step towards the title by beating York City on Saturday.

READ MORE: “One Step Closer Let’s Do This” – Ryan Reynolds Celebrates as Wrexham Crush York City Extending Lead in National League Standings, Fans React

With seven games to play, they will hope to continue their unbeaten run and grab the automatic promotion spot to League Two. They are three points ahead of Notts County and have played one game lesser. The game between the two on April 10 will be the decider in the title race.

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What do you think of the gesture of Wrexham fans in 2011?