“Actually Starts With Humphrey”- Ryan Reynolds’ Partner Rob McElhenney in Wrexham AFC Once Shared How Liverpool Fan Inspired Him to Invest in Soccer

Ryan Reynolds once slid into the direct messages of the Rob McElhenney. It sparked a new friendship. The result of that regular direct message was the duo ended up buying the world’s third-oldest soccer club, Wrexham AFC. But what made them buy a low-tier club in Wales that plays in the fifth division of the English soccer pyramid?

In October 2021, the duo came on the Out Travel The System podcast, where McElhenney shared an amusing story about buying a soccer club. It was a Liverpool fan who inspired the It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia star in the investment. The Liverpool fan is now an executive director at the club.

Liverpool fan-inspired Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds

McElhenney was full of praise for writer Humphrey Ker who writes for the former’s show Mythic Quest. McElhenney said, “Well, that actually starts with Humphrey. So, Humphrey is one of the writers on my show, Mythic Quest. And he is a massive football fan. And I’m a massive fan of sports in general. And so, when we would come into the writer’s room, Humphrey would oftentimes be wearing his Liverpool jersey.”

It inspired the Mythical Quest co-creator to follow soccer. He recognized there are billions of soccer fans in the world, and that is something huge about the sport. During the Covid pandemic, when there were nos sports to see, McElhenney decided to watch old soccer games and documentaries on soccer and clubs. 

He did find the games interesting, but the stories behind those games attracted the actor the most. The passion of the soccer fans amused McElhenney, and he then came across Wrexham town and the club. He found Wrexham, and its community is similar to that of Philadelphia, where he lives, and decided to go for investing in the Welsh club.

“I became invested in the clubs because I was invested in the people who supported those clubs, or the towns. And then, when I came across Wrexham, they looked to me a lot like… the town itself looks a lot to me like the City of Philadelphia. Yeah, it’s a working class town. It’s a blue collar town, and they have such a passionate love for their club,” McElhenney added.

Wrexham’s two years under new ownership

Ryan Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in February 2021. In their first entire season as owners, Wrexham showed improvements. They finished second in the league and missed out on promotion from the playoffs. Grimsby Town dashed their hopes in the semifinal of the playoff. 

READ MORE: “Really Testing the Limits”- Wrexham Owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Sighs Huge Relief After Enthralling 4–3 Victory in the Last Minute

In their second season, Wrexham punched the bag above their weight and got into the fourth round of the FA Cup by beating a second-division side Coventry City. However, they lost to another second-division side, Sheffield United, but won the hearts of many. Currently, they sit second on the table in the National League with two games in hand. 

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams and Natalie Portman’s Success With ACFC Inspires Another Female-Led Group to Invest in Soccer Club

It will be interesting to see where they finish at the end of the season. Can they make it to League Two this time around? Also, let us know your thoughts on the inspiration behind A-lister’s investment in Wrexham AFC.