Wrexham AFC’s journey from rags to riches is one for the history books. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into transforming the Welsh club. While some initially doubted the Hollywood actors’ ability to steer the team to such glory, they have since become global sensations. But what exactly is their recipe for this remarkable success? Well, the club’s executive director Humphrey Ker might have an answer! 

Speaking to BBC Radio 2, he said, “One of the things that Rob and Ryan have been really clever and sensible about, is putting people who know what they are doing in place and letting them get on with it.” Ker revealed that Reynolds and McElhenney never intervene in soccer-related decisions. Whether it’s transfer calls or the team’s tactics, the owners leave all such matters to those who know what they are doing and are ‘qualified in that respect,’ someone like Phil Parkinson.

Aside from the Wrexham manager, Ker further revealed that Reynolds and McElhenney get their brains from Shaun Harvey and Fleur Robinson, both having over 50 years of experience in the beautiful game, as well as the FA technical director, Les Reed. 

“I think there is often that temptation when people buy football clubs like ‘Well, I made millions of pounds making plastic nipples for baby bottles and therefore my understanding of plastic nipples is definitely going to stretch for me’,” stated Ker, without naming any specific clubs where such interference happens.

Perhaps Reynolds and McElhenney leaving the experts to do their job is the key to their successful ownership. However, there is one decision that the actor duo made at their own expense, despite objections from others at the club.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney made a decision that cost them $500K, despite refusal from other Wrexham members

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been tirelessly working on restoring and building the new Kop stand, which has sat unused since 2007. Despite ongoing efforts to construct a new 5,500-seat stand, progress was deemed too slow by the Hollywood owners, who felt pressure to accommodate more fans in the stadium. In the latest season of Welcome to Wrexham, the owners explained how this urgency led them to install a temporary 2,289-seat stand during their League Two campaign. 

While the decision cost approximately $500K, it was seen as financially nonsensical by everyone at the club. However, the owners remained optimistic that it would provide a competitive advantage during home games, with the atmosphere being ‘twice as loud.’ Notably, the temporary stand was unveiled on December 23 for their derby against Newport County, attracting 12,000 fans for the first time in 16 years. Fortunately, their risk paid off as they eventually secured a promotion. 

It seems the owners are willing to forgo conventional methods at times for the chance of greater success.