Mandatory Credit: Photo by Kristin Callahan/ACE Pictures/Shutterstock (10227138g) Ryan Reynolds 'Pokemon Detective Pikachu' film premiere, Arrivals, New York, USA - 02 May 2019
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have overseen the complete transformation of Wrexham which has led to the Welsh side clinch successive promotions.
After the Hollywood stars completed a takeover of the club in early 2021, the finance they have pumped in to the Stok Cae Ras has seen the Dragons move from the National League to League One in just two seasons.
After clinching the National League title to secure a return to the EFL after an absence of 15 years, Phil Parkinson’s side spent just one season in League Two after securing automatic promotion to League One.
The Dragons finished the season as runners-up to Stockport County and ahead of Mansfield Town in the top three.
Wrexham beat newly crowned champions, the Hatters, on the final day of the League Two season, coming from behind to secure a 2-1 win and end the campaign on a high.
All focus at Wrexham is now on strengthening the squad ahead of the 2024/25 League One campaign, and it will be interesting to see who the Dragons end up signing as they make the step back up to the third tier of English football.
With two high profile owners in the form of Reynolds and McElhenney, it is fair to say the spending power of the Welsh club has increased and has helped them to be where they are today.
But there is one area of the club where the Hollywood owners have been unable to inject extra funds – and it is down to rules.
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Speaking on the third episode of the Welcome to Wrexham Disney+ documentary, McElhenney spoke about the club’s women’s team recently being promoted to the top tier of Welsh women’s football, the Adnan Premier.
The players were unpaid prior to promotion, and still have to work multiple jobs despite now being able to receive a wage.
But McElenney expressed his frustrations over rules meaning there are limits to how much he and Reynolds can pay the club’s women’s team.
He said: “We asked last year when they were in the amateur stats could we pay them, the answer was no by rule, and in this league there are limits on what you’re allowed to pay them.
“Just another one of the really fun UK regulations in football that hold you back from the things you want to do.”
