Red Dragons Soar: Wrexham Secures Promotion with 3-0 Win

Wrexham, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is one league away from the Premier League after securing promotion. Read more about their journey.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's dream of taking Wrexham to the Premier League is one step closer to reality. Reynolds recalled feeling like it was an “impossible dream” when McElhenney first proposed buying the club, initially envisioning a documentary project.

Four years after acquiring Wrexham, the team's 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday secured their promotion, one league away from achieving their goal of reaching the Premier League. This marks a record third consecutive promotion for the North Wales club.

“It just seemed like an impossible dream, and we do what we're lucky to do is be storytellers,” Reynolds, best known for his role as superhero character Deadpool, told Sky Sports after the game.

“And when you're a storyteller, you look as much as you can at the sort of macro view of this history.

“We were standing there doing a press conference four years ago, and said our goal is to make it to the Premier League.

“And there was understandably a lot of titters and laughter and giggles, but it starts to feel like a real, tangible thing that could actually come to fruition in this moment.”

Wrexham's promotion means they'll play in the Championship next season, a remarkable rise from their non-league status four years ago. When asked about being close to the Premier League, Rob McElhenney joked, “Well, that's for tomorrow to think about. Today is just enjoying the moment. We could probably wait until 12:01.”

Ryan Reynolds chimed in, “We have to wait 'til tomorrow? I'll erase the whiteboard I put up at half-time,” hinting at his enthusiastic preparations for the team's success.

Wrexham's popularity has soared thanks to its North American owners and the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. Unlike many celebrity owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are heavily invested. Reynolds joked about the stress, saying, “like an eight-inch ulcer in my stomach,” before the big win.

The owners' dedication was evident, with McElhenney delivering a pre-game speech before a crucial win over Blackpool and spending time with the team in Wales. After Saturday's promotion-clinching win, the crowd showed appreciation for Reynolds and McElhenney, applauding them as they celebrated with the players, wrapping them in giant hugs.

Rob McElhenney praised the team's efforts, saying, “Ryan and I have the easiest job in world, which is to show up and watch this incredible football team and this incredible story continue to unfold.”

Ryan Reynolds highlighted the players' dedication, adding, “And if you want to see what it means to them, you go into that dressing room after a loss and there's nothing that can console them. That's where you see the grit and the metal that these players have. It means everything to them.”

The duo ended their interview with a mic drop, and Reynolds playfully picked up the microphones, blew off the grass, and handed them back.