Hollywood superhero coming to Wrexham? Why not, say fans

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup Second Round - Wrexham v Newport County - Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Britain - December 1, 2018 General view inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough/File Photo

Even for a Hollywood script the idea of a couple of household name American actors investing in a fifth-tier British soccer club for no apparent reason sounds a little far-fetched.

Yet Wrexham, in North Wales, have confirmed that Ryan Reynolds, of Deadpool fame, and Rob McElhenney, creator and star of sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, are serious.

According to a statement from the club's Supporters Trust Board on Wednesday, 97.5% of its members are ready to welcome the north American duo with open arms.

FILE PHOTO: Actor Ryan Reynolds poses on the red carpet during the premiere of "Deadpool 2" in Manhattan, New York, U.S., May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo

Asked why Reynolds and McElhenney would be interested in investing in the National League club, Trust director Spencer Harris told BBC Radio Wales: "I think that's a question for them in good time. I would answer 'why not?'".

Wrexham are, Harris insists, the third oldest professional team in the world, the oldest in Wales and play at the oldest international stadium anywhere in the world.

They have played in European competitions, famously beating Porto in the 1984 Cup Winners Cup, but have fallen on lean times and have not been a Football League side since 2008.

A general view of The Racecourse stadium, the home of Wrexham Football Club, in Wrexham, Britain, September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble

With a superhero prepared to ride into the Welsh hills, however unlikely that might have appeared, hope is high that Wrexham might be primed for lift-off.

Reynolds was listed as the second highest-paid actor by Forbes in 2020 and has a Twitter following of 16.5 million compared to the 54,000 who follow Wrexham while Deadpool broke box-office records when it opened in 2016 with $264.9 million from 62 markets, the most for an R-rated film.

By comparison the tale of Wrexham is a gritty low-budget British niche drama, yet news of the possible injection of some Hollywood glitz has caused quite a stir.

The club badge is pictured on a team shirt in the club shop at Wrexham Football Club in Wrexham, Britain, September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble

"He's a Hollywood actor, if he can play centre forward, I'm sure he'd be welcome," Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said.

One fan was not quite so enthusiastic, however.

"Do we really want our historic club to be the plaything of bored rich kids on the other side of the world? I prefer ongoing mediocrity... plus integrity," Richard Kelly said on Twitter.

The vast majority of Wrexham diehards are thrilled by a possible cash injection of a reported two million pounds from Reynolds and McElhenney. "Fantastic, exciting but bizarre nevertheless," Bryn Law said.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)