Ryan Reynolds on the remarkable growth of Wrexham: 'The pride people now have is just contagious'

Ryan Reynolds, co-chairman of Welsh football club Wrexham, discussed the remarkable growth of the team and its impact on the local community during a fireside conversation in Abu Dhabi. Reynolds, along with fellow actor Rob McElhenney, bought the club in 2021, taking over a team that was struggling in the fifth tier of English football.

Since then, Wrexham has secured three successive promotions to the second-tier Championship and has won eleven Primetime Emmy Awards. The club's success has brought a renewed sense of pride and identity to the town of Wrexham, which Reynolds described as "liveable" after watching it transform over six years. Reynolds emphasized that the club's growth has also had a significant economic impact, with tourism revenue now approaching £200 million annually.

He stressed that the key to Wrexham's resurgence was listening and allowing the community to grow organically, rather than imposing a grand plan. Reynolds shared stories of community members who found solace and connection through the club, such as the heart transplant story of Bailey, a young fan who tragically passed away. The club's story has become a Hollywood-style journey, with Reynolds and McElhenney aiming to bring Wrexham closer to the English Premier League.