by Matt Slater
HOLLYWOOD stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny are set to present their take-over plans to Wrexham fans next week.
When the news broke that the pair wanted to take over the non-league outfit, many were shocked, and many thought it was a gimmick.
Lifelong Dragons fan Bryn Law, a former Sky Sports and BBC journalist, was among those people.
“I am surprised that they’re interested in a takeover of a football club at all, given there’s no previous connection with the game. I’m absolutely shocked it’s Wrexham!” said Law.
“There appears to be better potential purchases out there, however, maybe this club offers a bit more bang for your buck given the fact there’s no purchase fee.
“They can immediately target all the investment on things like the playing squad and, potentially, stadium redevelopment.”
It has been said that the pair will inject £2 million into the club – a colossal amount for a club of non-league status.
In 2011, the oldest club in Wales was taken over by the Supporters Trust in order to fight off the threat of extinction after finding themselves £2.6million in debt.
The money that the film stars will invest could see Wrexham make a return to the football league.
The duo will be joined by fans to explain why they want to buy the club and what the club’s future will look like.
The Supporters Trust will vote via Zoom from November 9th and will last until the 15th, with the decision being announced the following day.
The stars, who will be trading under R.R McReynolds, need at least 75% of the votes to take over the fan-owned club.
A vote on the takeover of Wrexham Football Club by @RMcElhenney and @RyanReynolds will happen on the 9th November. https://t.co/hLdOu77gFj
— Peter Gillibrand (@GillibrandPeter) October 29, 2020
Rumours have circulated that the motives of the actors are that they have plans to create a documentary film, like those of league rivals, Salford City FC. But Law is sceptical of this idea.
“I am aware of the documentary suggestion but that just doesn’t seem enough on its own to inspire this level of time and effort – you could do something similar with any kind of low level sporting club much closer to home,” continued Law.
“It will be interesting to hear them explaining the ‘why Wrexham?’ aspect.
“My sense is that they have tasked a broker with finding something suitable, other clubs may have been identified and considered but maybe did not offer the advantages this one does.
“If you wanted a clean page project which offers real potential for improvement, Wrexham certainly fits that description.
“The club’s just about at rock bottom, but debt-free and the gates have held up and will grow significantly with success. So, there is a chance to make a big difference with a relatively small investment.
“It’s a proper football town; one of the oldest professional clubs in the world. So, if they like a bit of history, Wrexham certainly offers that.”
And the journalist, among many others, believes that the takeover will happen.
“My guess is that there will be a landslide vote in favour, people are very excited again. Hopefully, better times might lie ahead after years in the doldrums,” said Law.
“I was a staunch supporter of the Trust model, but we’ve had our chance and we’ve failed. It is time to try something different – In this case, very different.
“The club song is called ‘Wrexham is the name’. A lot more people around the world might be aware of that in the weeks and months to come.”
The stars have shown no intent of getting cold feet, by announcing plans of leasing the Racecourse ground at an annual rate of £115,000, for 25 years.
And the news has been met by fan approval, with many of the co-owners also believing that it is the right time to move the club into millionaire hands, making the takeover look to be all but certain.
