By Gareth James
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney said they were ‘humbled’ after becoming the new owners of Wrexham.
The Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST) members voted overwhelmingly to back the takeover with 98.6 per cent of those who responded backing the bid.
“We are humbled and already getting to work,” said Deadpool star Reynolds in a light-hearted video involving both stars promoting club sponsors Ifor Williams Trailers. “Oh ****, this is really happening.”
A message from our owners-elect…
Welcome to Wrexham AFC, @RMcElhenney and @VancityReynolds 🥳
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/ho1vV8cvry
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) November 16, 2020
McElhenney, of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia fame, added: “We just became owners of Wrexham Association Football Club and they are our team sponsor.
“You may never have heard of Wrexham or the Racecourse ground or Ifor Williams, but you will.
“To the Wrexham supporters thank you for your faith, and trust in us.”
Wrexham legend Dixie McNeil hopes the take-over will allow the National League outfit to restore former glories and challenge Cardiff City and Swansea in future years.
“These gentlemen have money,” said McNeil, now the club’s president who was paid a personal visit by McElhenney in recent weeks.
EXTRAORDINARY BALLOT | Result of resolutions
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/oJyGi7ZPa0
— Wrexham Supporters Trust (@WSTtweets) November 16, 2020
“Hopefully the club can move forward, get back into the football league, and advance from there,.
“It puts us at a different level to the one we’ve been at for a long, long while. We want to be up there with Swansea and Cardiff. It’s as simple as that.
“I’d like to see it happen in three to four years.
“When you’ve got the tools to do it with you’re always going to be positive. I would have thought that hopefully within five years we can get into the Championship.”
McNeil scored 54 goals for Wrexham in 167 games and managed the club from 1985-89. He qualified for the European Cup Winners’ Cup in his first season in charge.
Out of more than 2,000 trust members eligible to vote, 1,809 approved, 26 were against and nine abstained.
The trust wished the pair “the very best of luck in charge” and “look forward to what the future brings”.
In a statement, the trust added: “Subject to final agreement, league and FA confirmation – the RR McReynolds Company, LLC will take 100% control of Wrexham Football Club Limited from the WST.
“Both parties will now proceed with finalising the details of the takeover, and we will update Wrexham supporters as soon as we can.”
Reynolds and fellow actor McElhenney had told trust members in a video presentation last week before the vote that they wanted to turn the club into a global force and return them back into the Football League.
Around ÂŁ2m is set to be invested in the National League outfit which has been under fan ownership since 2011.