It felt as if Wrexham would be imprisoned within the National League for the rest of eternity, until a Philadelphian man decided to embark upon a mission to North Wales with the help of a man from Vancouver.
In August 2011, Wrexham were just hours away from being thrown out of the Football League system, due to despicable chairmanship.
However, Wrexham is more than just a football club. The town, as one community, one family, banded together to raise £100,000 in seven hours to save the club.
After almost a decade of fan ownership, it would be hard to entrust the club with two men from the opposite side of the globe, but it would turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to Wrexham.
Tickets for games at the Racecourse Ground and away games across the UK are like gold dust, with consistent crowds of around ten thousand every home matchday.
People come from all across the world to watch Wrexham AFC and their bid for promotion back into the Football League after 15 tiresome seasons.
Rob and Ryan’s first season as co-chairmen of the club, saw the Red Dragons stretch their promotion campaign right until the end. Sadly, there would be no fairytale ending for the Hollywood duo.
After losing narrowly on a big day out to Wembley, focus would shift back to the play-offs, where Phil Parkinson and his men would welcome Grimsby Town to the Racecourse Ground, hoping to bounce straight back into the Football League.
Sadly, the Mariners would win one of the footballing games of the season 5-4, as Wrexham succumbed to another year in the National League deep into extra time.
The most incredible year, with the eyes of the world on Wrexham, would end in crippling heartbreak. All was not lost though, as fuel was merely added to the fire.
The end of the 2021-22 season almost meant the beginning of FX’s Welcome to Wrexham documentary. Millions across the world would now be able to step across the iron curtain in football; behind the scenes of how a football club operates.
Differing to Amazon Prime’s ‘All or Nothing,’ the focus would be on R&R’s sink or swim introduction to football, but more poignantly, Wrexham.
There was a real focus on the town, the people and the community. A direct focus on certain individuals in the town would allow people to understand what Wrexham is better and help the world to further fall in love with the town.
To see how Rob and Ryan took to being co-chairmen was also a joy to see, as Ryan ‘swallowed the red pill,’ with Rob taking to the Welsh language like no other.
Their attitude, respect, hope and passion made them the exact fit for Wrexham. All 18 episodes of Welcome to Wrexham put this feeling across to the locals, and wider world audience, to perfection.
This season has seen Wrexham kick on even further.
The owners’ success in achieving live streaming of every game, has seen the whole world have access to Wrexham games and every game in the National League. Canadians, Americans, Australians, Brazilians and so many more countries can now watch every moment that unfolds.
The exposure to each of the 24 teams in the league can only be put down to the efforts of Rob & Ryan, and so the wider effect of their co-chairmanship of the club can really be felt. Wrexham games alone have generated over £225,000 through streaming up to the end of February 2023.
Spectators all over the world have seen win after win this season, with Wrexham sitting top of the lot, in a two-horse race with Notts County.
Fans also got to join the FA Cup ride, as Wrexham beat Championship giants Coventry City in their own back garden. With the tie ending 4-3 to Wrexham, the scenes at full-time were a true spectacle and one that will live long in the memories of Wrexham fans.
The dream sadly ended in the next round against another Championship side in Sheffield United, but the number of people joining the Wrexham train only increased.
As the final games of the season approach, every finger will be crossed that the inspiring Wrexham squad can finish top and achieve promotion. With the U19 Women’s team and Women’s team recently winning their respective leagues, the men’s side will be hoping to replicate their successes.
Welcome to Wrexham has only added to every Wrexham fan falling in love with the group of players under manager Parkinson, as they have become engrossed with the Wrexham story as much as anyone.
Looking forward, life as a Wrexham fan could not be better, after welcoming Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds to Wrexham.
