It seems a script you simply couldn’t write.
Actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been named as potential investors in Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer team currently playing in English football’s fifth tier.
The club’s supporters trust confirmed that Reynolds, known for appearing in blockbusters such as “Deadpool,” and McElhenney — co-creator and star in US sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” — will have the chance to put forward their proposal for the club at a general meeting.
The trust had previously met to discuss the potential investment, with 97.5% of the members voting in favor.
“As a result, talks with the proposed bidders will now continue and we are in a position to confirm the two people interested in investing in Wrexham AFC,” read a statement from the Wrexham Supporters Trust Board on Wednesday.
“In due course, Mr. McElhenney and Mr. Reynolds will put forward their vision for Wrexham AFC and proposal for members to vote on at a second Special General Meeting.”
The exact nature of the bid is so far unclear but the latest news follows a club statement last week which confirmed the potential investors would immediately invest around $2.5 million.
READ: Budapest welcomes 20,000 fans for UEFA Super Cup amid growing coronavirus fears
Wrexham has never played in the top-flight of English football before, but the club has previously reached the FA Cup quarterfinals and famously beat Arsenal in the 1992 FA Cup third round.
The club’s proud history also extends into European tournaments, with its most famous night coming in 1984 when Wrexham beat Porto in the Cup Winners Cup.
Wrexham play their home games at the historic Racecourse Ground — the world’s oldest stadium, according to Guinness World Records — which has a capacity of approximately 10,000. Wrexham is also one of the world’s oldest professional football clubs having been formed back in 1864.
The team is one of a number of Welsh clubs to participate within the English football pyramid. It lost its last home game 1-0 to AFC Telford United.
Wrexham’s Twitter following is 54,500, which is somewhat dwarfed by Reynolds’ 16.5 million followers. Reynolds was listed as the second highest-paid actor by Forbes in 2020.
Although it’s unclear why they would have an interest in Wrexham, both actors have history with investments — Reynolds has had a stake in gin and mobile phone companies.
Despite sounding somewhat far fetched, the potential takeover was possibly predicted eight years ago.
On Wednesday, Canadian Reynolds replied to a somewhat personal tweet from 2012 which read: “You never know when Ryan Reynolds is going to turn up in Wrexham.”
“Yep, you never know,” he wrote back. “I’ve waited 8 years to respond to this tweet.”
The potential takeover has caused quite the stir in the UK with First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford welcoming the news.
“There are huge benefits with being part of Wrexham football club, the oldest football club in Wales, with a fantastic fan base, utterly loyal, owning the club itself,” he told Great Morning Britain on Wednesday.
Speaking about Reynolds’ involvement, Drakeford added: “He’s a Hollywood actor, if he can play center forward, I’m sure he’d be welcome.”
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.