Welcome to Wrexham stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were awarded the Freedom of Wrexham this week. The BBC reports that the Deadpool star and his friend sat in on a ceremony that would give them the highest honor in the county. At the city’s Guildhall, Reynolds and McElhenney seemed genuinely moved by the gesture. They’ve made inroads with the Wrexham club, who went on to defeat Notts County later that day! Something amazing has been going on for the supporters of the football club and the surrounding community. You can’t really put a price tag on the exposure that a worldwide television show and material investment has on a place like that. Here’s what Reynolds had to say.
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Council leader Mark Pritchard had praise for the duo back in December. He said, “These two Hollywood stars have had an incredible impact on both the football club and the community, and have helped catapult Wrexham onto the world stage.”
“I think back to that first moment. We were on Zoom speaking to the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust and I don’t think I have ever been as nervy as I was in that exact moment.” Reynolds said. “I’m so touched I get to be a part of this story. I know that we are here so that you guys can thank us for some reason, but I feel like it is the other way around. We want to thank you for what you have given us. Words are too clumsy to quantify what it means to me.”
Reynolds and McElhenney’s Impact on The Wrexham Community
McElhenney would add, “I firmly contend that connection of the people of Philadelphia, the people of Wrexham, I think you can find that in the middle of the United States, in the middle of Saskatchewan (in Canada), in Brazil, in China, I believe we are all the same… Very specifically working class people. If you saw in the show someone who looked like you or sounded like you, it’s because they are you.”
The duo was adamant that they would return this proud club to glory when they completed the sale. They said as much in their introductory letter. “It is a special day for the two of us to become the latest stewards in the long and storied history of Wrexham AFC,” the two wrote for all the fans back then. “Together with the players, the staff, the fans, and the local community, we can now pursue our goal to grow the team and return it to the EFL in front of increased attendances, and in an improved stadium, while making a positive difference to the wider community in Wrexham. Wrexham AFC is only in a position to thrive because of the incredible efforts of the Wrexham Supporters Trust. Their members are a fitting reflection of the integrity and spirit of the town and they will always have an important role at the club.”
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