Wrexham AFC takeover is the ‘role of a lifetime’, says Ryan Reynolds

The takeover of Wrexham AFC is the “role of a lifetime”, according to Ryan Reynolds.

The actor, who co-owns the club with fellow Hollywood star Rob McElhenney, has also vowed to fans that he will not be calling the beautiful game “soccer”.

The Deadpool actor was speaking to Sky News ahead of the release of his latest film Free Guy.

He said: “I wouldn’t dare call it soccer. I care about my well-being enough to not call it soccer.”

He and McElhenney, the creator and star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, took 100% control of the Red Dragons, from the Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST) in February after the bid was approved by fans. They have invested £2m as part of the deal.

Reynolds said: “Well, first off, [I’m] super excited. I mean, we’ve made no secret of that, it’s the role of a lifetime for both me and for Rob McElhenney.”

He also said he was looking forward to finally going to Wrexham for the first time.

The club will play its first match of the season at home against Yeovil Town on Saturday 21 August.

Reynolds said: “I think the first thing we’re going to do is we’re going to go to the Racecourse and just spend some time on the ground and just kind of try to absorb as much of the legacy as we can of the club and Wrexham.

“And then we’re going to jump into the community as much as we can. You know, I’m excited to just be in the town and experience all that the town has to offer.”

‘Rich history’ 

He added: “There’s such a rich history in Wrexham and there’s such a legacy of incredible adoration and love for this club and we kind of feel like both the community and the club are really intertwined. We’re excited about hopefully raising the profile of both.”

He also spoke about his own footballing abilities, saying: “My football skills are all right. I mean, I played for, I don’t know, 10 years as a kid. I don’t even pretend to be anywhere near the level of the players in the club or even just your average, everyday, you know, human being in Wales.

“I wouldn’t put my skills up against anyone, but I love it. Yeah, I definitely love it. I’m excited to see the club go.”

Free Guy, which is released in cinemas on Friday 13 August, tells the story of Guy, a bank worker who lives a Groundhog Day-style existence until he discovers he is actually no more than a background character in a violent, open world video game.