Ryan Reynolds was shocked how much money he’d lose if Wrexham weren’t promoted to League Two

There was a lot riding on last weekend's match between Wrexham FC and Boreham Wood.

The former's owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny, had spent loads of money trying to revamp the virtually unheard of football club.

There had been a Disney+ documentary series detailing their valiant rise through the ranks during the season.

They had created so much buzz around the Welsh side that seats started filling up.

And it all came down to this match.

Wrexham ended up winning the match 3-1 and secured their spot in League Two for the first time since 2009.

It was an incredible feat and one that secured days-long celebrations for everyone involved.

The club is now top of the table and are four points clear of second-place Notts County ahead of their final match of the season against Torquay United.

However, it could have been a very different story if they didn't get their fairytale ending.

The Welcome to Wrexham documentary series showed how Reynolds and McElhenny bought the team back a few years ago and it has charted their process over the many months.

In one particular scene, McElhenny was seen explaining to his co-owner what would happen if they didn't get what they wanted.

“And then if we don’t get promoted the year after that, we will lose £1 million,” McElhenney added.

Reynolds said in reply: “Okay, that’s umm...scary as f**k. Alright.”

Thankfully though, they haven't had to experience this narrative.

But that's not to say they haven't already spent a pretty penny since their takeover.

The biggest payout was when Reynolds and McElhenney first bought the struggling side back in late November 2020.

However, it was far from a done deal when the Deadpool star invested nearly $2.75 million (approximately £2.2 million) for the club.

In a recent interview, the 46-year-old actor revealed that he hadn’t actually told his wife, Blake Lively, about his latest venture.

When he spoke about the poorly planned buy-out, he jokingly told Jimmy Kimmel: "We’re still working through that one."

However, that would only be the beginning as Reynolds and McElhenney have since invested an insane £10 million during their takeover of the club.

This even included buying back Wrexham’s beloved grounds: Racecourse Ground stadium.

Having been sold off over a decade ago to Wrexham Glyndwr University, it cost the comic duo a staggering £3.67 million – according to the club’s accounts in June 2022.

Reynolds and McElhenney have also recently unveiled ambitious plans to redevelop the ageing site as Wrexham FC’s popularity soars.

Estimated to cost up to £90 million, the pair will rebuild the Kop stand with seating for an additional 5,500 fans, with new offices and a hospitality wing to host even more of their A-List mates.

Featured Image Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo. Cody Froggatt / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham FC, Sport

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Senior Journalist at LADbible. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign. He is in charge of the LADbible Australia editorial content and social presence.

@stewartperrie