Into the 'Dragons' den

How Hollywood actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought their own football club

- JOHNATHON HUGHES, IAN MACEWAN

NEW FACTUAL

Welcome to Wrexham

From Thursday 25 August, Disney+

As Hollywood stars, actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are no strangers to stories of triumph and disaster – but the pair’s latest screen venture easily tops their movies and TV shows for sheer drama and suspense.

In November 2020, the A-listers launched a successful £2 million takeover bid for Wrexham AFC – one of the oldest football teams in the world – who were languishing in the sport’s fifth tier, the National League, after dropping out of the English Football League in 2008.

But how would two North American actors with zero football experience fare as owners of a non-league Welsh club with a proud history, strong community links and a passionate fan base?

Starting with a double bill, new 10-part Disney+ docuseries Welcome to Wrexham promises to answer that question as it follows the actors on their steep learning curve at the home of the Dragons, the Racecourse Ground – the world’s oldest international football venue.