How Wrexham fairy tale has given city a feelgood spirit

'RYAN AND ROB HIT THE JACKPOT COMING FOR RED DRAGONS AND NOW WE'RE ALL ENJOYING THE RIDE'

- By DAVID POWELL

IT’S a story too outlandish for a movie; or a four-part series on a streaming platform. Two Hollywood stars turn around the fortunes of a famous old club, down on its luck, in a previously unfashionable corner of the UK.

From non-league to one tier away from the Premier League in the space of four years. Back to back to back and Wrexham are well and truly back in the big time.

The football fairy tale has been well documented - all the way back to the dark days of the coronavirus pandemic - when the rumours swirled that the Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney were set to buy the club. They did in 2021, and after consolidating in their first season, the only way has been up and up and up.

The Dragons 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday - to secure them promotion from EFL Sky Bet League One to the Championship - sparked the mother of all parties with fans filling the stands, pitch and streets of the former mining town.

The champagne may have just about stopped flowing but the feelgood factor sweeping the city shows no sign of ebbing.

In truth, the on-field success has revitalised the city and its people and has had a huge impact economically and culturally.

The tourism spend alone from the two million who visit the city has almost tripled from around £50m before the arrival of Ryan and Rob at the club, to just shy of £180m for 2024.