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<\/a><\/p>\nWREXHAM, Wales (Reuters) -Wrexham secured a fairytale return to the English Football League after a 15-year absence with their Hollywood owners watching on as they beat Boreham Wood 3-1 to win the National League with a game to spare on Saturday.<\/p>\n
All eyes were on the Welsh club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they sought the victory that would secure their emotional return to League Two.<\/p>\n
Boreham Wood threatened to rip up the script when they scored in the opening minute, but an Elliot Lee equaliser after 15 minutes settled nerves at the sell-out Racecourse Ground.<\/p>\n
Wrexham turned on the style after the break with striker Paul Mullin scoring twice, his second goal in the 71st minute kick-starting the promotion party.<\/p>\n
Promotion rivals Notts County had earlier beaten Maidstone 5-2 to raise the stakes but Wrexham responded in blockbuster fashion to seal the title. They have an incredible 110 points to County’s 106.<\/p>\n
Reynolds looked overcome at the final whistle while thousands of fans streamed on to the pitch as red flares lit up.<\/p>\n
“I’m not sure I can actually process what happened tonight. I’m still a little speechless,” Reynolds told BT Sport, which broadcast the match live in Britain.<\/p>\n
“The one thing running through my head over and over again is people said at the beginning ‘Why Wrexham? Why Wrexham?’. This is exactly why Wrexham, happening right now is why.”<\/p>\n
The dollop of Hollywood glitz has made Wrexham’s promotion one of the most unlikely, and heart-warming, stories for many a season.<\/p>\n
“I think we can hear how it feels to the town and that’s what’s most important to us,” said McElhenney. “For us to be welcomed into their community, and be welcomed into this experience, has been the honour of my life.<\/p>\n
“I’d like to say that Paul Mullin is one of the greatest football players in the world.”<\/p>\n
TWIST OF FATE<\/p>\n
The 158-year-old club was relegated from League Two in 2008, faced financial oblivion and after three heartbreaking losses in the promotion playoffs were destined for football’s wilderness.<\/p>\n
The COVID-19 shortened 2019-20 season saw the club finish 19th but a strange twist of fate was just around the corner.<\/p>\n
In November 2020, Canadian actor Reynolds and American actor McElhenney bought the club after their bid received almost 100% backing from the Wrexham Supporters Trust — most of whom must have been scratching their heads in astonishment.<\/p>\n
Suddenly everything began to change for the gritty border town, once known for its iron and coal and leather industry.<\/p>\n
Within months Wrexham became the first minor league side to feature on the hugely-popular FIFA video game in the ‘rest of the world’ category.<\/p>\n
Soon the fantasy football was being played out in real life and Wrexham finished second in the league last season before losing 5-4 to Grimsby Town in the playoff semi-final.<\/p>\n
The locals, who may have suspected at first it was simply a publicity stunt, were energised by the enthusiasm of the new showbiz owners who took a keen interest in all aspects of the club, from the fans to the women’s team.<\/p>\n
Then, in 2022, the club took on cult status thanks to the Disney docu-series “Welcome to Wrexham” which struck a chord with sports fans across the Atlantic and beyond.<\/p>\n
Celebrities such as Will Ferrell and Hugh Jackman began to show their support while American tourists began flocking to the town for a pre-match pint with the locals.<\/p>\n
Reynolds and McElhenney have not just invested heavily in the club — they have become diehard fans — evidenced by their chewed fingernails in a heart-stopping 3-2 win this month against promotion-rivals Notts County.<\/p>\n
“That was the most dramatic thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I couldn’t watch \u2013 I’m never going to be the same again,” Deadpool actor Reynolds said after Wrexham’s former Manchester United keeper Ben Foster made a last-gasp penalty save.<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Martyn Herman in London\/Alan BaldwinEditing by Christian Radnedge)<\/p>\n
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