Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds woke up on Sunday smelling of “champagne, beer and grass” after a night to remember in Wrexham.
But the star showed his classy side before Saturday's momentous 3-1 victory over Boreham Wood - by spending time in the quiet zone he and co-owner Rob McElhenney set up for fans suffering with health problems.
Reynolds was pictured with Caleb Webb, nine, who has been seriously ill with Crohn’s Disease.
Caleb’s mum Stacey, 35, who also has the condition, said: “It is not the first time he (Ryan) has done it.
“I would say nine times out of ten he will always come over to the disabled section where the kids are.
“He will come and say hello and have a chat with them. Most of the kids don’t understand he is a famous Hollywood actor. They just see him as a friend.
“The first time he came over to Caleb he said ‘hello little man’ and bent down and chatted to him.”
She added: “He (Ryan) really does care. He puts everyone before himself. He has got a heart of gold and he really cares for the kids.
“Caleb just thinks him and Ryan are best mates now. He was the mascot in March and the club treated him like royalty.”
The Deadpool star later watched his team win promotion to the Football League for the first time in 15 years.
And Reynolds was clearly overcome with emotion the next day.
He tweeted: “Everything I own smells like champagne, beer and grass. I’m still somewhere between giggling and sobbing. This town and this sport is one of the most romantic things on earth. Thank you, @Wrexham_AFC”.
Reynolds and McElhenney had watched the match with another A-lister, their close friend and Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd.
The victory sparked jubilation in the city and after the final whistle co-owner McElhenney, star of the US comedy series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” said: ”We can hear how it feels to the town.
"How it feels for the town is the most important to us - it's a moment of catharsis for them and celebration - and to be welcomed into this community and this experience is the honour of my life."
Pointing to the fans who danced on the pitch after the final whistle, Reynolds added: "People said at the beginning 'why Wrexham?', this is exactly why Wrexham, happening right now.”
After the match the victorious players sang Queen's anthem We Are The Champions in the dressing room.
And Reynolds interrupted a press conference to demand the shirts from two of his stars, goalkeeper Ben Foster and midfielder Elliot Lee.
When asked if he planned to sell the shirts on eBay, Reynolds quipped: “Listen, I work in show business, we fall on hard times.”
The team later enjoyed a night on the town with striker Ollie Palmer filmed sitting in the boot of a car chanting “Wrexham, Wrexham” as he was cheered by supporters.
In The Turf pub on Sunday, alongside the club’s Racecourse Ground, fans continued the celebrations.
Geraint Griffiths, 67, who has been watching the team since he was 11 years old, said: “It was amazing. I had every faith in them to do it and they did.
“The last two years have been incredible. They (Ryan and Rob) have done so much for the community it has been incredible.”
His wife Julie, 57, said: “It was a fabulous atmosphere and it was quite emotional.”
Geraint added: “We both woke up this morning and said ‘let’s go to The Turf’. We don’t want this feeling to end.”
David Ingham, 60, said: “There have been some phenomenal nights at the Racecourse but last night there was just palpable excitement.
“From the start of the season I thought this would happen and it has.
“We want to say a big ‘thank you’ to Ryan and Rob. We have been pinching ourselves over what has happened since they came along.”
The Turf has featured in the Disney+ TV series “Welcome to Wrexham” which has told the story of the takeover by Ryan and Rob.
Joe Donahue, 42, became hooked on the show in his home near Birmingham, Alabama, and flew across the Atlantic last week in time for Saturday’s match.
“It was amazing. There was just so much energy in the stadium and throughout the city” he said.
Wrexham AFC, formed in 1864, is the oldest club in Wales and the third oldest club in the world.
But in the early 21st century it struggled with financial woes and fans set up a supporters trust to buy the club in 2011, putting it on an even keel and laying the groundwork for the takeover by Ryan and Rob.
Andy Gilpin, editor of the Wrexham fanzine and podcast “Fearless in Devotion”, said: “Being honest, I never thought this day would happen.
“Over the years there have been so many false dawns. You think we are going to do it in a particular season and then the manager leaves or something else happens.
“About eight years ago our top scorer got bitten by a poisonous spider and was out for the season.
“You think your luck is never going to be in and then we get all the luck with Ryan and Rob coming in two years ago.”
Reynolds, 46, and McElhenney, 45, completed a £2million takeover of the National League side in February 2021 and have since helped transform the club and boost the local economy.
Earlier this month the pair were given the freedom of the city, with Ryan telling councillors: "I'm so touched that I get to be a part of this story.
"I know we're here so you guys can thank us for some reason but I feel like it is the other way around and we want to thank you. Words are too clumsy to quantify what it means to me, what it means to Rob."
In addition to supporting the men’s team, the pair have also backed the women's side and made them the first semi-pro players in the Welsh league.
And away from football, the pair's presence has been credited with sparking a £136million investment boost to the city.
Earlier this year FI Real Estate Management, the largest landowner at Wrexham Industrial Estate, bought an additional 56 acres of land.
The firm's founder, Tim Knowles, said the decision reflected a surge in demand from companies and the feelgood factor given to the area by the football club.
Wrexham’s success has also won Royal approval with Prince William tweeting his congratulations to everyone in the city, saying: "A club with such amazing history, looking forward to a very exciting future back in the Football League. Doing Wales proud.”
