Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be thrilled after it was announced Wrexham AFC have sold over 24,000 shirts during the 2022/23 season so far.
Back in November 2020, Deadpool star Reynolds joined forces with McElhenney - famed for creating and starring in ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ - to purchase Wrexham AFC for $2.76million amid plenty of fanfare. The duo have become symbols of Welsh football around the world with the publicity they have bought to the club and the area.
They have also brought immense exposure to the area as they celebrate the Welsh town on their global platforms. This past year, a documentary was released on their journey entitled 'Welcome to Wrexham' - which has since been rebooted for a second season.
Reynolds and McElhenney also host a show - the Rob, Ryan, Red Podcast - where they discuss happenings at Wrexham. On the latest episode titled ‘Shaun of the Red’, the duo grilled Wrexham CEO Shaun Harvey on a number of pressing topics, including the Kop stand re-development at the Racecourse, ticket availability and shirt sales.
Harvey revealed how many shirts have been sold as the club enjoy their new fame - and the numbers are baffling. The Wrexham CEO said: “24,000 shirts have been and gone. At first, well, I thought we'd ordered too many. And I suspect if you'd have asked most people how many they think we should order at the start of the year, they wouldn't have got to 24,000 either.”
Harvey added: “Next season, we're going to order a lot more shirts. We're looking at ordering 35,000 shirts next season across three kits.
“I’m still no wiser now to this day if that's the right number. We'll do better, because there will be more shirts earlier. We can top up that order again when the first lot of orders come in.”
He also revealed co-chairman Reynolds and McElhenney have given their input into the designs for the three kits the club will launch in the 2023/24 season. The pair have taken a hands-on approach since arriving at Wrexham, and Reynolds even posted a tribute message as long-serving goalkeeper Christian Dibble left the club after five-and-a-half years.
On Thursday, goalkeeper Dibble - the club’s longest serving first-team player - left Wrexham by mutual consent. Reynolds took to Instagram to write: “Christian Dibble is a huge reason we're in the position we're in today and more importantly, a huge reason so many people across the globe believe in this club.
“His grit, grace and integrity are second to none. He's had his teammates backs every step of the way. Whichever team is lucky enough to have him next is not only getting a top flight player, but a leader on and off the pitch. I’ll miss him at the Racecourse.”
Wrexham host Championship side Sheffield United in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
