Wrexham Women’s goal-scoring hero Rosie Hughes left Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in awe after helping her side clinch the Genero Adran North title in front of a record crowd at the Racecourse.
A crowd of 9,511 supporters, a new record for a Welsh women's domestic football game, witnessed Wrexham beat Connah’s Quay 2-1 on Sunday with Hughes scoring the late winner to win their league with a 100% winning record (12 from 12). It sets up a promotion play-off in April as Wrexham bid to reach Welsh women's football's top flight, the Adran Premier.
Post-match, player of the match Hughes was in the middle of conducting a live TV interview when Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney strolled over to congratulate her live on air.
“Nine thousand people watching me - incredible," Hughes, 27, told S4C's Sgorio. "It's a surreal experience, look around us. I don't think it's really hit me that I've scored the winning goal at the Racecourse with 9,000 people watching, I've got Rob and Ryan stood next to me, it's incredible. I left it quite late but I like to keep suspense! I'm so proud of the whole team."
Reynolds told Hughes during the interview: “I had three little girls watching today, my own, and they’re really inspired. They love you and they love what you are doing and they’re so proud of you like we are. This is just incredible.”
McElhenney added: “[The passion] had always been here and it’s thanks to people like Rosie and the entire team. All we’ve done is shone a little spotlight.”
Hughes added: "Football is for girls just as much as it is for boys."
The win came a day after Wrexham's men recorded a 3-0 league win against York City on Saturday, which was also watched on by their world-famous owners.
Reynolds later tweeted saying he and McElhenney were both choked up by Wrexham Women's achievements.
"Two days of Wrexham football. Nearly 20,000 people passed through the gates to see Wrexham win — but the main event; Wrexham Women winning it all and hoisting the big trophy. These women played their guts out and Rob and I couldn’t be prouder or more choked up."
Wrexham Women are now waiting to learn whether they will be granted a tier-one licence, a requirement for clubs in the Adran Premier. If they are granted one, they will face a play-off against Briton Ferry Llansawel, who clinched the Adran South title on Tuesday night with victory over Caldicot Town. The winners of the play-off would then secure promotion into the Welsh top flight next season.
Should they go up, Wrexham have previously committed to turning their women's side into a semi-professional outfit, becoming the first football club in the Welsh women's pyramid to do so.
The new attendance record at Wrexham almost doubled the previous tally of 5,175 fans turning up to watch Cardiff City Women beat Abergavenny in the Welsh capital in October.
Gemma Owen, head of women's football at Wrexham, said club owners Reynolds and McElhenney have given their full support to the women's team. "Ryan and Robert are across everything that is going on with the women's section of the club," she said. "They know exactly what's happening, they know exactly what's needed. It's a really good platform for us to continue growing at the rate that we are. It's not just something they've said and then they've not delivered on it. We'll continue to have that support from them going forward."
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