Is Ryan here?
Not yet.
Typical.
The power dynamic begins.
Ryan and I have never met in person,
but we did buy a football team together.
Maybe not the smartest thing to do.
Yeah.
- Looks fine. - Oh, guys,
you're gonna need a bigger crew for this.
- Oh, hi. - Oh, God.
- There he is. - Oh, my.
It's so weird to see you
without the Disney princess filter.
- Yes, on your Zoom. - I know.
- What do you think?
Oh, my God.
- How's it going? - Good. How about you?
This--I think we're wearing-- this is similar colors.
Right, see, this is why it was just meant to be.
I'm going with the Clubber Lang body.
He's not that tall.
- No. - Wow.
No, not with your 6-inch lifts.
- What? Well, yeah. - No.
Hello, my name is Rob McElhenney.
And my name is Ryan Reynolds.
And earlier this year, we became owners
of a football club in Wrexham,
and we thought it was only appropriate
for our Welsh fans to have a translator.
- Wow.
- It's a beautiful language. - Lengthy.
Getting Wrexham out of the National League
and into the EFL is-- is the goal.
Then it really is about putting Wrexham
on a world stage should build this team,
and it's an underdog story, and that's something I love.
- What the fuck was that? - I don't know, man.
Did you hire--who hired her? I don't...
- She's looking at you like... - Looking at me?
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Why are Rob and I pitching
a North Walian trailer manufacturer?
Well, because we just became owners
of Wrexham Association Football Club,
and they're our team sponsor.
You may have never heard of Wrexham,
the Racecourse Ground or...
- Ifor Williams. - But you will.
So to the Wrexham Supporters Trust,
thank you for your faith and trust in us.
We are humbled
and we're already getting to work.
Holy .
This is really happening.
Thanks for gathering.
Um...
your employment by the football club
is not affected by this sale.
You will remain employed by Wrexham AFC.
Okay? So there's no change to your terms of conditions
of employment, but I fully understand
that in any change people do feel,
um, a little bit, uh, nervous about change,
and that is fully understandable.
It was quite emotional actually, talking to the staff
'cause most of these people have been with us
for a long time.
Yeah.
I trust Humphrey with lots of things.
- Hey. - How are you?
Yeah, I'm Humphrey.
Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Dan.
- Hi, Dan. - Hi, are you all right?
- Nice to meet you. - Yeah, it's nice to meet you.
Because I didn't know anybody at first,
I wanted to make sure I had somebody
that I could trust on the inside.
Hello.
I'm Humphrey. I'm--I'm, uh, I'm over from--
I'm like Rob and Ryan's guy.
That's how I'm describing myself for now.
It's nice to work out what we can do to help.
Yeah, basically. Yeah, yeah.
That said, he admittedly doesn't know fuck all
about operating a football club either.
Old Christmas decorations.
So we needed somebody with a vision
of what it is to run a football club.
And Shaun Harvey was way overqualified
for this particular position, but...
I said, "Let's just give it a shot."
I worked in the football industry
for 26 years,
and every day, there was a different problem.
By the time I was 29,
I was the managing director
of Bradford City Football Club,
making decisions at the Premier League table
along with Chelsea, Manchester United,
Liverpool, and all the household names of today.
From there, I moved to Leeds United till 2013
and then became the CEO
of the English Football League.
I remember my first conversation with Rob.
It was more about how can we benefit the community
and make a positive difference
than it was "Do you think we could be playing
in the championship in three years?"
I said, "Have you got that in writing?"
For when all this potentially pans out
and they genuinely don't make any money.
In a moment of weakness,
I've committed to look after the club until such time
as they are able to find a CEO
and effectively to look after their investment
going forward.
- Oh. Shit.
It feels like you're standing in front
of all the coolest bad boys at school.
And, if like me, you spent much of your schooltime
pretending to be a dinosaur,
it feels like a real reversion to "Hi, I'm the dork."
- You got it. - Morning, gents.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Quick introduction. This is Humphrey.
He's coming in as chief executive director, is it?
- Just executive director. - Executive director.
I don't wanna build myself up too much.
- Okay. - Just want--yeah, hi.
Hi, everybody.
Um, my name's Humphrey Ker.
I am gonna be working with you guys.
Basically, my role is I'm gonna be Rob and Ryan's
kind of representative.
I've worked for Rob for a couple of years now
as a writer on one of his TV shows.
So that-- I'm not gonna lie to you,
that is my principal qualification
for becoming involved with the club.
But my role is not gonna have really anything to do
with what goes on on the field, right?
I'm not the CEO.
Uh, I'm not the Director of Football.
I'm nothing like that.
I'm just basically here to represent their interests,
uh, and the club's interests going the other way.
So I'm gonna be a conduit between what you guys need
and what Dean needs, uh,
and what the incoming CEO needs from them,
uh, and you know, what it is that they want to achieve here,
which is the same thing that you guys wanna achieve,
which is to win games, win promotion,
uh, and to, you know, get the best out of this club
for the club and for the town as well, so yeah, that's me.
I'll leave you in Dean's very capable hands
and get out of your hair.
All right, cheers, everybody. Thanks.
Bye-bye.
I see.
You nearly fell over, did ya?
- Oh! Get that off me head, you.
No, no, no. None of that, lad.
Go on.
You're a little madman, aren't you?
Right, come on now.
Let's get you ready, kid.
This is all of the, um, clips
from when Jordan's been growing up,
different photos of-- well, not just his football.
There is--he did other things like go to school
and Christmas concerts and-- and this isn't even all of it
because there's another cupboard full.
I grew up in Wrexham.
It's a great experience to play for your hometown
'cause I know what it means to the fans.
It's my club. It's my town.
It's what my life has been, so when they get frustrated,
I'm just as equally as frustrated, so yeah.
Chanting along with all my mates.
We used to get the bus down
and we used to go to the games.
It was great.
For me for playing for Wrexham,
it's--it's more than going out there
and for myself, for the team.
It's doing it for all my friends, my family,
and the people of the town. It's--
to me it's more than the football club
'cause it's been my life for many, many years now.
Wrexham's a sleeping giant.
With the new owners, it's a massive thing for us.
So I can't wait for that on a personal note.
Under 11s.
Look how tiny you are compared to everybody else.
- Gents. - Moving out!
- How are you? - Can't complain.
The football season is still ongoing
and we are hoping to get to the playoffs.
Anything being said about the tenure of the manager
and the personnel here?
There's been no discussion about people's futures.
We're going to support the manager
and the playing staff to give them every incentive
because that's how we get this club promoted
to the Football League
at the earliest possible opportunity.
It's interesting coming in mid-season
because I have received messages telling me
to fire these people and furlough everybody
and play the kids or sack x, y, and zed.
And it's not just the management structure.
It's not just the players. I mean, there are--
there are people who have beef with almost every element
of this club in some level.
I just hope that in God knows
how many months' time we can get some of these players out.
Look at the management team. It's not good enough.
Positive in what you do.
Mistakes will happen.
Get your teammates out of the shit.
Yeah.
The sooner we can get out of this bloody league, the better.
At the moment, it feels like
the heart's been ripped out of our club.
We keep seeing this. We keep--we keep seeing
these little unbeaten runs with too many draws,
not enough wins.
We definitely need some signs.
Uh, we're going nowhere.
We need a major change in direction in this club.
They seem to be like rabbits caught in a--
caught in a headlight. They don't know what to do.
Nobody knows what to do.
Hopefully that money
is gonna pay the manager off,
fuck him off and get someone else in,
but listen, if it happens, it happens.
If it doesn't, it doesn't.
It fucking needs to be changed
from top to bottom.
Take your fucking staff with ya.
None of you don't wanna do it anymore.
It really is trying times at the moment.
You're going into each game almost defeated as you start.
Please give us hope. All we want is hope.
Do I believe in this group?
100%. 100%.
They'll find a level of consistency
that I feel will get us to where we want to be,
coming into season.
Yes!
Fucking get it!
Get it!
Well done!
It's not about the start. It's about how we finish.
After the takeover, the decision was made
that whilst ever we had a realistic chance
of getting to the playoffs,
there would be no change of manager.
But if we do not get to the playoffs,
Dean Keates was going to have to be relieved of his duties.
You know, truth be told,
a lot of these players
are probably thinking,
"I'm not gonna be here next season."
They either don't feel like they're good enough
or feel that we're likely to just go around
splashing the cash or-- or whatever it may be.
And just life at this level of football
is one-year contracts.
We got a bunch of people's contracts
- that are ending in two months. - Mm-hmm.
One of the things I was really impressed by--Shaun Pearson,
when I first spoke to him was him saying,
"This takeover is great for the town,
"and it's great for my kids 'cause I live in this town,
"but I don't know if it's great for my football career
"because you guys are gonna want
to probably get different players in."
There is--there's a lot of that sentiment through the squads.
You know, they're like, you know,
"I could've been here for three to five years and"--
- Well, they still could be. - Absolutely.
- They perform and they--
and they get in the playoffs and make a run, I mean...
Right.
It's hard to argue with people who are winning.
Right.
The whole town waits with bated breath
as we enter the final match of the season away
to Dagenham and Redbridge.
Is that Pete Jones, a table of six?
Yeah.
Underneath the window.
Opposite that, is that Pete Finchit?
- Yeah. - If Wrexham win,
they're in the playoffs.
Anything less, and the season,
and perhaps Dean Keates, are over.
Um, you can open up, Rich, if you want.
Jan, open, please.
- Let's go. - What are we doing here?
113 in today, guys.
Come on, Wrexham.
When there's a lot of change about to happen,
continuity gives you the best chance of success.
After the takeover,
there was a conscious decision made
to try and provide Dean Keates and the players
with as much support
for the balance of the season as possible.
Dean and the team went on a great run.
All that built to this last game of the season.
A win, and we are in the playoffs.
Every single team's trying to do their best
to get to these playoffs with the rewards
of possibly going into the Football League.
But this is a huge game for Wrexham
in terms of the season they've had
with the buys that have come in.
In their hands, if they win,
they will be heading to the playoffs.
We've got 4:20.
We got 10 minutes till kickoff.
It's a little early.
But I'm glad we got up early enough to have breakfast.
Jordan Davies, I think,
probably worth a mention-- creative player,
young talent, 22 years old.
Seven in his last nine he's scored.
Come good at the right time.
Definitely, and that's exactly
what Wrexham need.
He's been a massive part of everything that they do.
All together, come on!
No current National League club
has been in this division longer than Wrexham,
their 13th season in a row at this level.
Their whole season is on the line in this final.
They'll hope it's still a top-seven finish this time.
I gotta put on my white jersey.
Wrexham is in the green.
Okay, here we go.
Come on, boys.
It'll be a compelling couple of hours
in the race for the playoffs.
- And Johnson to--
To the middle.
Okay, now here's our-- we have a corner kick.
So it's Young to take the corner.
It's a deeper one this time, towards Omotayo.
Netting where the captain up from the back.
Well, it's tense.
It's nervous. It's edgy on this final day
of the campaign for Wrexham.
And it's the Daggers nil, Wrexham nil.
- We know we come. - Yeah.
Come on, boys.
We fucking believe ya, Wrex. We have 'em!
After 13 seasons,
Wrexham have had as a club in the National League,
and as it stands, much can change
in the next 45 minutes.
A change being made as well by Dean Keates at halftime
and it's the experienced Paul Rutherford.
He's coming on here.
Somebody who's been with Wrexham
since the summer of 2016.
Would love to be in his fifth season with the club.
Come on!
The playoff places, but much can change
in the next 45 minutes.
The Wright over to take the shot,
and now Balanta.
And Wright.
- And it's in!
And on a day of such significance
for Wrexham, it's Dagenham and Redbridge here
who take the lead.
Five minutes into the second half.
Hey!
Fucking plenty of time.
- Just fucking relax!
Young looks primed and ready.
And it's...
Young with the ball into the box...
Oh, that was not a good challenge.
He could be in some real trouble here.
Rutherford, it's a red.
A little high.
A red card?
Yeah, he got a red card,
which means he's immediately ejected from the game
and we are down a man for the rest of the game.
And this is threatening
to get very messy indeed here
for Wrexham on the final day.
So now we're down a person, down a goal.
Experienced player at this level
doesn't need to do this.
It doesn't look good, Adam.
Fuck off!
That's yellow card shown here.
Davies .
One goal in the current circumstances
wouldn't be enough for Wrexham,
but it'd certainly be a big step in the right direction.
Wrexham here having to throw everything at this.
Get the ball! Get the fucking ball!
That's a great pass as well.
And then get the ball over towards Ponticelli.
Goal! No way.
And they've got the equalizer.
It's hope here for Wrexham.
Come on, boys. Come on, boys. Come on.
Fucking come on!
That goal on its own
won't be enough, but it's a glimmer--
a glimmer of hope here for Dean Keates and Wrexham.
See, this is-- you know, never give up.
Never give up.
You're in. Right, right!
And now, of course, they still--
No way.
Here's Vilhete.
No way. No way.
- No way.
And Pearson's
and Ponticelli was there as well!
On the deflection, almost took it into the path of Pearson.
- God, we had a--we had a run. - Could this be?
Wrexham have to score
or their playoff hopes, their promotion hopes
are over.
- Come on! Come on!
Surely this will be the last chance
to get it forward.
- It's a hard time for this. Yep.
Can they do it?
Pearson with the header.
Will it bounce here for Wrexham?
- No, it doesn't!
Their promotion dream is over.
Fuck off!
On the final day.
It will be a 14th straight season
in the National League for Wrexham.
And Wrexham's promotion hopes in tatters.
Well, it's gonna be a tough, tough day now
for Wrexham to recover from this.
Just this game, you look at not being good enough.
Big moments in the game that have cost you,
especially the red cards to Rutherford.
But you look over the course of the season,
that's when you look now-- when you look
at the League table, have they been good enough?
We just got knocked out of the playoffs by one point.
Hi, Ryan.
Hello there.
I do not like losing.
This is true.
We--
We will aim to avoid losing as much as possible
for next season.
Yeah.
There's so much riding on a team's relegation
or promotion.
If we don't win, what are we gonna do?
Our goal is to get the fuck out of this league.
Like, that's it.
If you don't get promoted...
that's our fault.
Telling somebody that their services
are no longer required-- that's really hard.
But that's the world of football.
That is the game. You know, we weren't
going into the season to finish seventh or eighth,
so the view was a new manager would give us that best chance
of success.
Not everybody can come on the journey with us.
Dean and Andy and Carl did a very solid job,
but what was previously an acceptable standard
of--of performance is now no longer that.
It makes it really challenging though
as a--as a co-chairman
when you're letting players go.
When you're in the fifth tier, it's--it's--
a lot of these players are playing for their lives.
They don't have these Premier League contracts
that they can, you know, fall back on and go,
"Oh, it's, you know, could retire tomorrow."