Diehard Wrexham AFC fans who work for shirt sponsors Ifor Williams Trailers are hoping for a happy Hollywood ending after the sale of the club to superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney was completed.<\/p>\n
There were whoops of joy from supporters at the iconic company\u2019s factories in Corwen, Cynwyd, Sandycroft and on Deeside Industrial Estate when news that the deal had been finalised came through.<\/p>\n
They are confident the takeover by Deadpool star Reynolds and It\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia\u2019s McElhenney heralds the beginning of a new golden era for the historic club that\u2019s the third oldest in the world.<\/p>\n
The prospects were less glamorous when Ifor Williams Trailers became sponsors in 2015 and the firm\u2019s director Carole Williams pledged to stick by the club when the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the future looked bleak for football.<\/p>\n
Fast forward seven months and the club is the toast of Tinseltown, with the stars\u2019 video including a spoof sales pitch for the trailer company racking up an incredible five million hits.<\/p>\n
Among the television crews beating a path to Ifor Williams Trailers to find the story behind the story was American giant ABC News who even brought a cardboard cut-out of Ryan Reynolds along with them.<\/p>\n
Production operative Kevin Roberts, a lifelong Wrexham fan, is still pinching himself and dreaming of Premiership football – and possibly even signing Gareth Bale one day.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWrexham fans have put up with a lot of heartbreak over the years. This is just totally unbelievable really, it\u2019s something that people dream of.<\/p>\n
\u201cRyan and Rob appear to be\u00a0 such nice and genuine people. This could be the launchpad for something brilliant.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are already betting on where Wrexham are going to finish in the Premier League and whether Gareth Bale is going to sign. It\u2019s opened so many doors.\u201d<\/p>\n
His joy is shared by production support operative Martin Bodden who said: \u201cThis is wonderful news \u2013 it\u2019s been such a strange time over the past year and this has put a smile on people\u2019s faces as we embark on a brand new year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a massive Wrexham fan so I\u2019m still on cloud nine. I can\u2019t stop smiling, I\u2019m over the moon with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone at Ifor Williams Trailers is talking about it, even the people who aren\u2019t fans of football. The atmosphere is electric, it\u2019s phenomenal really.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuccess won\u2019t happen overnight but, with the foundations we\u2019ve put in, the club can move on and hopefully achieve great things in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe glory years of Wrexham saw us in the old Second Division, now known as the Championship. Hopefully, we can go one better now and reach the Premiership. The fanbase is there. We\u2019re living the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a sentiment echoed by team leader Robert Tudor who has supported Wrexham for more than 30 years.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI\u2019ve been there through the bad times and hopefully the good times are here now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWrexham is a proper football club and it\u2019s deserved better for a long time.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs someone who works for Ifor Williams Trailers, I\u2019m very proud to see that name in front of the shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Team Leader Karl Priddin started supporting Wrexham 25 years ago.<\/p>\n
He said:\u00a0 \u201cI was lucky enough to see the Arsenal game with the great goal by Mickey Thomas and the last minute goal by Steve Watkin which a lot of people forget about.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dream now is to reach the Premiership but we\u2019ve got to be patient.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d love to welcome teams like Manchester United and Liverpool to the Racecourse. You want to fill the ground and get that atmosphere as it was back in the 70s and 80s. That\u2019s what the fans want and that\u2019s what they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forklift truck driver Les Morris was bitten by the bug when he saw Wrexham demolish Bradford 6-0 back in 1966.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe last decade has been really dire so hopefully this will give us a massive boost. It has done already.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still have a great fanbase. The number of fans who go to watch the matches is amazing. The sky\u2019s the limit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ifor Williams Trailers director Carole Williams said: \u201cConfirmation that the sale of the club to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has been completed is fantastic news for the fans, the club, the town of Wrexham and the whole of North Wales.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s given everyone a timely boost when the cloud of coronavirus has been hanging over us.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been really encouraging to see that Ryan and Rob have done their homework to get under the skin of the club. They clearly understand and respect the club\u2019s history, its sense of community and the passion of the fans, many of whom work at Ifor Williams Trailers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why the takeover bid attracted the overwhelming support of the fans with more than 98 per cent of them voting in favour of the sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have always been proud to sponsor Wrexham and we hope and believe the future of this precious club is in safe hands.\u201d<\/p>\n