23 Things I Learned While Watching Welcome To Wrexham
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1.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds had never even been to Wrexham before beginning the process of purchasing the team.
2.
McElhenney and Reynolds had never even met in person before going in on the team together.
3.
McElhenney was drawn to Wrexham because of the working-class roots.
4.
McElhenney and Reynolds received 98% approval from the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust to take over the team.
5.
Even though the Trust voted overwhelmingly for the takeover, the Wrexham community had mixed feelings initially.
6.
Wrexham Football Club is the third oldest professional club in the world and the oldest in Wales.
7.
The Club was founded in the pub outside their stadium, the Turf, in 1864 — and still operates 365 days a year.
8.
Wrexham A.F.C. plays out of the Racecourse Ground, which is named for its original purpose: horse racing.
9.
Once upon a time, Wrexham A.F.C. was one of the best clubs in Wales.
10.
Wales is NOT a part of England and is its own country with an extremely interesting history and their own language: Welsh.
11.
Wrexham was once a prosperous mining, ironworking, and beer-brewing town.
12.
The economic downturn and unemployment of the 1980s was the beginning of Wrexham’s fall from grace.
13.
Clubs like Wrexham A.F.C. are major pillars of their communities.
14.
Which is why when a real estate developer wanted to strip down the Club and sell it for parts, the people of Wrexham retaliated.
15.
Upon preparing the Racecourse Stadium for sale, Wrexham supporters ran Alexander Hamilton out of his ownership of the club.
16.
Enter the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust. … Yes, the fans bought the football club.
17.
The club continued to struggle under Trust ownership.
18.
Being a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, McElhenney loves an underdog story — inspiring his idea for Wrexham A.F.C.
19.
The new owners had to undertake a huge rebuild from the jump, from management to players.
20.
McElhenney received advice from the Eagles’ coach and owner when he was struggling with the club.
21.
Football community is like no other community.
22.
The dark side of football is no joke.
23.
BONUS: Slang in the United Kingdom > American slang any day, and it’s not even close.