Tears, anarchy as Hollywood star’s wildest football dream comes true

A Hollywood star has broken down in tears as a football fairytale produced scenes of absolute anarchy on Sunday morning.

Wrexham’s Hollywood owners were moved to tears after the club won promotion back to the Football League in dramatic scenes on Sunday morning.

Every Tinseltown film needs a hero – and Paul Mullin proved to be Wrexham’s as his double sealed a return to the EFL after a 15-year-exile, sparking a mass pitch invasion.

The North Wales club – owned by film and TV superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – went behind against play-off chasers Boreham Wood.

But their nerves were settled when Elliot Lee levelled before Mullin knocked in his 45th and 46th goals of the season to send the Racecourse Ground into raptures, The Sun reports.

Ryan Reynolds could not believe it.

And if Reynolds and McElhenney – who bought the club in February, 2021 – have their way, this is just the start of a rapid rise through the divisions for Wrexham.

They’ve already attracted supporters from the around the world, thanks to their documentary ‘Welcome to Wrexham’.

Wrexham are back in the Football League, look at what it means. pic.twitter.com/ti7Z9ilza2

— Welsh Football Fans (@welshfootball_) April 22, 2023

Its second series, which is being filmed this season, will surely attract even more viewers as they wait to see where this journey could take them.

And they were even given a hand by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who said: “Congratulations Wrexham. A club with such an amazing history, looking forward to a very exciting future back in the football league. Doing Wales proud. W.”

Rob McElhenney was overcome with emotion.

Rob McElhenney was left in tears.

Wrexham will have a taste of the big time in July, when they are due to take on Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea in California and North Carolina as part of their American pre-season tour.

As well as Reynolds and McElhenney, the Red Dragons had another Stateside visitor for this vital clash, with Ant Man star Paul Rudd rocking up at The Turf, the boozer made famous by Welcome to Wrexham.

And he would have been on edge – together with the 10,162 who packed into the Racecourse – when Lee Ndlovu put Boreham Wood in front after just 43 seconds.

The tension was palpable as the hosts struggled to find a way into the game, with Femi Ilesanmi going close to adding a second.

Wrexham's fans celebrate on the pitch. Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP.

But Wrexham equalised on 15 minutes after Lee headed in at the near post and went in front on 52 minutes when Mullin drilled home beyond Wood goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore.

Any nerves were well and truly settled on 71 minutes when Wrexham grabbed a third after Mullin’s sensational strike from inside the box

And their promotion back to League Two came 15 years to the day since they were relegated to England’s fifth tier.

There were emotional scenes at the final whistle as Reynolds and McElhenney called their families while crying.

At the same time, elated fans flooded the pitch to celebrate their success and toast their heroes in style.

— This story originally appeared on thesun.co.uk and has been republished with permission

Originally published as Tears, anarchy as Hollywood star’s wildest football dream comes true