Ryan Reynolds warned football club will make 'bigger and more special' rise than Wrexham
Wrexham's Hollywood owners have been told that the achievements of a non-league football club could soon overshadow their own. Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have guided the Red Dragons to remarkable success over the past four years following three consecutive promotions.
The pair of actors have transformed the Welsh side from National League also-rans into a Championship outfit with dreams of Premier League football on the horizon. But the owner of National League outfit Truro City has now insisted their ascent is "bigger" and "more special" than Wrexham 's.
Canadian entrepreneur Eric Perez assumed control of the club in November 2023 as part of the Ontario Inc consortium. Truro clinched the National League South crown in April this year during the new ownership's maiden full campaign at the club.
By doing so, they became the first Cornish side to secure promotion to non-league's highest division, with Perez believing that makes their achievements more significant than Wrexham's.
"I think what we're doing is even more special than what they've done," Perez told BBC Radio Cornwall. "There are, at the end of the day, five league clubs from Wales. There's only one club in Cornwall that's even close to the Football League. If we could get there, it would be something that would change Cornwall forever.
"It would weave a patch into the cultural tapestry of a place that has been alive and vibrant for 3,000 years. To be able to do something like that is, to me, what life is all about, so I actually feel like this is bigger than Wrexham could ever be."
Alongside securing triumph on the field, Perez and Truro's other backers have been working hard to enhance the club's facilities. A new stadium was constructed on the city's outskirts approximately 12 months ago to stage the side's fixtures, with additional development occurring this summer.
In contrast to Reynolds and Mac, Perez brings prior expertise in managing sporting organisations, having previously owned Cornwall's rugby league outfit and maintained connections with Toronto Wolfpack. Whilst Wrexham's remarkable rise may have captured King Charles's interest, prompting his visit to the Racecourse Ground in December 2022, Truro boast their own royal fan.
Perez said: "It's just been such a journey. I remember when we first took over the club and we set out some goals, no-one really paid attention. I think everyone's paying attention now, because we are really on the cusp of something huge here playing our first home National League match.
"It's been a super hectic off-season. First of all, we've had a stadium renovation that we've done, building a new main stand to accommodate what is now the requirements for this league. Then obviously transitioning the club from hybrid to full-time professional, that's been massive."
Whether Truro can emulate Wrexham's success is yet to be seen. However, Perez is content with the club maintaining its position in the National League for now.
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Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'.
But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in...
Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
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