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| Wrexham AFC's Hollywood finale sparks USA tourism boom | Wrexham AFC's Hollywood finale sparks USA tourism boom |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker with US-based supporter Sarah Jane Gardner | Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker with US-based supporter Sarah Jane Gardner |
| Wrexham is gearing up for one of the biggest weekends in its history as the city's football team - sprinkled with Hollywood glamour - bids for promotion back to the big time. | Wrexham is gearing up for one of the biggest weekends in its history as the city's football team - sprinkled with Hollywood glamour - bids for promotion back to the big time. |
| Wrexham AFC's takeover by star actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has given the non-league side a huge boost. | Wrexham AFC's takeover by star actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has given the non-league side a huge boost. |
| The popularity of a Disney documentary charting the club's highs and lows has also led to a boom in interest. | The popularity of a Disney documentary charting the club's highs and lows has also led to a boom in interest. |
| Businesses also hope for a tourist bonanza fuelled by American visitors. | Businesses also hope for a tourist bonanza fuelled by American visitors. |
| If Wrexham beat Boreham Wood on Saturday they will clinch the National League title and promotion back to the English Football League after a 15-year absence. | If Wrexham beat Boreham Wood on Saturday they will clinch the National League title and promotion back to the English Football League after a 15-year absence. |
| Sarah Jane Gardner has travelled from Oregon to Wrexham for the last three games of the season | Sarah Jane Gardner has travelled from Oregon to Wrexham for the last three games of the season |
| It would fulfil a dream for the club's long-suffering fans - and for the US-based acting duo who took the unlikely decision to buy the relatively small north Wales club. | It would fulfil a dream for the club's long-suffering fans - and for the US-based acting duo who took the unlikely decision to buy the relatively small north Wales club. |
| Their Wrexham courtship has ensured the club a place in the spotlight like never before. | Their Wrexham courtship has ensured the club a place in the spotlight like never before. |
| Celebrity names such as Will Ferrell, Blake Lively - Reynolds' wife - David Beckham and Hugh Jackman have all shown their support. | Celebrity names such as Will Ferrell, Blake Lively - Reynolds' wife - David Beckham and Hugh Jackman have all shown their support. |
| Sarah Jane Gardner, an emergency room technician from Portland, Oregon, flew to the UK last week in the hope of securing tickets for Wrexham's last three matches. | Sarah Jane Gardner, an emergency room technician from Portland, Oregon, flew to the UK last week in the hope of securing tickets for Wrexham's last three matches. |
| She found herself embraced by the global online fan community AskWxm after watching the Welcome to Wrexham documentary to decompress on her lunch breaks. | She found herself embraced by the global online fan community AskWxm after watching the Welcome to Wrexham documentary to decompress on her lunch breaks. |
| Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham in February 2021 | Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham in February 2021 |
| Sarah Jane said: "I found it was just giving me some kind of joy to break the tension and the stress of being at work during the pandemic. | Sarah Jane said: "I found it was just giving me some kind of joy to break the tension and the stress of being at work during the pandemic. |
| "What caught me up was that ability to have a little magical step away, to literally draw me into another world. | "What caught me up was that ability to have a little magical step away, to literally draw me into another world. |
| "And so that's been really nice. I mean, it's got me through some difficult shifts." | "And so that's been really nice. I mean, it's got me through some difficult shifts." |
| Wrexham 'waiting for this' as they close on title | Wrexham 'waiting for this' as they close on title |
| Wrexham fan gets dying wish to see crucial game | Wrexham fan gets dying wish to see crucial game |
| 'Global' Wrexham keeping feet on the ground | 'Global' Wrexham keeping feet on the ground |
| She said while her partner was supportive of her impromptu trip, most of her family and friends have no idea she is in north Wales. | She said while her partner was supportive of her impromptu trip, most of her family and friends have no idea she is in north Wales. |
| "I just wanted to be a part of the community and experience the tingle in the air when the end of the season wrapped up," Sarah Jane said. | "I just wanted to be a part of the community and experience the tingle in the air when the end of the season wrapped up," Sarah Jane said. |
| She managed to secure tickets to the 3-0 win over Yeovil on Tuesday and the Boreham Wood game on Saturday. She was also given a tour of the ground by Humphrey Ker - one of the owners' key advisers. | She managed to secure tickets to the 3-0 win over Yeovil on Tuesday and the Boreham Wood game on Saturday. She was also given a tour of the ground by Humphrey Ker - one of the owners' key advisers. |
| Other visitors from the US have been enjoying local delicacies at Marubbi's cafe in the city centre. | Other visitors from the US have been enjoying local delicacies at Marubbi's cafe in the city centre. |
| A Wisconsin couple got engaged outside Marubbi's cafe, run by Hari Gould's family | A Wisconsin couple got engaged outside Marubbi's cafe, run by Hari Gould's family |
| Hari Gould's family has run it for generations, and he's noticed an increase in American customers looking for a pre-game snack. The savoury pies are, apparently, a big hit. | Hari Gould's family has run it for generations, and he's noticed an increase in American customers looking for a pre-game snack. The savoury pies are, apparently, a big hit. |
| And in January romance was in the air for Nic Harrington and Lainey Simonson from Wisconsin who were over to watch a game. | And in January romance was in the air for Nic Harrington and Lainey Simonson from Wisconsin who were over to watch a game. |
| Hari said: "One couple got engaged outside and that was good, because I wasn't expecting that at all. | Hari said: "One couple got engaged outside and that was good, because I wasn't expecting that at all. |
| "I couldn't believe it at the time. So I took a picture with them and they just love it here, so it must have felt right for him to propose after one of his meals here". | "I couldn't believe it at the time. So I took a picture with them and they just love it here, so it must have felt right for him to propose after one of his meals here". |
| The Hollywood owners are regulars at their club for all the drama | The Hollywood owners are regulars at their club for all the drama |
| Jim Jones, chief executive of North Wales Tourism said: "We could not buy the promotion that (the owners) are bringing to the area. | Jim Jones, chief executive of North Wales Tourism said: "We could not buy the promotion that (the owners) are bringing to the area. |
| "It's a great gateway for people who visit Wrexham to then visit the rest of beautiful north Wales. I think there's not a lot that we really have to do because Rob and Ryan are doing it all for us. | "It's a great gateway for people who visit Wrexham to then visit the rest of beautiful north Wales. I think there's not a lot that we really have to do because Rob and Ryan are doing it all for us. |
| "Hopefully Wrexham will go from strength to strength, not just on the pitch but also in terms of their economic regeneration which includes tourism." | "Hopefully Wrexham will go from strength to strength, not just on the pitch but also in terms of their economic regeneration which includes tourism." |
| Wrexham could even be promoted before Saturday's game, which has a 18:30 BST kick-off. | Wrexham could even be promoted before Saturday's game, which has a 18:30 BST kick-off. |
| But that would happen only if their title rivals Notts County lose in their earlier game against bottom of the table Maidstone United. | But that would happen only if their title rivals Notts County lose in their earlier game against bottom of the table Maidstone United. |
| However, for Wrexham, the maths is simple: Win either of their two remaining matches and they are back in the league they left in 2008. | However, for Wrexham, the maths is simple: Win either of their two remaining matches and they are back in the league they left in 2008. |
| It would be quite a story and the start of a dramatic new chapter for Wrexham - with a Hollywood flourish. | It would be quite a story and the start of a dramatic new chapter for Wrexham - with a Hollywood flourish. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Wales | |
| Wrexham | Wrexham |
| Ryan Reynolds | Ryan Reynolds |
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