image source, Getty Images
- author, Dafydd Pritchard
- role, BBC Sport Wales at Stoke Racecourse
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are used to being star attractions, both in their day jobs as actors and in their roles as Wrexham's owners.
For the Hollywood pair, it may have been something of a novelty for their football club to share the stage with Stockport County on Saturday.
It was to celebrate Wrexham's second successive promotion, and in front of a packed crowd at Stoke Racecourse, League Two A-level players were the support act for the day.
That's because the visiting team had already been crowned champions of their division, and Wrexham's players sent Stockport's players into a guard of honor onto the field before kick-off as a gracious tribute to their achievement.
This may be standard for a player who has just won the League, but it is an important move from Wrexham against their rivals, who won promotion from the National League two years before Wrexham won the League Two title. It was also a statement of intent.
Boxers might say they need a dance partner to bring out the best in themselves. In Reynolds and McElhenney's industry parlance, superheroes need villains to develop the most fulfilling stories.
McElhenney was the only person at the racetrack at the time, as Reynolds had a filming commitment.
“I talked to Ryan quite a bit during the game,” McElhenny said. “I FaceTimed him and I couldn’t hear him and he couldn’t hear me because there were 12,000 people screaming.
“He was obviously disappointed that he wasn't able to play, but a job is a job. I'm not complaining, it was a magical season.”
The atmosphere was definitely celebratory, with fans having gathered outside the stadium since mid-morning, but it was certainly quieter than the frenzied scene that greeted the National League victory here a year ago.
It was cathartic for Wrexham, a glorious moment of liberation after 15 years in the non-league wilderness. Fans streamed onto the pitch, and Reynolds and McElhenny were visibly emotional as they held the trophy aloft.
Compared to that, this time it was modest. Where 12 months ago there were tears of joy, this celebration was colored with gentle hues of quiet contentment and smiles of contentment.
Other than McElhenney, no celebrities were in attendance. The referee was Steve Martin. However, that is different.
Long after the final whistle had blown and the crowd had dispersed, McElhenny was joined on the pitch by club staff, players' families and several other guests.
Vaughan Gething was one of them, enjoying a kickabout with his son in front of the Tech End goal. But even though the first pastor was around, everything felt pretty quiet, like this might be happening in a nearby park.
It matched Wrexham's entire season. Speaking to the players, coaches, staff and supporters, I realized that this season is simply about getting the job done.
It was also about how they achieved that, which ensured their passage into League One with two games remaining.
“I don't think anything can replace the intensity we had last season,” manager Phil Parkinson said.
“I think that's because I was in the National League for 15 years and only one team was promoted.” [automatically] and a head-to-head showdown with Notts County. I finished work two weeks ago, so I wasn't too nervous. ”
But no matter how easily the promotion was achieved, no one took it for granted.
Wrexham have not played in the third tier for 20 years, so securing a return to that level would be a huge step forward for a club on an upward trajectory.
In the second half, Wrexham scored twice to beat Stockport and the crowd that filled the racecourse could be heard chanting “The town is on fire”.
There was no pitch invasion this time. The documentary's camera crew tracked every player and coach's every move after the final whistle, but Disney's third series lacks the drama of the second season.
That's what Parkinson and Wrexham players and fans would have hoped for. No tension, no fuss, no drama.
This might not be the recipe for the most-watched docuseries, but after last season's abysmal slog, even its producers, Reynolds and McElhenney, might have been happy with a more consistent campaign.
After all, there will still be plenty of time to chronicle the grueling tribulations of owning a football club. Wrexham will once again be a star attraction when next season arrives, even in League One.
