Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought non-league Wrexham football club, sparking dreams of on-the-pitch glory for its fans and bringing unexpected publicity for its sponsors.
Fans at Wrexham Supporters Trust voted to give Reynolds, the star of Deadwood, and McElhenney, who starred in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the lead role in their club.
In a comic corporate video, the two Hollywood stars announced the takeover and gave their team sponsor, Ifor Williams Trailers, a lift that no amount of paid advertising could earn.
In the video, they say: “Why are Rob and I pitching a North Walian trailer manufacturer?
"Well, we just became owners of Wrexham Association Football Club and they’re our team sponsor.
“You may have never heard of Wrexham, the Racecourse Ground or Ifor Williams … but you will.”
Some of the staff at Ifor Williams are also Wrexham fans and are dreaming of good times ahead for their National League team.
Project manager Rhys Davies, 40, has been a Wrexham fan all his life, and was a match day mascot for a game against Burnley when he was eight.
“Things have changed a lot since then. We’re in the fifth tier National League while Burnley are in the Premier League.
“I think the last 12-13 years have been very difficult for most fans and the club alike, but we have an incredible fan base and the club has the potential to be even bigger because Wrexham is a proper football town.
“When I heard about Ryan Reynolds being involved it seemed a bit far fetched. All of a sudden my partner wants to be a Wrexham fan.”
Fans of football and the actors are hoping they will attend matches at the club’s Racecourse Ground.
Production support worker Martin Bodden said: “This is just what Wrexham needed. We’ve got the investment now to go to the next level.
“Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have done their research on the club and on the area and the fan base is definitely there.
“The level they can go to is Championship minimum, but hopefully we can reach the Premiership.”
More than 98 per cent of the club’s supporters’ trust voted for the Hollywood takeover.
Carole Williams, a director at the sponsors, said she was delighted by the result of the vote – and their fame by association.
“We were totally blown away and humbled. Not unexpectedly, it was done in a funny and totally original way. It was just incredible.
“But make no mistake, Ryan and Rob are not taking their responsibilities lightly. They are utterly serious about revitalising the club and transforming it into a global force – but without forgetting its roots.
“Ryan and Rob have certainly got off on the right foot. Like all the other fans we’re dreaming of a happy Hollywood ending.”
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now