What’s more thrilling than red carpets and film premieres? An unfancied Welsh football team?

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney clearly think so, having announced they are taking over Wrexham AFC.

The Welsh club has been in fan ownership since 2011, but an overwhelming 98.6% voted in favour of the actors buying their club, in what is a truly surreal moment for football. The $2.5 million deal for Wrexham, the world’s third oldest football club, will no doubt help the club to gain promotion back to the professional English Football League.

Currently 14th in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, Wrexham are not quite A-listers in the football world… yet. Reynolds and McElhenney, however, have high hopes for the club’s future. The pair do not seem short of ambition, as Reynolds shares their plan to “introduce the club to the world and turn it into a global force.”

“You may have never heard of Wrexham”, he adds in a Welsh accent doing the rounds online, “but you will.”

McElhenney, who created the TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, said: “We should be thinking about Wrexham the way Manchester United think about Manchester United – engaging in the club and the communities. What a great way to do it!”

The actors have invested, it seems, in far more than just the club, connecting with the fans and the community of Wrexham, North-East Wales, more broadly. Reynolds, in particular, seems excited about this part of the job. He said: “We want to have a pint with the fans!”, as the Deadpool film star intends to watch as many games as possible when stadiums reopen to supporters.

The pair are also using their film industry expertise to further promote the club, as arrangements are already in place to use Wrexham FC in a TV series.

In a statement, Wrexham Supporters Trust Board said: “We would like to wish them the very best of luck in charge of our Football Club and look forward to what the future brings.”