01x02 - Reality

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Welcome to Wrexham". Aired: August 24, 2022 - present.*
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American documentary about the events of Welsh association football club Wrexham A.F.C., as told by the club’s owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
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01x02 - Reality

Post by bunniefuu »

Is Ryan here?

Not yet.

Typical.

The power dynamic begins.

Ryan and I have never met
in person,

but we did buy a football team
together.

Maybe not the smartest thing
to do.

Yeah.

- Looks fine.
- Oh, guys,

you're gonna need
a bigger crew for this.

- Oh, hi.
- Oh, God.

- There he is.
- Oh, my.

It's so weird to see you

without
the Disney princess filter.

- Yes, on your Zoom.
- I know.

What do you think?

Oh, my God.

- How's it going?
- Good. How about you?

This... I think we're wearing...
This is similar colors.

Right, see, this is why
it was just meant to be.

I'm going with
the Clubber Lang body.

He's not that tall.

- No.
- Wow.

No, not with your 6-inch lifts.

- What? Well, yeah.
- No.

Hello,
my name is Rob McElhenney.

And my name is Ryan Reynolds.

And earlier this year,
we became owners

of a football club in Wrexham,

and we thought
it was only appropriate

for our Welsh fans
to have a translator.

Wow.

- It's a beautiful language.
- Lengthy.

Getting Wrexham out
of the National League

and into the EFL is...
Is the goal.

Then it really is about
putting Wrexham

on a world stage
should build this team,

and it's an underdog story,
and that's something I love.

- What the f*ck was that?
- I don't know, man.

Did you hire... who hired her?
I don't...

- She's looking at you like...
- Looking at me?

♪ Come gather round people

♪ Wherever you roam

♪ And admit that the waters
around you have grown ♪

♪ And accept it
that soon you'll be drenched ♪

♪ To the bone

♪ If your time to you
is worth savin' ♪

♪ Then you better
start swimmin' ♪

♪ Or you'll sink like a stone ♪

♪ For the times, they are

♪ A-changin'

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- Visit...
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Why are Rob and I pitching

a North Walian
trailer manufacturer?

Well,
because 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.

So to the
Wrexham Supporters Trust,

thank you for your faith
and trust in us.

We are humbled

and we're already
getting to work.

Holy.

This is really happening.

Thanks for gathering.

Um...

your employment
by the football club

is not affected by this sale.

You will remain employed
by Wrexham AFC.

Okay? So there's no change
to your terms of conditions

of employment,
but I fully understand

that in any change
people do feel,

um, a little bit, uh,
nervous about change,

and that is fully
understandable.

It was quite emotional
actually, talking to the staff

'cause most of these people
have been with us

for a long time.

Yeah.

I trust Humphrey
with lots of things.

- Hey.
- How are you?

Yeah, I'm Humphrey.

Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Dan.

- Hi, Dan.
- Hi, are you all right?

- Nice to meet you.
- Yeah, it's nice to meet you.

Because I didn't know
anybody at first,

I wanted to make sure
I had somebody

that I could trust
on the inside.

Hello.

I'm Humphrey.
I'm... I'm, uh, I'm over from...

I'm like Rob and Ryan's guy.

That's how
I'm describing myself for now.

It's nice to work out what
we can do to help.

Yeah, basically. Yeah, yeah.

That said, he admittedly
doesn't know f*ck all

about operating
a football club either.

Old Christmas decorations.

So we needed somebody
with a vision

of what it is
to run a football club.

And Shaun Harvey
was way overqualified

for this particular position,
but...

I said,
"Let's just give it a sh*t."

I worked
in the football industry

for 26 years,

and every day,
there was a different problem.

By the time I was 29,

I was the managing director

of Bradford City Football Club,

making decisions
at the Premier League table

along with Chelsea,
Manchester United,

Liverpool, and all
the household names of today.

From there, I moved
to Leeds United till 2013

and then became the CEO

of the English Football League.

I remember my first
conversation with Rob.

It was more about how
can we benefit the community

and make a positive difference

"than it was" Do you think
we could be playing

in the championship
in three years?"

I said, "Have you got that
in writing?"

For when all this
potentially pans out

and they genuinely
don't make any money.

In a moment of weakness,

I've committed to look after
the club until such time

as they are able to find a CEO

and effectively
to look after their investment

going forward.

Oh. sh*t.

It feels like
you're standing in front

of all the coolest
bad boys at school.

And, if like me, you spent
much of your school time

pretending to be a dinosaur,

it feels like a real reversion
to "Hi, I'm the dork."

- You got it.
- Morning, gents.

- You all right?
- Yeah.

Quick introduction.
This is Humphrey.

He's coming in as chief
executive director, is it?

- Just executive director.
- Executive director.

I don't wanna build myself up
too much.

- Okay.
- Just want... yeah, hi.

Hi, everybody.

Um, my name's Humphrey Ker.

I am gonna be working
with you guys.

Basically, my role is
I'm gonna be Rob and Ryan's

kind of representative.

I've worked for Rob
for a couple of years now

as a writer
on one of his TV shows.

So that...
I'm not gonna lie to you,

that is my principal
qualification

for becoming involved
with the club.

But my role is not gonna have
really anything to do

with what goes on
on the field, right?

I'm not the CEO.

Uh, I'm not
the Director of Football.

I'm nothing like that.

I'm just basically here
to represent their interests,

uh, and the club's interests
going the other way.

So I'm gonna be a conduit
between what you guys need

and what Dean needs, uh,

and what the incoming CEO
needs from them,

uh, and you know, what it is
that they want to achieve here,

which is the same thing
that you guys wanna achieve,

which is to win games,
win promotion,

uh, and to, you know,
get the best out of this club

for the club and for the town
as well, so yeah, that's me.

I'll leave you
in Dean's very capable hands

and get out of your hair.

All right, cheers, everybody.
Thanks.

Bye-bye.

I see.

You nearly fell over, did ya?

Oh! Get that off me head, you.

No, no, no. None of that, lad.

Go on.

You're a little madman,
aren't you?

Right, come on now.

Let's get you ready, kid.

This is all of the, um, clips

from when Jordan's
been growing up,

different photos of...
Well, not just his football.

There is... he did other things
like go to school

and Christmas concerts and...
And this isn't even all of it

because there's another
cupboard full.

I grew up in Wrexham.

It's a great experience
to play for your hometown

'cause I know what it means
to the fans.

It's my club. It's my town.

It's what my life has been,
so when they get frustrated,

I'm just as equally
as frustrated, so yeah.

Chanting along
with all my mates.

We used to get the bus down

and we used to go to the games.

It was great.

For me for playing for Wrexham,

it's... it's more than
going out there

and for myself, for the team.

It's doing it
for all my friends, my family,

and the people of the town.
It's...

To me it's more
than the football club

'cause it's been my life
for many, many years now.

Wrexham's a sleeping giant.

With the new owners,
it's a massive thing for us.

So I can't wait for that
on a personal note.

Under 11s.

Look how tiny you are
compared to everybody else.

- Gents.
- Moving out!

- How are you?
- Can't complain.

The football season
is still ongoing

and we are hoping
to get to the playoffs.

Anything being said about
the tenure of the manager

and the personnel here?

There's been no discussion
about people's futures.

We're going
to support the manager

and the playing staff
to give them every incentive

because that's how we get
this club promoted

to the Football League

at the earliest possible
opportunity.

It's interesting
coming in mid-season

because I have received
messages telling me

to fire these people
and furlough everybody

and play the kids
or sack x, y, and zed.

And it's not just
the management structure.

It's not just the players.
I mean, there are...

There are people who have beef
with almost every element

of this club in some level.

I just hope that in God knows

how many months' time we can
get some of these players out.

Look at the management team.
It's not good enough.

Positive in what you do.

Mistakes will happen.

Get your teammates
out of the sh*t.

Yeah.

The sooner we can get out of
this bloody league, the better.

At the moment, it feels like

the heart's been ripped out
of our club.

We keep seeing this.
We keep... we keep seeing

these little unbeaten runs
with too many draws,

not enough wins.

We definitely need some signs.

Uh, we're going nowhere.

We need a major change
in direction in this club.

They seem to be like
rabbits caught in a...

Caught in a headlight.
They don't know what to do.

Nobody knows what to do.

Hopefully that money

is gonna pay the manager off,

f*ck him off
and get someone else in,

but listen,
if it happens, it happens.

If it doesn't, it doesn't.

It f*cking needs to be changed

from top to bottom.

Take your f*cking staff with ya.

None of you don't
wanna do it anymore.

It really is trying times
at the moment.

You're going into each game
almost defeated as you start.

Please give us hope.
All we want is hope.

Do I believe in this group?

100%. 100%.

They'll find a level
of consistency

that I feel will get us
to where we want to be,

coming into season.

Yes!

f*cking get it!

Get it!

Well done!

It's not about the start.
It's about how we finish.

After the takeover,
the decision was made

that whilst ever we had
a realistic chance

of getting to the playoffs,

there would be no change
of manager.

But if we do not get
to the playoffs,

Dean Keates was going to have
to be relieved of his duties.

You know, truth be told,

a lot of these players

are probably thinking,

"I'm not gonna be here
next season."

They either don't feel like
they're good enough

or feel that we're likely
to just go around

splashing the cash or...
Or whatever it may be.

And just life at this level
of football

is one-year contracts.

We got a bunch
of people's contracts

- that are ending in two months.
- Mm-hmm.

One of the things I was really
impressed by... Shaun Pearson,

when I first spoke to him
was him saying,

"This takeover is great
for the town,

"and it's great for my kids
'cause I live in this town,

"but I don't know if it's great
for my football career

"because you guys are gonna want

to probably
get different players in."

There is... there's a lot of that
sentiment through the squads.

You know,
they're like, you know,

"I could've been here for
three to five years and"...

- Well, they still could be.
- Absolutely.

- Absolutely.
- They perform and they...

And they get in the playoffs
and make a run, I mean...

Right.

It's hard to argue
with people who are winning.

Right.

The whole town
waits with bated breath

as we enter the final match
of the season away

to Dagenham and Red bridge.

Is that Pete Jones,
a table of six?

Yeah.

Underneath the window.

Opposite that,
is that Pete Finch it?

- Yeah.
- If Wrexham win,

they're in the playoffs.

Anything less, and the season,

and perhaps Dean Keates,
are over.

Um, you can open up,
Rich, if you want.

Jan, open, please.

- Let's go.
- What are we doing here?

113 in today, guys.

Come on, Wrexham.

When there's a lot
of change about to happen,

continuity gives you
the best chance of success.

After the takeover,

there was
a conscious decision made

to try and provide Dean Keates
and the players

with as much support

for the balance of the season
as possible.

Dean and the team
went on a great run.

All that built to this
last game of the season.

A win,
and we are in the playoffs.

Every single team's
trying to do their best

to get to these playoffs
with the rewards

of possibly going
into the Football League.

But this is a huge game
for Wrexham

in terms of the season
they've had

with the buys that have come in.

In their hands, if they win,

they will be heading
to the playoffs.

We've got 4:20.

We got 10 minutes till kickoff.

It's a little early.

But I'm glad we got up early
enough to have breakfast.

Jordan Davies, I think,

probably worth a mention...
Creative player,

young talent, 22 years old.

Seven in his last nine
he's scored.

Come good at the right time.

Definitely, and that's exactly

what Wrexham need.

He's been a massive part
of everything that they do.

All together, come on!

No current National League club

has been in this division
longer than Wrexham,

their 13th season in a row
at this level.

Their whole season
is on the line in this final.

They'll hope it's still
a top-seven finish this time.

I gotta put on my white jersey.

Wrexham is in the green.

Okay, here we go.

Come on, boys.

It'll be
a compelling couple of hours

in the race for the playoffs.

And Johnson to...

To the middle.

Okay, now here's our...
We have a corner kick.

So it's Young
to take the corner.

It's a deeper one this time,
towards Omotayo.

Netting where
the captain up from the back.

Well, it's tense.

It's nervous.
It's edgy on this final day

of the campaign for Wrexham.

And it's the Daggers nil,
Wrexham nil.

- We know we come.
- Yeah.

Come on, boys.

We f*cking believe ya, Wrex.
We have 'em!

After 13 seasons,

Wrexham have had as a club
in the National League,

and as it stands,
much can change

in the next 45 minutes.

A change being made as well
by Dean Keates at halftime

and it's the experienced
Paul Rutherford.

He's coming on here.

Somebody who's been with Wrexham

since the summer of 2016.

Would love to be in his fifth
season with the club.

Come on!

The playoff places,
but much can change

in the next 45 minutes.

The Wright over to
take the sh*t,

and now Balanta.

And Wright.

And it's in!

And on a day
of such significance

for Wrexham, it's Dagenham
and Red bridge here

who take the lead.

Five minutes
into the second half.

Hey!

f*cking plenty of time.

Just f*cking relax!

Young looks primed and ready.

And it's...

Young with the ball
into the box...

Oh,
that was not a good challenge.

He could be
in some real trouble here.

Rutherford, it's a red.

A little high.

A red card?

Yeah, he got a red card,

which means he's immediately
ejected from the game

and we are down a man
for the rest of the game.

And this is threatening

to get very messy indeed here

for Wrexham on the final day.

So now we're down a person,
down a goal.

Experienced player at this level

doesn't need to do this.

It doesn't look good, Adam.

f*ck off!

That's yellow card shown here.

Davies.

One goal
in the current circumstances

wouldn't be enough for Wrexham,

but it'd certainly be a big
step in the right direction.

Wrexham here having
to throw everything at this.

Get the ball!
Get the f*cking ball!

That's a great pass as well.

And then get the ball
over towards Ponticelli.

Goal! No way.

And they've got the equalizer.

It's hope here for Wrexham.

Come on, boys. Come on, boys.
Come on.

f*cking come on!

That goal on its own

won't be enough,
but it's a glimmer...

A glimmer of hope here
for Dean Keates and Wrexham.

See, this is...
You know, never give up.

Never give up.

You're in. Right, right!

And now,
of course, they still...

No way.

Here's Vilhete.

No way. No way.

No way.

And Pearson's

And Ponticelli was there
as well!

On the deflection, almost took
it into the path of Pearson.

- God, we had a... we had a run.
- Could this be?

Wrexham have to score

or their playoff hopes,
their promotion hopes

are over.

Come on! Come on!

Surely this will be
the last chance

to get it forward.

- It's a hard time for this.
- Yep.

Can they do it?

Pearson with the header.

Will it bounce here for Wrexham?

No, it doesn't!

Their promotion dream is over.

f*ck off!

On the final day.

It will be
a 14th straight season

in the National League
for Wrexham.

And Wrexham's
promotion hopes in tatters.

Well, it's gonna be
a tough, tough day now

for Wrexham to recover
from this.

Just this game, you look
at not being good enough.

Big moments in the game
that have cost you,

especially the red cards
to Rutherford.

But you look over the course
of the season,

that's when you look now...
When you look

at the League table,
have they been good enough?

We just got knocked out
of the playoffs by one point.

Hi, Ryan.

Hello there.

I do not like losing.

This is true.

We...

We will aim to avoid losing
as much as possible

for next season.

Yeah.

There's so much riding
on a team's relegation

or promotion.

If we don't win,
what are we gonna do?

Our goal is to get
the f*ck out of this league.

Like, that's it.

If you don't get promoted...

that's our fault.

Telling somebody
that their services

are no longer required...
That's really hard.

But that's the world
of football.

That is the game.
You know, we weren't

going into the season
to finish seventh or eighth,

so the view was a new manager
would give us that best chance

of success.

Not everybody can come
on the journey with us.

Dean and Andy and Carl
did a very solid job,

but what was previously
an acceptable standard

of... of performance
is now no longer that.

It makes it
really challenging though

as a... as a co-chairman

when you're letting players go.

When you're in the fifth tier,
it's... it's...

A lot of these players
are playing for their lives.

They don't have
these Premier League contracts

that they can, you know,
fall back on and go,

"Oh, it's, you know,
could retire tomorrow."
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