Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney made a series of “hard promises” when they took over Wrexham – but a podcast has called on them to reconsider
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney might find themselves in a dilemma as some fans urge them to reconsider their “hard promises” regarding changes to Wrexham’s crest.
When the dynamic duo took over the club in November 2020, they were quite clear in their list of pledges to preserve the club’s identity: vowing it wouldn’t be relocated, renamed, or rebranded. Nevertheless, hosts of Wrexham podcast RobRyanRed have suggested a rethink, especially on modernising the team’s badge.
This call for potential redesign has been met with mixed emotions; past club crest changes like Cardiff City’s sparked serious debate. Amid discussions of football heritage and progress, Wrexham aficionado Nathan Salt voiced his thoughts on the matter on the podcast.
He acknowledged the ownership’s stance with: “I know in the mission statement that Rob and Ryan said they wouldn’t move Wrexham out of the stadium and they wouldn’t rebrand, which was a hard promise. But it got me thinking, what would it take for people to be open to the conversation of changing the crest? “
Wrexham’s badge, featuring two red dragons and elements like the Prince of Wales’s feathers and the motto “ich dien” – German for “I serve” – has sparked debate over its relevance. Co-presenter Rich Fay discussed the contentious aspects, stating, “Initially when I was asked the question, I was very much of the view of ‘why change it’. But when I actually think about it, it’s got the feathers on it, and it’s got ‘ich dien’ or ‘I serve’.”
“It’s the Prince of Wales motto, and you then open a James McClean sort of can of worms, because there’s lots of connotations to that.”
While Wrexham have not confirmed any imminent changes to the crest, a document from August indicates potential future discussions.
The fan engagement blueprint, which was shown to both the EFL and Football Supporters’ Association, includes a specific pledge: “The club understands that certain aspects are crucial to the club history and identity and are committed to reflecting this by identifying ‘heritage assets’ which cannot be altered without consultation with supporters.”
It further assures fans about the sacred status of club symbols, saying, “The crest and colours have been identified as heritage assets and if the club wishes to make a material change to the club crest or the recognised home kits colours, they must undertake a thorough and extensive consultation process with supporters.”
