**Hollywood Owner Ryan Reynolds Advised to Envy Sheffield Wednesday’s Historic Strengths Amidst Championship Battle**
As Wrexham prepare for a return to the Championship after more than four decades out of the division, the club’s star-studded owners find themselves at the heart of an unlikely comparison. Despite the Hollywood glamour brought in by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, a key figure seeking to buy rival club Sheffield Wednesday believes Reynolds would “give his left leg” for Wednesday’s heritage and passionate backing.
After clinching promotion, Wrexham are aiming to cement their place in English football’s second tier. The Red Dragons have wasted little time in bolstering their squad, securing the services of Plymouth striker Ryan Hardie in an early summer deal. Their ambitions, embodied by their high-profile owners, are underpinned by meticulous planning on and off the pitch.
In contrast, Sheffield Wednesday presently find themselves in considerable disarray. Their Thai owner, Dejphon Chansiri, has presided over a tumultuous period, with financial woes culminating in a significant transfer ban spanning three windows after the club failed to meet payroll obligations. This is not the first setback Wednesday have encountered, with a notable six-point deduction for financial breaches back in 2020 still fresh in supporters’ memories.
Despite these significant hurdles, optimism persists from quarters eyeing a new dawn at Hillsborough. Adam Shaw, a Florida-based entrepreneur who leads a North American consortium striving to purchase Wednesday, told The Athletic that the club’s inherent potential outstrips even the current Wrexham project. Shaw, who hails from Sheffield, asserted that the Owls’ roots and fervent fanbase could turn them into a formidable force on both domestic and international fronts.
“Sheffield Wednesday, as things stand, have little commercial presence in America,” Shaw admitted. “But with the World Cup coming to the US next year and a revamped ownership group, there’s absolutely no reason we can’t transform Wednesday into Florida’s team in English football. We have the fanbase and tradition that, in my view, Ryan Reynolds would dearly love to possess at Wrexham. That’s Wednesday’s strength — it’s right there for the taking.”
Shaw’s consortium, which remains partially anonymous, is said to include a mix of sporting and celebrity heavyweights, including members from Major League Baseball, a notable ex-Premier League footballer, and a prominent international celebrity. According to Shaw, replicating Wrexham’s upward trajectory is not unrealistic, but the Owls’ scale and legacy offer even broader horizons.
Wrexham’s sudden surge in visibility and success is widely attributed to Reynolds and McElhenney’s high-octane stewardship. Since their 2021 takeover, investment and global attention have seen the Welsh side climb the football pyramid at an astonishing rate. Strategic moves, such as the recent sale of minority shares to the Allyn family and international investors, have only seen the club’s valuation soar — recent reports suggest a figure around £350 million.
Meanwhile, Shaw’s group has already seen two takeover attempts dismissed by Chansiri. The Owls’ fans continue to wait with bated breath for a resolution as speculation swirls about what new ownership could bring. Shaw is adamant that should a takeover materialise, a swift transformation would follow: academy and training ground upgrades, technological advancements, and a comprehensive redevelopment at Hillsborough would take centre stage.
“We’re Sheffield Wednesday. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have the UK’s premier academy and training facilities,” Shaw said. Ambitious plans include modernising Hillsborough while preserving its storied elements, providing fans with better hospitality, and building a stadium that balances tradition with innovation.
Wrexham’s showbiz-inspired rise, largely documented by the globally acclaimed ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ series on Disney+, may be the yardstick for football’s new era of investment and entertainment. However, Shaw’s verdict sums up the rivalry: in football, while big-name owners and instant transformation have their magic, history and loyal support provide a platform for greatness that’s impossible to purchase overnight.
As both clubs look to a future filled with uncertainty, ambition, and anticipation, only time will reveal which path yields the greater rewards in the fiercely competitive world of English football.