Ryan Reynolds says it is “troubling” how “hooked” he is on football after watching his team Wrexham AFC beat Notts County. The Hollywood actor said the drama of the match was “unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a damn movie” and did not quite know how to quantify what he had seen.
Wrexham struck a potentially decisive blow in the Vanarama National League title race with a 3-2 victory over their rivals on Monday, after former England goalkeeper Ben Foster saved a stoppage-time penalty. Footage from the match showed Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney, with whom he owns the club, celebrating wildly after the save.
Speaking to BT Sport in the aftermath, the Deadpool star praised the “inner strength” of the players on both sides. “I don’t feel like I have a heart anymore. I think I used all the beats that I had left during that match,” he said.
“That was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before and indicative, of course, of all of you lifers who have watched and participated in this game, this beautiful torturous game, for forever.”
He continued: “I’m actually grateful in this moment that I didn’t care about this years ago because it would have just eaten me alive. I’m very hooked. It’s troubling how hooked I am.
"I’m usually not at a loss for words but I’m genuinely at a loss for words in this moment. I don’t quite know how to quantify what just happened.”
Reynolds, who along with McElhenney was awarded the freedom of the borough at a civic ceremony earlier on Monday, said he felt an “immense sense of pride” towards his team, who “rose to the occasion in every way”. He also paid tribute to Notts County and their late chief executive Jason Turner, who died suddenly on March 30 aged 50.
“They’re the real story here,” the actor said. “What they’ve done this season, obviously losing their CEO Jason Turner, who, as I’ve grown to know and learn, (was) utterly beloved, not just in Notts, but here as well.
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“I have such enormous respect for everything that they’ve built in everything that they’ve done.
“What (both clubs) have done is not only created drama unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a damn movie, but just something that I think people will be talking about for ages.”
Reynolds added: “I’m used to working under extreme pressure but usually I have some kind of say in it; I have some control over it. I have nothing here. All I can do is watch and hope like everybody else.
“It was a pressure cooker coming into this, I think, for both of these teams. What both have achieved is historic on every level and, you know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that.”
Reynolds then joked that star of the match Foster was going to be on the “injured reserve list” for upcoming games. “I’m going to break ribs, I’m going to hug him so hard,” he said.
Reynolds and McElhenney have been widely praised for their investment and involvement in the club since completing a deal for its takeover two years ago. The pair have raised the profile of the club and city of Wrexham through fly-on-the-wall documentary Welcome To Wrexham, and have been honoured by the Welsh Government for helping to promote the Welsh language and culture.
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