Oldham’s new owner fails to be impressed by Wrexham’s Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

Oldham’s new owner Frank Rothwell fails to be impressed by Wrexham’s Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as he’s ‘never heard’ of them.

In the FX documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, Deadpool’s Ryan Reynolds and actor Rob McElhenney – of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fame – have had viewers across the world overcome in admiration at their dedication to the Welsh outfit they bought in 2020.

Rothwell gave off some gentle banter when talking ahead of the upcoming clash between his Oldham side and Wrexham in the First Round of the FA Cup.

Oldham’s Frank Rothwell refuses to appear impressed by Wrexham’s @RyanReynolds and @RMcElhenney, as the club prepares for Sunday’s FA Cup clash ⚽️https://t.co/X0bBGotMEk

— ITV Granada Reports (@GranadaReports) November 4, 2022

Can’t wait for @Wrexham_AFC’s FA Cup match. See ya tomorrow Frank! pic.twitter.com/cuYAyhGXwc

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) November 5, 2022

“Well, there’s two of them, so they’ve only bought 50 per cent each.”

“I don’t know who the hell they are,” says the Oldham Athletic chairman, whose family bought the club this year.

“I know they’re filmstars and all the girls go ‘whoo’ but I’ve never seen anything they’ve been in.

“These lads have bought a football club for as cheap as they possibly could do so they could tell their friends in Hollywood that they own a club.

“When they decide they’ve had enough of this and sell to another investor, it (Wrexham FC) will disappear. That won’t happen to Oldham.”

Rothwell speaks about how Oldham nearly became the next Bury, when owner Abdallah Lemsagam put the club up for sale following their relegation from the EFL last season.

“We were as close to a Bury scenario as you can get,” he says.

“We weren’t in a bidding war with anyone else. There was only us at the table. So if we hadn’t have come along, we’d have been another Bury. The club was in a state of pause. No-one knew what was going to happen to it.

“My family is passionate that never again will Oldham Athletic go into the ownership of one person, who will decide the future of the club.

“That is not going to happen again. We want a wider ownership. Local ownership. So it gets retained in the town.”

There is however some common ground between flat cap-wearing Rothwell and Wrexham’s celebrity owners with both ownership models having an aim at putting the local community – not profit nor even promotion – at the top of their mission statements.

Frank Rothwell has a similar vision for his club to become important to the town again, just like manager Joe Royle did when he guided the Latics into the Premier League and on trips to Wembley Stadium in the FA and League Cups became more frequent.

Frank’s vision is to create a “Sports Town” in the mould of Manchester’s “Sportcity”, with centres for multiple sports and even a National Netball Centre being housed around Oldham Athletic’s Boundary Park.

But, despite their sharing the same goals, he still won’t publicly give an ounce of reverence for the celebrity status of the Wrexham bosses.

“We have our own Hollywood star on our board of directors,” he says, with a huge smile on his face. “And his name is Joe Royle.”

Twitter users reacted with Oldham’s new owner fails to be impressed by Wrexham’s Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney…

@higginswxm93:
Oldham, the gift that keeps on giving
– Outlandish owner who thinks he’s some sort of god’s gift.
– Disrespected Dorking Wanderers in public at the start of the season.
– Claimed they’d walk the league.
Currently 3 points off the bottom.
Frank Rothwell everyone…
🤡🤡🤡

@MeTheWifeWxm: A touch of sour grapes 🍇 we think! @VancityReynolds @RMcElhenney are the best thing to have happened to our club and they haven’t done it to impress you Mr Frank Rothwell so get back in your box!! #WelcometoWrexham #WxmAFC #WrexhamAFC #RedArmy

@oafc19: Not surprised tbh 🤣

@wababba: the gigantic difference between dorking who are making friends with everyone and oldham who are burning every single bridge they can lmao

@chapperswxm: You really should pay more attention. 🤡

@Jon_hughes1: We’ve had the local owners and most ripped us off good style. It’s taken 2 blokes from across the pond to restore my faith. R & R will see us good.

@imsimontemplar: Awe it’s sad when people get old 😢

@wxmdragon: Someone come and collect their grandad

@xemma79x: Jealousy gets you nowhere, I hope we thrash them Sunday and see what he has to say then

@ash_eth3737: Absolutely top guy

@kel_l_j: I’m sure @RMcElhenney and @VancityReynolds are devastated about the opinion of Frank of Oldham. Doesn’t do himself any favours with this interview 🔴⚪️

@PDiespecker: Sounds like perhaps Mr Rothwell has some unresolved issues? Wrexham’s overall success can spill over to his club.

@ChrisWelshboy: Didn’t know who Dorking were, not interested in knowing who Wrexhams owners are. Not one for research is he old Frank

@jimmyelstub: I feel sorry for Wrexham fans. Your favourite football team is a TV show. That’s like me saying I support Saved by the Bell.

@beardywxm: i doubt Rob and Ryan care what that farmer has to say

@gavlea82: I really hope we win now 🙄😅

@gogwalian: Everybody hates us & is jealous of the investment & exposure etc. But we’ve been thru loads of shit as a club & deserve a break… Hope we dish em a thrashing now COTT 👏

@Cooky_35: Go on Frank lad, got the deluded cunts rattled 😂👏

@racecourserambl: Frank is a daft old twat isn’t he…. disrespectful old fart….. Enjoy national League north mate

@Paskins_tache: Frank the bellend.

@keevs_89: Wonder if he’ll know when we’re riding up the leagues 😍

@EuropeanBob7: I hope Wrexham dismantle them.

@LukeTysonGyp: Frank the tank can have a wank when his boys get shafted, by the mighty red bastards

@capaled: Our owners are very passionate about the town and the club. Rob in particular considering he comes from Philadelphia which is very similar to Wrexham

@David__Fraser: He’s barmy 😂😂 #oafc

@BradleyKnowles1: I still don’t understand we were hours from liquidation line. I‘m sure there needs to be a winding up order to liquidate a company? #oafc

@ST_1982: Nice to see these local non-league teams getting some exposure.

@RochdaleAFCcom: He’s beyond parody this fella.

Frank absolutely nailing it there. pic.twitter.com/9LZPotPLtg

— Paul Baker (@BakeCFC) November 5, 2022

He also disrespected Dorking, who are now 5 points above them in the table 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/xuayZhAdDz

— Thomas Wynne Lewis 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@TomiCaws) November 4, 2022