Welcome to Wrexham - Season 1

Anyone watching this? I remember the Ted Lasso comments about Rob and Ryan buying the team but didn't know much about the team or the league.

After watching the first 2 episodes I am more confused than ever. Seems the series starts at the end of the season, I am not sure if Rob and Ryan bought the team or were elected to just run it from Episode 1? And, how far down is this team, and why would a bottom team have such a great looking stadium? Their Stadium looks like they are major league, but as they explained it they are clear at the bottom like a minor league single A ball club. It now looks like they just fired everyone in episode 2.

Hopefully more episodes will help me understand what is going on.

 

I'm watching it and honestly didn't find it that hard to follow. They purchased the rights to the team but think of the team like the Packers. Essentially. Owned by the fans/ locals and there is a board that had to approve them taking over the team. It obviously was approved but the takeover didn't happen until the soccer season was nearly over. You are correct that they are in the lowest possible division of professional soccer, due to relegation.

I don't know that the stadium is all that nice but as they said, they're the third oldest professional soccer club in the world and they haven't always been in that low of a division. It will be interesting to see if those two are able to get the team promoted to a higher league.

 

I never heard about how much they were paying for the team, or what percentage of the team were they trying to buy?

Minor league Baseball shutdown during covid; seems like these lower-level soccer teams would have done the same. No Fans no money for minor the leagues; especially for the lower divisions.

 

I'm not sure about the percentage either. Not sure they really addressed that. As for sitting down for covid, not sure why these teams chose to continue operating. I do know there's considerably more history and support behind these teams than there is for most minor league teams.

 

I follow a lot of soccer across all levels and attend games regularly and this team Wrexham are a small but famous club in Wales. They are in the 5th level of English football. So they would have to win 4 league promotions to eventually end up playing in the Premierleague against the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool. The great thing about English soccer is that literally the smallest of clubs can have the opportunity to progress up the ladder. It's pure capitalism.

Wrexham are a fairly big fish, hence the decent stadium, in the league that they play in however they have been stuck at that level for about 10+ years now due to the competetive nature of the league and previous stagnation and lack lf investment in the club until the Ryans arrived.


It's a really tough, uber macho environment in the lower leagues where Wrexham play. They will have to face some incredibly well operated small teams and the two Ryans will have to remain unnaive to the levels of passion and commitment of fans and players at that level if they are to progress.

As always soccer is life and death in UK and Europe, its definitely worshipped more than a sport and even at these lower levels the passion is the same or arguably stronger than the Premierleague teams.



For balance the team I follow are Sheffield Wednesday who are in the 3rd tier (two above Wrexham). We get 20-25k fans each game and have been trying to get back into the Premierleague since we were relegated from it in the year 2000. 22 years later and we are atill fighting to get back. Its a brutal model but one day I hope we make it. I sure hope we make it before bloody Wrexham do!

 

Thanks for the insight! I'm a big soccer fan but I'm also in the US so obviously it's not as big here. Also, it's Ryan and Rob. Not Ryan squared!

 

Who's your team in the MLS? I don't follow it too much but a fair few MLS games are broadcast here. I could do with finding a team to follow.


Hahah thanks for correcting me, sorry Rob .

 

Actually, I try catching Premier league games more than the MLS. Kind of hard to follow any one team unless you pay for a sports package. I just enjoy watching that level of soccer.

 

Living in Iowa, there really isn't a team that's all that close to me in order to see games live or have a rooting interest in them.

 

Thanks for the info.

LOL.. So, I am guessing sending over one of his writers from It Always Sunny to take over and be in charge for him and Ryan, was not a step in the right direction.

 

I watched 2 more episodes, and I don't think Rob or Ryan have attended a single game yet? I may be wrong. It is crazy as I think I have seen them over there at the stadium, but I don't think they have shown any footage of them actually cheering for their team at a game.

I did Google pictures of the stadium and from a lower look at the stadium it does look like a minor league stadium. Those overhead shots in the series made it look a little bigger and in a little better condition.

I am enjoying this little reality show. Reminds me of a film I watched years ago call Damned United.


To ADD: I rewatched Damned United again and after watching the real footage at the end of the movie I am even more confused than ever as this story I thought was supposed to be fictional, but now it sounds like it was real. In online reading I see the author has been sued repeatedly over the contents of the book, so he now states the book is 100% fiction because it is a novel, and he has no firsthand account of what actually happened.

If you have a few hours to kill, I highly recommend The Damned United a very entertaining sports movie.
The Damned United (2009) - IMDb

 

Man, I just love this show. Really let's you get inside what these fans go through with the club and to be honest, Rob and Ryan aren't always a big part of the episodes. I wish I loved anything(other than my family) as much as this town loves their football club.

 

EP: Hamilton: OH my god this looks like a giant money pit for Rob and Ryan.

They just spent $300,000 on a field they don't own and now they are thinking about trying to buy the stadium that they don't own?

 

I may be way off base here but this doesn't seem like a move they made in order to make money. I'm certain they did their share of research and had advisors telling them whether to make this purchase or not. Probably a lot behind the scenes we're not seeing.

Besides, I feel you may be missing the overall point of this documentary. They want you to connect with the players and fans on a personal level. Hell, maybe that's so you become so invested you run right out and buy their gear! If so, that's brilliant! Just my humble opinion.

 

LOL... I think they heard you... Wide World of Wales

 

No sh!t right? That episode was hilarious.

 

12:00 DVD Shopping.

I must have missed something in an earlier episode to understand why this DVD Shop made the list of places they needed to visit. I don't think these DVD stores even exist in my part of the world anymore.


Oh, and I think they may need to spend just a little bit more money on their players gym at the stadium. That was pathetic what they showed their weight room to look like. You would think Rob and Ryan would know what a quality gym looks like.

 

I'm sure they aim to do something about the gym. They were both underwhelmed by that.

 

I just have to wonder if that was actually just a joke.

 

Kind of thought the same thing.

 

Was there Duct Tape like The Steelers gym?

 

Thanks to Wrexham I stumbled on to Rob's new show. I guess this is now Season 2 for Mythic Quest.

This is a very funny little show on Apple TV.

 

The team is making a big push to get promoted.

 

LOL. I did see them training in the weight room.


Also, poor Rob; He invites all his friend to a bar to see his team and introduce them to the exciting world of pro-soccer, and the game ends only the way a soccer game could end. In a tie 0 to 0. It was funny watching Ron continue to tell his friend oh it is going to get good now, this is where they really pick it up.

 

Hollywood. I have to admit the goal where Mullins passes to himself behind the goalie was pretty freakin awesome. I have never seen that before, but I don't watch a lot of soccer.

At 3:30 (Looked better on the show I watched)

Spoiler