Ryan Reynolds called upon as diehard Wrexham fan makes 250-mile trip to watch new viral team

A die-hard Wrexham fan has undertaken an epic journey of around 250 miles to watch his club’s near-namesake in action.

Jim Gregson, who normally follows the Red Dragons, went on a trip of around four-and-a-half hours to watch lowly Wroxham FC play in freezing conditions.

It comes after the Norfolk-based side took a leaf out of Wrexham’s book by launching its own documentary, humorously titled ‘Welcome to Wroxham’.

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Officials from the Isthmian North League team, nicknamed the Yachtsmen, joked that it was "one letter away" from being taken over by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Jim was so taken by Wroxham’s viral story that he used a business trip in the area as an excuse to watch them take on Felixstowe and Walton United.

The 55-year-old enjoyed the 2-2 thriller wearing his Wrexham shirt and was rewarded with a free scarf from his newly-adopted second team for his trouble.

He said: “I was so moved by their story of potentially missing out on Hollywood funding by just one letter I thought they could do with a bit of support from Wrexham.”

Jim visited the Wroxham clubhouse bar and bought rounds for stunned locals during his trip last Tuesday night (November 19th).

In a post shared on Facebook after the game, he said: “Only here for Wroxham FC – The Yachtsmen! The ultras didn’t stop singing, the club chairman was brilliant, and the locals made me feel right at home. What a night!”

The fortunes of the two clubs couldn’t be further apart, with Wrexham currently second in League One and Wroxham in the relegation zone five divisions below them.

Despite the gulf in positions, Jim said he’d had “a very one-off night” and admitted he’d love to return.

In an appeal to one of Wrexham’s A-list owners, he added: “Ryan Reynolds, if you’re reading this, the Yachtsmen are waiting – and they’ve got scarves ready for you. Up the Wroxhams and Wrexhams!”

While Jim was soaking up the atmosphere, Wroxham officials have been making the most of their moment in the spotlight.

Club chairman James Blowers revealed the similarity between the two teams’ names had led to several mix-ups in recent years.

He said: “We’ve had hundreds of people confuse us with Wrexham ever since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over.

“Watching their rise has been incredible, but there’s always this feeling of: ‘If only we had that one letter.’ We think Ryan and Rob would love this wholesome story.”

The trailer for Wroxham’s documentary has racked up more than 330,000 views on social media after adverts were “accidentally” placed outside locations made famous by Welcome to Wrexham, including The Turf pub.

Meanwhile fans are calling for a friendly - dubbed the “vowel derby” - to be arranged between the two clubs.

The documentary was made funded via sponsorship from Riot Labs, a company that sells vape liquids.

Ben Johnson, the firm’s CEO, said: “To be able to support the club and give them the platform and investment to share their unique story is an honour and the reaction has been brilliant.

“We hope it helps them attract future sponsors and maybe even Hollywood owners of their own.”