AMERICAN and Japanese tourists seek some Hollywood glamour when they make a pilgrimage to Rob Clarke’s second hand DVD shop.
The owner of Mad4Movies happily pulls his cardboard cut-out of actor and local club owner for the football tourists as they soak up all things AFC.
Dad-of-two Rob, 47, has his own claim to fame as he starred in Disney+ documentary Welcome to Wrexham which charts the town’s incredible football fairytale.
The club has just secured a third historic promotion after beating 3-0, taking them from non-league to the and one step from the Premier League.
In delirious scenes, the club’s owners Ryan, 48, and his fellow actor hugged the players as the fans raced onto the pitch at their Racecourse Ground.
Ryan was also joined by his actress wife who also greeted fans in the stands.
Her husband Ryan, 48, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor bought the club for £2 million nearly five years ago with the lofty ambition of getting to the Premier League.
Now the Welsh club, which was formed in 1864 and is the third oldest in the world, has an army of fans around the world.
Foreign tourists fly in to take in a game and take coach tours of the former mining town.
It’s a welcome turnaround for an area once dubbed ‘Spice Town’, after images emerged ofpeople under the influence of drugs at its bus station, in 2018.
It was also found to have the highest number of rough sleepers in North Wales, with 57, in 2020.
But the “Ryan and Rob effect”; has meant the town is teeming with visitors – boosting the local economy and creating jobs.
Tourism and hospitality revenue has increased by £120m in just three years and is now worth £180 million.
Many tourists beat a path to Mad4Movies, which also sells books, music CDs and tapes, as well as Wrexham postcards for £1.
Lifelong fan Rob said: “Ryan and Rob came to the shop when they first bought the club.
“They wanted to meet fans who’d supported the club for a long time.
“They were lovely. Ryan said he’s never seen so many DVDs and then he said: ‘There must be one you’ve never sold, that’s been here for years?’
“I told him: ‘Well, we won’t talk about the Green Lantern’. This is one of his flops.
“Fortunately he laughed. To be fair he signed my copy of the film.
“It read: ‘Apologies in advance, Ryan.’ That got in the documentary.”;
Rob added: “I can’t believe how far the club has come – it’s amazing.
“A while ago we nearly went out of existence and we were only saved by a fan whip round which raised £100,000.
“Now we have fans come in for coach tours so all over the world.”;
Prem dreams
Walking down the main shopping street in the town, one ex-player said he is stunned by the club’s transformation.
Winger Nick Hencher, 63, who played for the club in the 1985-86 season, said: “It’s great – it’s galvanised everybody.
“It’s a massive season in the Championship as it’s a big step-up.
“You never know, we might see four promotions in a row.”;
He added: “The club has changed a hell of a lot.
“I enjoyed playing for them, it was a great experience for a local lad.
“But it’s big time now and I’m still a small part of it, being chairman of the former players’ association.
“So I just stay involved a little bit.
“Match days, the town is buzzing with thousand of people here enjoying the limelight.”;
The last few years since Ryan and Rob took over, it’s just boomed in football and tourism
James Veal
Other fans cannot also believe the transformation of the club.
Former builder Brian Roberts, 60, said: “Three promotions in a row – I never thought I’d see it.
“It’s fantastic for the town.”;
Miners’ charity worker James Veal, 27, said: “There’s just this buzz around Wrexham,
“The last few years since Ryan and Rob took over, it’s just boomed in football and tourism.
“It just seems brighter, there’s more going on.
“More people want to invest in the the town, there’s more shops, more restaurants, bars.
“It’s fantastic to see the growth and what these two lads have brought to Wrexham.
“Wrexham seemed to be on the up and just doing its own thing, but they have shone a spotlight and given it a good boost.”;
Shop worker Eleanor Swash, 18, works in a pop-up shop in the town.
She said: “We got lots of tourists from all over – America, , and .
“It’s crazy really but it’s so good for the town.”;
A-list fans
Dad-of-four Ryan has recruited a host of his Hollywood friends to the Red Dragons causes including Danny DeVito and .
He even took Magic Mike star to The Fat Boar pub on a Friday night in December and bought everyone a drink.
Manager Sean Cooney, 35, said: “We got a phone call from their team who said they’d be here in half an hour.
The Ryan and Rob effect seems to be getting bigger all the time
Sean Cooney
“They turned up and were lovely.
“We had a singer performing and they got on the mic to say drinks were on them.
“We then put them upstairs in a room.”;
He added: “This place has become closely associated with the team.
“We get lots of tourists especially Canadian and Americans.
“In fact we are getting more and more Americans.
“The Ryan and Rob effect seems to be getting bigger all the time.
“I mean it must be them as you don’t normally get many Americans coming to Wrexham on holiday.”;
The club itself is in a healthy financial position thanks to Rob and Ryan’s backing and shrewd deals.
Club accounts going up to June 2024 covering their season in League Two show revenues of £26.7million – which is a figure greater than seven of the Championship clubs.
The Red Dragons have now even been linked to some stellar Premier League players including Man Utd’s Jonny Evans and ‘s .
And the latest series of the Welcome to Wrexham doc is to be screened on May 16.
Councillor Nigel Williams, Wrexham Council’s lead member for economy, business and tourism, said: “The impact of Ryan and Rob as well as the documentary has been phenomenal.
“We used to go to trade fairs and people would see we were from Wrexham and just walk past.
“Now they are beating down our door.”;
