Wrexham promoted to League Two as owners Ryan Reynolds and ...

Wrexham FC have secured a fairytale return to the English Football League after a 15-year absence, with Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney watching on as they beat Boreham Wood 3-1 to win the National League with a game to spare.

Key points:Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in late 2020The 158-year-old club was relegated from League Two in 2008 and faced financial oblivionWrexham beat promotion rivals Notts County 3-2 earlier this month, when new goalkeeper Ben Foster saved a 97th-minute penalty

All eyes were on the Welsh club as they sought the victory that would secure their emotional return to League Two, three tiers below the top-flight Premier League.

Boreham Wood threatened to rip up the script when they scored in the opening minute, but an Elliot Lee equaliser after 15 minutes settled the nerves of the sell-out Racecourse Ground.

Wrexham then turned on the style after the break, with striker Paul Mullin scoring twice, his second goal in the 71st minute kick-starting the promotion party.

Promotion rivals Notts County had earlier beaten Maidstone 5-2 to raise the stakes but Wrexham responded in blockbuster fashion to seal the title.

They have an incredible 110 points, having scored 115 goals. Notts County are second on 106 points.

When the final whistle sounded, Reynolds looked overcome with emotion in the stands, while thousands of fans streamed on to the pitch with red flares being set off.

Wrexham's promotion back to the Football League is one of the most unlikely stories for many a long season, thanks to a healthy dollop of Hollywood glitz, with fellow Hollywood star Paul Rudd and Avengers director Joe Russo also in the owners' box for the match.

Cameras were in the box filming Reynolds (centre) with Marvel and Disney stablemates director Joe Russo (left) and actor Paul Rudd.(Getty Images: Matthew Ashton/AMA)Welcome to Wrexham

The 158-year-old club was relegated from League Two in 2008, faced financial oblivion, and after three heartbreaking losses in the promotion play-offs were destined for football's wilderness.

The COVID-shortened 2019-20 season saw the club reach its lowest ebb as it finished 19th in the National League, but a strange twist of fate was just around the corner.

In November 2020, Deadpool actor Reynolds and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's McElhenney bought the club after their bid received almost 100 per cent backing from the Wrexham Supporters Trust — most of whom must have been scratching their heads in astonishment.

Suddenly, everything began to change for the gritty border town, once known for its iron, coal and leather industries.

Before this latest explosion in interest, Wrexham was known as a mining town.(Getty Images: Martin Rickett/PA Images)

Reynolds and McElhenney set about restoring in the football club, and within months Wrexham became the first minor league side to feature on the hugely popular FIFA video game in the "rest of the world" category.

Wrexham finished second in the league last season before losing 5-4 to Grimsby Town in the play-off semifinal.

The locals, who may have suspected at first it was simply a publicity stunt, were energised by the enthusiasm of the new owners who took a keen interest in all aspects of the club.

In 2022, the club took on cult status thanks to the Disney docu-series Welcome to Wrexham, which struck a chord with sports fans around the world.

Celebrities such as Will Ferrell and Hugh Jackman began to show their support while American tourists began flocking to the town for a pre-match pint with the locals.

"We could not buy the promotion that [the owners] are bringing to the area," Jim Jones, chief executive of North Wales Tourism, told the BBC.

"It's a great gateway for people who visit Wrexham to then visit the rest of beautiful north Wales.

"I think there's not a lot that we really have to do because Rob and Ryan are doing it all for us."

Reynolds and McElhenney have not just invested heavily in the club, they have become diehard fans — evidenced by their chewed fingernails in a heart-stopping 3-2 win this month against promotion rivals Notts County, when newly arrived goalkeeper Ben Foster saved a 97th-minute penalty.

"That was the most dramatic thing I've ever seen in my life. I couldn't watch. I'm never going to be the same again," Deadpool actor Reynolds said after the game.

The promotion might have even topped that as the club Reynolds and McElhenney transformed served up a blockbuster.

Reuters