Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney may be big time – but it's evident the Welsh outfit success is of high importance to the actor and director.
The club has made major bounds since he and Ryan Reynolds took over in late 2020, gaining a global profile through the hit docuseries, Welcome to Wrexham. And while some may have their suspicions as to just how genuine the Hollywood investors are about their asset, McElhenney has living proof of how dear Wrexham's fortunes are to his heart.
And it's partly thanks to his wife and 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' co-host Kaitlin Olson that those memories are so well preserved. That's after the Philly native revealed his tradition of snatching a few blades of grass from the Racecourse Ground every time the team had a meaningful win - only for his partner to take the gesture a step further.
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“I’m staring right now, in my office, at a thing my wife made for me for my birthday," McElhenney told The Athletic. "When I get down on the pitch, I have a tendency to take some of the grass and put it in my pocket, so I have a keep-sake of the event.
“I’d keep them in these little plastic bags and put a piece of paper inside with the occasion [written on each]. She stole them from the drawer I keep them in and took them to a [picture] framer. Now they are behind this air-sealed glass. They put some kind of chemical in the grass to keep [preserve] it, and then there is a little plaque underneath each one."
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If that isn't an act from one who's emotionally invested, it's difficult to know what is. McElhenney and Reynolds have sporadically shown up at Wrexham fixtures over the past three years, embedding themselves in the local community and even paying for a squad trip to Las Vegas after last season's promotion from the National League.
“There’s my first home win I saw against Maidstone," McElhenney continued. "The Hand of Foz — which is the Notts County game [when Ben Foster saved a 96th-minute penalty against Wrexham’s main promotion rivals late last term]. The National League title. . .”
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And the meaningful moments are far from over, it seems. Wrexham currently sit fourth in League Two and are well in the debate for back-to-back promotions, having only recently seen a 10-match unbeaten league run come to an end at Accrington Stanley.
It's just as well McElhenney has left some room in his gallery for a few more tufts of turf from the victories that seem almost inevitable given Wrexham's recent momentum. And if their trajectory continues on its current path, he may need more than a single picture frame.
