Wrexham AFC co-owner Ryan Reynolds has been at it again – plugging the club he bought will fellow A-lister Rob McElhenney and his favourite trailer maker.
The Hollywood icon has created a hilarious “trailer on a trailer” to promote his new film, Red Notice, also starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Gal Gadot aka Wonder Woman.
As part of the promo, a giant television screen was professionally mounted onto an 18 ft long LM187 trailer made by the Welsh firm and waved off by a group of six diehard Wrexham fans who work for the company.
During the film trailer, Ryan Reynolds talks about the new £150 million Netflix comedy action movie but uses the opportunity to promote his new love, Wrexham AFC, Ifor Williams Trailers, cake maker Emily Wilson, from Emzcakes in Wrexham, and the Mayor of Wrexham, Cllr Ronnie Prince.
There’s even a cameo appearance for Wrexham-born former Wales international Robbie Savage who is a bit rude about Ryan’s co-stars in Red Notice, describing them in Welsh as: “Two f..ts in a jam pot”.
Rob Small, the Head of Sales at Ifor Williams Trailers Group of companies said: “It was all very hush hush. When Netflix arrived at our site at Boundary Park in Deeside I had five members of staff, one from each of our sites, ready for action.
“All I was allowed to do before hand was ask them whether they would like to be involved with something to do with Wrexham football club, would they mind having their photographs taken, would they mind wearing their Wrexham football shirts and would they mind having a lateral flow test.
“It was a great pleasure to meet the Netflix team on the day of the filming when the producer and director gave our staff a briefing before the filming which it took about an hour and a half.
“While they were there, they showed us an action packed clip from the movie which they had subtitled in Welsh.
“Using the strapline ‘a trailer on a trailer’ is yet another example of creative genius and the huge screen and the clip from Ryan’s new blockbuster film looked absolutely fantastic.”
“This thrill-a-minute film looks really exciting and I am really looking forward to seeing it with my son James when it is released.”
“Our team, Paul Mathias, Hannah Philpot, Luke Hall, Mathew Smith, Les Morris and Sam Chaloner, all avid Wrexham AFC fans, were delighted to give the ‘trailer on a trailer’ a warm Welsh send off from the factory.
“We are all so proud that our company based in Wales has been provided with the opportunity to take part in this unique Netflix promotion.
It’s not the first time that Ryan and Rob McElhenney have put Ifor Williams Trailers front and centre.
The Tinsel Town duo announced their takeover of the club with a spoof sales film for one of the company’s horseboxes, racking up five million views on Twitter.
The horsebox also featured in their video to unveil global social media brand TikTok as the new front of shirt sponsors of Wrexham AFC.
The aim was to signify a changing of the guard because the trailer makers had been the main front of shirt sponsor since 2016.
They’ve stayed on as the main local sponsor and the Ifor Williams Trailers logo is now on the shorts instead for the next two years, with the company also being named as the club’s official trailer partner.
Purchase ledger clerk Paul Mathias is a lifelong Wrexham fan after being taken as a six year old to watch a match at the Racecourse by his grandfather in the late 1970s, just before they were promoted to old Second Division (now the Championship) under legendary manager John Neal.
Paul said: “I’ve supported the club through good times and bad times, mostly poor over the past 10 years if I’m honest.
“Hopefully, the good times are coming back now and we’re all hoping for a happy Hollywood ending.
“It was really exciting to be involved in the filming with Netflix – I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
“I was a bit nervous to begin with but as soon as we got down to it, it was a good laugh as well. It was a lot of fun but I’m not going to give up my day job just yet.”
Forklift truck driver Les Morris was bitten by the bug when he saw Wrexham demolish Bradford 6-0 back in 1966.
He said: “The filming with Netflix is probably the strangest experience I have had as a Wrexham fan.
The last decade has been really dire so hopefully what’s happening now with Ryan and Rob is brilliant. The whole place is absolutely buzzing at the moment and future is looking really good.
“We still have a great fanbase. The number of fans who go to watch the matches is amazing. The sky’s the limit.”
Materials planner Hannah Philpott was equally delighted to be involved in the filming having been born and raised to be Wrexham fan.
She said: “It was all very top secret and really surreal to be honest. I ended up getting a tee shirt with Ryan Reynolds’ face on it.
“They showed us a clip of the film on the big screen and I must say it was a very action-packed scene with Ryan and The Rock. I’m definitely going to be watching the film.”
Transcript of video
Ryan Reynolds said: “I personally can’t stand those celebrities who take advantage of filming opportunities to promote their own personal interests.
(Awkward silence)
Ryan: “Thank you to Ifor Williams for putting our Red Notice Trailer on their trailers.”
Ifor Williams Trailers employees: “Go on Ryan”
Ryan: “It’s fair to day that audiences can’t get enough of Red Notice.”
Ben Tozer accompanied by Luke Young, Wrexham AFC captain and vice captain: “I kind of see myself as the ‘Rock of Wrexham’ to be honest with you.”
Ryan: “Welsh fans have taken a shine to one of the movies’ across in particular.”
Picture of Emily, Emzcakes (Legendary, Wrexham Baker) with cake in shape of Ryan’s head.
“Many critics are raving about the film.”
Cllr Ronnie Prince, Mayor of Wrexham: “I am raving about the film.”
Interviewer: “So you haven’t seen it?”
Cllr Prince: “No I haven’t seen it.”
Ryan: And will be subtitled in Welsh (A bydd wedi’i isdeitlo yn y Gymraeg) for my friends in Wrexham (ar gyfer fy ffrindiau yn Wrecsam).
Ryan: “I also want my friend Robbie to give a special shout-out to my co-stars, The Rock and Gal”.
Robbie Savage in Welsh: “Mae nhw fel nhw fel rhechfeydd mewn pot jam (They are like two f…s in a jam pot”.
