1 00:00:07,424 --> 00:00:09,092 JACQUI: How old are you now? ARTHUR: 96. 2 00:00:09,092 --> 00:00:10,385 JACQUI: Yeah, 96. 3 00:00:10,385 --> 00:00:14,305 {\an8}I'll be 97 next March. 4 00:00:14,389 --> 00:00:16,349 {\an8}First match I went to 5 00:00:16,433 --> 00:00:20,729 {\an8}was 1931. 6 00:00:20,729 --> 00:00:22,689 I was seven. 7 00:00:22,689 --> 00:00:25,442 JULIE: So 90 years of following them? 8 00:00:25,442 --> 00:00:27,527 - Up and down. - [laughs] 9 00:00:27,527 --> 00:00:29,821 Up and down. 10 00:00:29,821 --> 00:00:34,492 SPENCER: And a football team is not just a football team. 11 00:00:34,576 --> 00:00:38,329 {\an8}It is something that really brings together 12 00:00:38,413 --> 00:00:41,750 {\an8}the community in a way that nothing else does. 13 00:00:41,750 --> 00:00:43,626 SHAUN: There's a magic about football 14 00:00:43,710 --> 00:00:45,420 {\an8}that not everyone will get, 15 00:00:45,420 --> 00:00:48,256 {\an8}but the die-hard Wrexham fans I know certainly get it. 16 00:00:48,256 --> 00:00:50,008 {\an8}JULIE: "Three brothers who will be going to Wembley 17 00:00:50,008 --> 00:00:55,096 {\an8}to support Wrexham AFC with a combined age of 254 years." 18 00:00:55,180 --> 00:00:57,098 {\an8}JACQUI: That's it. - [Julie laughs] 19 00:00:57,182 --> 00:00:58,725 {\an8}Had, uh, highs. 20 00:00:58,725 --> 00:01:00,560 {\an8}I've had very lows. 21 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,605 SPENCER: It gives people a real sense of community 22 00:01:03,605 --> 00:01:05,356 and camaraderie 23 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,319 and belonging to something in a way that, without it, 24 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,362 they just wouldn't have. 25 00:01:11,446 --> 00:01:15,825 And-and-and how dare somebody come from outside the area 26 00:01:15,909 --> 00:01:18,912 and-and try to take that away from people? 27 00:01:22,665 --> 00:01:23,917 [Buddy Holly's "Everyday"] 28 00:01:23,917 --> 00:01:26,169 BUDDY: [singing] Every day, it's a-getting closer 29 00:01:26,169 --> 00:01:29,464 Going faster than a roller coaster 30 00:01:29,464 --> 00:01:34,594 Love like yours will surely come my way 31 00:01:34,594 --> 00:01:36,846 A-hey, a-hey-hey 32 00:01:36,930 --> 00:01:40,433 {\an8}Every day, it's a-getting faster 33 00:01:40,517 --> 00:01:44,062 {\an8}Everyone said, "Go ahead and ask her" 34 00:01:44,062 --> 00:01:48,775 Love like yours will surely come my way 35 00:01:48,775 --> 00:01:51,111 A-hey, a-hey-hey 36 00:01:51,111 --> 00:01:57,492 Love like yours will surely come my way 37 00:02:06,292 --> 00:02:08,878 PERSON: Is it teatime for you now? 38 00:02:08,962 --> 00:02:10,755 Oh-ho-ho-ho. 39 00:02:10,839 --> 00:02:12,173 Are you hungry? 40 00:02:12,257 --> 00:02:14,843 Are you ready for your tea? [gasps] 41 00:02:15,927 --> 00:02:20,390 Right, buddy, after we finish this... 42 00:02:20,390 --> 00:02:22,892 you're not going to be able to sit and watch telly. 43 00:02:22,976 --> 00:02:24,519 Mommy and Daddy have got to watch something 44 00:02:24,519 --> 00:02:26,104 on the telly. 45 00:02:26,104 --> 00:02:27,772 And it's about the football. 46 00:02:27,856 --> 00:02:29,065 PERSON: Some people are worried 47 00:02:29,149 --> 00:02:31,359 that Ryan Reynolds and his friend 48 00:02:31,359 --> 00:02:32,986 are just doing it to make money. 49 00:02:32,986 --> 00:02:36,030 {\an8}[bright classical music] 50 00:02:38,575 --> 00:02:40,160 So that's what people want to know: 51 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:41,870 why have they chosen Wrexham? 52 00:02:41,870 --> 00:02:43,746 Just to make sure that they're-- 53 00:02:43,830 --> 00:02:46,583 they're doing it for a reason that's a good reason. 54 00:02:46,583 --> 00:02:47,917 There were some people 55 00:02:48,001 --> 00:02:51,171 who bought Wrexham Football Club who didn't want it. 56 00:02:51,171 --> 00:02:53,590 They wanted to knock the football stadium down. 57 00:02:53,590 --> 00:02:55,383 They wanted to knock? 58 00:02:55,383 --> 00:02:57,510 So that they could make money. 59 00:02:57,594 --> 00:02:58,720 [light music] 60 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,724 [static crackling] 61 00:03:02,724 --> 00:03:04,642 LOUISE: These are turbulent times 62 00:03:04,726 --> 00:03:06,477 {\an8}for Wrexham Football Club. 63 00:03:06,561 --> 00:03:10,023 {\an8}Its future is on a knife-edge amid talks of debts amounting 64 00:03:10,023 --> 00:03:13,318 {\an8}to millions and asset stripping. 65 00:03:13,318 --> 00:03:16,237 SPENCER: Going back to the early 2000s, 66 00:03:16,321 --> 00:03:19,115 the football club had a number of challenges. 67 00:03:19,199 --> 00:03:22,994 It had owners who, eh, who-who frankly that-that 68 00:03:22,994 --> 00:03:24,704 their sole reason for ownership 69 00:03:24,704 --> 00:03:27,040 was not for the betterment of the football club, 70 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,000 and the football club was in danger. 71 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,960 LOUISE: For the last two years, 72 00:03:31,044 --> 00:03:33,004 this club has been owned by one man, 73 00:03:33,004 --> 00:03:35,381 {\an8}and tonight we unravel the truth 74 00:03:35,465 --> 00:03:38,343 {\an8}behind rumors surrounding Alex Hamilton. 75 00:03:39,510 --> 00:03:41,846 Alex Hamilton was actually the-the owner 76 00:03:41,930 --> 00:03:44,933 of the football club, but another gentleman, eh, 77 00:03:44,933 --> 00:03:47,393 was, eh, was-was sort of fronting the ownership 78 00:03:47,477 --> 00:03:49,229 for a while, and-and we didn't know 79 00:03:49,229 --> 00:03:52,357 Alex Hamilton was in-in the background. 80 00:03:52,357 --> 00:03:54,025 LOUISE: Two years ago, Alex Hamilton 81 00:03:54,025 --> 00:03:57,111 bought the controlling share of Wrexham Football Club. 82 00:03:57,195 --> 00:03:58,947 Keeping his own identity secret, 83 00:03:58,947 --> 00:04:01,866 he installed a business associate as chairman. 84 00:04:01,950 --> 00:04:03,952 Mark Guterman was a controversial choice 85 00:04:03,952 --> 00:04:05,245 among fans. 86 00:04:05,245 --> 00:04:07,205 He'd already taken local rivals Chester 87 00:04:07,205 --> 00:04:09,123 into administration and relegated 88 00:04:09,207 --> 00:04:10,750 from the football league. 89 00:04:10,750 --> 00:04:12,961 BRYN: The club was sold to those two people, 90 00:04:12,961 --> 00:04:17,173 and their, uh, idea of what the value of this football club 91 00:04:17,257 --> 00:04:20,927 didn't really revolve around it being a football club. 92 00:04:20,927 --> 00:04:23,137 LOUISE: A former solicitor who lives here in Cheshire, 93 00:04:23,221 --> 00:04:25,598 Alex Hamilton was struck off by the Law Society 94 00:04:25,682 --> 00:04:27,183 two years ago for charges 95 00:04:27,267 --> 00:04:29,519 including allegations of mortgage fraud. 96 00:04:29,519 --> 00:04:32,021 He appealed, and most of the charges against him, 97 00:04:32,105 --> 00:04:34,232 including the mortgage fraud, were withdrawn. 98 00:04:34,232 --> 00:04:35,942 Reinstated last year, 99 00:04:35,942 --> 00:04:39,195 Hamilton now describes himself as a property developer. 100 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:40,655 BRYN: This was a time of, you know, 101 00:04:40,655 --> 00:04:43,283 a lot of redevelopment work going on around the UK. 102 00:04:43,283 --> 00:04:44,993 There was a bit more money flowing around again 103 00:04:44,993 --> 00:04:48,997 {\an8}in the economy and people were looking for opportunities. 104 00:04:48,997 --> 00:04:51,291 {\an8}Small football clubs are always financially vulnerable, 105 00:04:51,291 --> 00:04:53,876 {\an8}and this has long been the case in England and Wales. 106 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:55,211 Wrexham were in that position now. 107 00:04:55,295 --> 00:04:56,713 They were vulnerable, 108 00:04:56,713 --> 00:04:58,840 and I think these guys spotted that vulnerability 109 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:01,050 and recognized that in this big stadium site 110 00:05:01,134 --> 00:05:03,219 that you have here, which is on the edge of town, 111 00:05:03,303 --> 00:05:06,014 it's a prime position potentially for redevelopment. 112 00:05:06,014 --> 00:05:08,766 LOUISE: The Racecourse is the premier sports ground 113 00:05:08,850 --> 00:05:10,518 in North Wales. 114 00:05:10,518 --> 00:05:13,521 The Ground has a long history, and fans recently invested 115 00:05:13,521 --> 00:05:16,816 in its future by buying bricks in the new stand. 116 00:05:16,816 --> 00:05:18,901 There's lots of building work going on here. 117 00:05:18,985 --> 00:05:22,071 It's a prime site at the main gateway to the town. 118 00:05:22,155 --> 00:05:23,781 If it had planning permission, 119 00:05:23,865 --> 00:05:26,993 the Racecourse could be worth at least £10 million... 120 00:05:26,993 --> 00:05:29,245 just the kind of land a property developer 121 00:05:29,329 --> 00:05:31,247 might dream of finding. 122 00:05:31,331 --> 00:05:34,459 [dark music] 123 00:05:36,252 --> 00:05:37,962 SPENCER: Well, the history, the present, 124 00:05:38,046 --> 00:05:40,298 and the future of Wrexham Football Club 125 00:05:40,298 --> 00:05:42,592 is interwoven with the Racecourse stadium. 126 00:05:42,592 --> 00:05:44,218 Without the Racecourse stadium, 127 00:05:44,302 --> 00:05:46,721 there is no Wrexham AFC. 128 00:05:46,721 --> 00:05:49,474 If the stadium goes, the football team goes. 129 00:05:49,474 --> 00:05:52,226 [Spiro's "We Will Be Absorbed"] 130 00:05:52,310 --> 00:05:55,813 ROB: So the club doesn't currently own the Racecourse. 131 00:05:55,897 --> 00:06:00,735 {\an8}We pay approximately $150,000 a year to lease the stadium. 132 00:06:00,735 --> 00:06:03,279 {\an8}Moreover, the club is also on the hook for any updates, 133 00:06:03,363 --> 00:06:05,281 refurbishments, enhancements that we wanna do, 134 00:06:05,365 --> 00:06:07,158 and we've been able to do a few of those. 135 00:06:07,158 --> 00:06:09,660 But what we really wanna do is return the stadium 136 00:06:09,744 --> 00:06:13,247 to being the crown jewel of North Wales. 137 00:06:13,331 --> 00:06:15,416 But sadly, we have an entire stand called "the Kop" 138 00:06:15,500 --> 00:06:17,543 that is, for all intents and purposes, condemned, 139 00:06:17,627 --> 00:06:19,379 and we can't do anything with that 140 00:06:19,379 --> 00:06:23,883 until the club once again owns the Racecourse... 141 00:06:23,883 --> 00:06:26,844 which is proving to be... 142 00:06:26,928 --> 00:06:29,055 difficult? 143 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,475 {\an8}[beep beep] Hey, Shaun? 144 00:06:32,475 --> 00:06:37,021 {\an8}Can we get an update on, um, where we are with the purchase 145 00:06:37,105 --> 00:06:39,232 {\an8}of the, uh, freehold for the Racecourse? 146 00:06:39,232 --> 00:06:42,777 {\an8}Um, it's proving to be, uh, a challenge. 147 00:06:42,777 --> 00:06:44,987 {\an8}The-the title deeds are old. 148 00:06:45,071 --> 00:06:48,616 {\an8}The Land Registry plans aren't as clear as you'd hope. 149 00:06:48,616 --> 00:06:51,536 {\an8}Um, we're just reviewing them all to get them all together, 150 00:06:51,536 --> 00:06:53,746 {\an8}and we're gonna get there as quick as we can. 151 00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:55,331 {\an8}RYAN: There's nothing that we can do to-- 152 00:06:55,415 --> 00:06:57,917 {\an8}to maybe to help speed it up or-or expedite in some way? 153 00:06:57,917 --> 00:07:01,546 {\an8}Well, some of these laws were drawn up in the 1400s, 154 00:07:01,546 --> 00:07:04,340 {\an8}so they-they didn't anticipate 155 00:07:04,424 --> 00:07:06,467 {\an8}the pace at which people would want to do things. 156 00:07:06,551 --> 00:07:08,636 {\an8}It is frustrating, and it's annoying 157 00:07:08,636 --> 00:07:12,140 {\an8}and, uh, it's hard to-- it's hard to give you a-- 158 00:07:12,140 --> 00:07:15,601 {\an8}a rationale as to why it should take this long 159 00:07:15,685 --> 00:07:17,687 {\an8}other than these things do. 160 00:07:17,687 --> 00:07:19,480 {\an8}I mean, I-I'm all for due process, 161 00:07:19,564 --> 00:07:22,483 {\an8}but we-we made a promise. 162 00:07:22,567 --> 00:07:24,527 {\an8}It's in our original mission statement. 163 00:07:24,527 --> 00:07:26,654 {\an8}The Racecourse needs to be back in club hands. 164 00:07:26,654 --> 00:07:29,073 {\an8}Everybody wants it to be back in club hands. 165 00:07:29,157 --> 00:07:31,033 {\an8}And yet months and months and months go by. 166 00:07:31,117 --> 00:07:32,660 {\an8}And the-I-look, my frustration 167 00:07:32,660 --> 00:07:36,581 {\an8}is that we can't start on the development process. 168 00:07:36,581 --> 00:07:39,000 {\an8}Do we have a rough estimate as to when we'll have 169 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,335 {\an8}some kind of answer? 170 00:07:41,419 --> 00:07:45,882 {\an8}No, other than it can't take that much longer. 171 00:07:45,882 --> 00:07:48,217 {\an8}RYAN: Holy... - [laughs] I mean, it's just-- 172 00:07:48,301 --> 00:07:49,510 {\an8}it's Kafkaesque. 173 00:07:49,594 --> 00:07:51,637 {\an8}Like, we are-- we're-we're trapped. 174 00:07:51,721 --> 00:07:54,015 {\an8}And what-and what's worse is we're even on record 175 00:07:54,015 --> 00:07:56,017 {\an8}since we promised it that-that we're actually 176 00:07:56,017 --> 00:07:58,478 {\an8}on with it and we've got everything in place. 177 00:07:58,478 --> 00:08:01,314 {\an8}I'm amazed we've not had any-- had any more questions 178 00:08:01,314 --> 00:08:04,567 {\an8}from the public and the fans as to why it's taking-- 179 00:08:04,567 --> 00:08:06,444 {\an8}why it's taking this length of time. 180 00:08:06,444 --> 00:08:09,864 {\an8}Okay, well, I guess we'll talk later. 181 00:08:09,864 --> 00:08:11,115 {\an8}Uh, bye, guys. 182 00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:12,241 {\an8}[beep beep] 183 00:08:15,912 --> 00:08:16,954 ANNOUNCER: Oh, he's all on his own. 184 00:08:17,038 --> 00:08:18,372 Can he make it five? 185 00:08:18,456 --> 00:08:20,583 GERAINT: We are, uh, one of the oldest clubs 186 00:08:20,583 --> 00:08:21,667 in the world. 187 00:08:21,751 --> 00:08:24,086 [dramatic music] 188 00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:26,923 Uh, and that's quite impressive in itself. 189 00:08:26,923 --> 00:08:29,383 ANNOUNCER: No doubt about that in terms of Wrexham. 190 00:08:29,467 --> 00:08:31,802 GERAINT: The Racecourse itself is the oldest existing 191 00:08:31,886 --> 00:08:35,723 international venue that still hosts football. 192 00:08:35,723 --> 00:08:38,768 HUGHIE: Better football, better prospects 193 00:08:38,768 --> 00:08:41,145 {\an8}to get what we so desire in Wrexham. 194 00:08:41,229 --> 00:08:42,647 GERAINT: The name "the Racecourse" 195 00:08:42,647 --> 00:08:45,775 was 'cause the venue was a racecourse. 196 00:08:45,775 --> 00:08:48,653 {\an8}The local authorities wouldn't allow betting, 197 00:08:48,653 --> 00:08:50,905 {\an8}and-and so the tenancy dropped off 198 00:08:50,905 --> 00:08:53,074 {\an8}and-and the football took over... kept the name. 199 00:08:53,074 --> 00:08:55,618 {\an8}ANNOUNCER: Can he make it five? 200 00:08:55,618 --> 00:08:57,411 {\an8}And Jones makes it five! 201 00:08:57,495 --> 00:08:59,121 {\an8}[cheering] 202 00:08:59,205 --> 00:09:02,083 {\an8}GERAINT: It's just been our home for all our existence. 203 00:09:02,083 --> 00:09:03,459 {\an8}[cheering, chanting] 204 00:09:03,543 --> 00:09:05,211 [echo fades] 205 00:09:05,211 --> 00:09:08,130 [static crackling] 206 00:09:08,214 --> 00:09:10,049 LOUISE: When Alex Hamilton took over the club, 207 00:09:10,049 --> 00:09:11,217 the Ground was owned 208 00:09:11,217 --> 00:09:13,928 by Wolverhampton & Dudley Brewery. 209 00:09:13,928 --> 00:09:17,306 They leased it to the club for £1 a year. 210 00:09:17,390 --> 00:09:20,101 The club approached the brewery to buy the freehold. 211 00:09:20,101 --> 00:09:21,477 And the very same day 212 00:09:21,561 --> 00:09:23,229 that the brewery sold the Ground 213 00:09:23,229 --> 00:09:24,730 to Wrexham Football Club, 214 00:09:24,814 --> 00:09:27,483 it was immediately transferred to another company, 215 00:09:27,567 --> 00:09:28,859 Damens Limited. 216 00:09:28,943 --> 00:09:32,321 Damens is wholly owned by Alex Hamilton. 217 00:09:32,405 --> 00:09:34,282 So the Ground belonged to one company 218 00:09:34,282 --> 00:09:36,367 and the club belonged to another. 219 00:09:36,367 --> 00:09:40,246 But both were controlled by Alex Hamilton. 220 00:09:40,997 --> 00:09:44,125 SPENCER: Their idea was to separate the club 221 00:09:44,125 --> 00:09:47,128 from the stadium and then bulldoze the stadium 222 00:09:47,128 --> 00:09:50,047 and turn it into, um, into a profit. 223 00:09:50,131 --> 00:09:52,341 [Spiro's "Wolves"] 224 00:09:52,425 --> 00:09:56,596 BRYN: So they had, um, a plan, and it was a plan 225 00:09:56,596 --> 00:10:00,808 to basically kill the football club, effectively. 226 00:10:00,808 --> 00:10:03,311 They took all the investment out over a period 227 00:10:03,311 --> 00:10:05,855 so it wasn't overt initially. 228 00:10:05,855 --> 00:10:07,607 But it became apparent that things weren't-- 229 00:10:07,607 --> 00:10:09,650 bills weren't getting paid effectively. 230 00:10:09,734 --> 00:10:11,902 {\an8}LOUISE: The Inland Revenue is currently charging the club 231 00:10:11,986 --> 00:10:14,697 {\an8}£150 a day in interest 232 00:10:14,697 --> 00:10:18,159 {\an8}on a debt of more than £800,000. 233 00:10:19,535 --> 00:10:21,912 Earlier this year, things got so bad 234 00:10:21,996 --> 00:10:24,123 the bailiffs were called in. 235 00:10:24,123 --> 00:10:25,625 They assessed the club's assets 236 00:10:25,625 --> 00:10:27,418 down to the last plastic seat, 237 00:10:27,418 --> 00:10:30,421 floodlight, and lawn mower. 238 00:10:30,421 --> 00:10:32,798 If the tax bill remains unpaid, 239 00:10:32,882 --> 00:10:35,134 those assets will be seized. 240 00:10:35,134 --> 00:10:36,552 You know, I couldn't believe 241 00:10:36,636 --> 00:10:39,972 that they would treat the fans like that. 242 00:10:40,056 --> 00:10:41,140 It's a-- 243 00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:42,975 Sorry. - [crew member laughs] 244 00:10:43,059 --> 00:10:44,769 You know, 'cause we loved it so much 245 00:10:44,769 --> 00:10:47,813 and they were just destroying it for money. 246 00:10:47,897 --> 00:10:52,109 And it was just so frustrating. 247 00:10:52,193 --> 00:10:56,113 {\an8}LOUISE: Mr. Hamilton refused our requests for an interview. 248 00:10:56,197 --> 00:10:57,448 We went to the Racecourse, 249 00:10:57,448 --> 00:10:59,450 where he was attending a board meeting. 250 00:10:59,450 --> 00:11:01,369 Wales' Week In Week Out program. 251 00:11:01,369 --> 00:11:03,579 {\an8}I wanted to ask you, are you sure that the transfer 252 00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:07,083 {\an8}of the Racecourse Ground into your private campaign is legal? 253 00:11:07,083 --> 00:11:09,210 {\an8}- We came here... - Can you answer that question? 254 00:11:09,210 --> 00:11:11,087 {\an8}We came here to deal with 255 00:11:11,087 --> 00:11:13,172 {\an8}a son passing away. - Asset stripping as well. 256 00:11:13,172 --> 00:11:14,799 {\an8}ALEX: [indistinct] 257 00:11:14,799 --> 00:11:16,717 {\an8}LOUISE: Mr. Hamilton, please answer my questions. 258 00:11:16,801 --> 00:11:18,386 {\an8}I came here to deal with one topic, 259 00:11:18,386 --> 00:11:21,597 {\an8}which is a personal one of irregular support-- 260 00:11:21,681 --> 00:11:23,516 {\an8}LOUISE: You've been in a board meeting. 261 00:11:23,516 --> 00:11:25,142 {\an8}You've been in a board meeting. Mr. Hamilton, 262 00:11:25,226 --> 00:11:27,144 {\an8}you are being accused of asset stripping this club. 263 00:11:27,228 --> 00:11:28,521 {\an8}What do you have to say about that? 264 00:11:28,521 --> 00:11:31,107 {\an8}Gop. Total rubbish. LOUISE: It's not rubbish. 265 00:11:31,107 --> 00:11:32,274 {\an8}Why have you transferred 266 00:11:32,358 --> 00:11:33,776 {\an8}the freehold of this club into your own-- 267 00:11:33,776 --> 00:11:35,444 {\an8}why have you transferred... - Excuse me a moment. 268 00:11:35,528 --> 00:11:37,738 {\an8}The freehold of this club... ALEX: Excuse me. 269 00:11:37,822 --> 00:11:39,156 {\an8}LOUISE: Into your own company? Why have you done that? 270 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,076 {\an8}I had to deal with [indistinct] passing away. 271 00:11:42,076 --> 00:11:43,994 LOUISE: Please stop and talk to us, Mr. Hamilton. 272 00:11:44,078 --> 00:11:45,413 These are really important issues 273 00:11:45,413 --> 00:11:48,124 we want to discuss with you. 274 00:11:48,124 --> 00:11:50,626 Mr. Hamilton was not at the funeral. 275 00:11:50,710 --> 00:11:53,421 He was attending a directors' meeting at the club. 276 00:11:54,630 --> 00:11:56,465 Fans were getting worried. 277 00:11:56,549 --> 00:12:00,010 They organized mass opposition to Alex Hamilton's plans. 278 00:12:00,094 --> 00:12:01,846 He had dropped a bombshell. 279 00:12:01,846 --> 00:12:03,931 He said the Racecourse would have to be sold 280 00:12:03,931 --> 00:12:05,975 if the club was to survive. 281 00:12:05,975 --> 00:12:08,394 Last July, he served a legal notice on the club 282 00:12:08,394 --> 00:12:10,688 to leave the Racecourse within a year. 283 00:12:10,688 --> 00:12:11,772 [crowd chanting] 284 00:12:11,856 --> 00:12:14,400 After 130 years, 285 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,111 this season could be the last that Wrexham play there. 286 00:12:17,111 --> 00:12:18,320 CROWD: We will not surrender! 287 00:12:18,404 --> 00:12:20,030 [chanting indistinctly] 288 00:12:20,906 --> 00:12:22,158 {\an8}SPENCER: The supporters rallied round 289 00:12:22,158 --> 00:12:24,201 {\an8}and really fought hard. 290 00:12:24,285 --> 00:12:25,870 And I was only a kid and we were walking round the Ground 291 00:12:25,870 --> 00:12:27,705 with-with banners and, you know, 292 00:12:27,705 --> 00:12:29,331 just anything to save your club. 293 00:12:29,415 --> 00:12:31,542 SPENCER: There was a lot of-- 294 00:12:31,542 --> 00:12:34,086 you could call it guerilla warfare really. 295 00:12:34,170 --> 00:12:35,755 BRYN: It was a-- 296 00:12:35,755 --> 00:12:38,549 a campaign that was taken to their front doorsteps. 297 00:12:41,886 --> 00:12:43,721 {\an8}- The fans got together. - Mm, yep. 298 00:12:43,721 --> 00:12:44,972 {\an8}- Yeah. - And said, "We'll have 299 00:12:44,972 --> 00:12:47,308 {\an8}to do something drastic." 300 00:12:47,308 --> 00:12:49,059 JACQUI: Yeah, we did. JULIE: Mm. 301 00:12:49,143 --> 00:12:50,519 And so we did. 302 00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:53,230 BRYN: The fans gathered in the town in Cheshire 303 00:12:53,314 --> 00:12:55,441 just over the border, where Alex Hamilton lived, 304 00:12:55,441 --> 00:12:57,026 and they marched through the town 305 00:12:57,026 --> 00:12:58,569 protesting against his ownership 306 00:12:58,569 --> 00:13:00,237 of the football club. 307 00:13:00,321 --> 00:13:02,072 LOUISE: It signaled a declaration of war 308 00:13:02,156 --> 00:13:03,616 against the chairman. 309 00:13:03,616 --> 00:13:05,409 [crowd chanting] 310 00:13:05,493 --> 00:13:08,746 The very same day, Alex Hamilton responded. 311 00:13:08,746 --> 00:13:10,289 {\an8}BRYN: He'd walked up 312 00:13:10,289 --> 00:13:13,751 {\an8}and started talking to a few people there. 313 00:13:13,751 --> 00:13:16,962 {\an8}And this-this was in a week where he'd described the fans 314 00:13:17,046 --> 00:13:20,090 {\an8}as lowlife scum, and there he was in the middle of 'em. 315 00:13:20,174 --> 00:13:22,635 {\an8}[crowd chanting] 316 00:13:22,635 --> 00:13:23,928 {\an8}LOUISE: Fans thought his actions 317 00:13:23,928 --> 00:13:26,847 {\an8}were an attempt to incite trouble. 318 00:13:26,931 --> 00:13:28,933 {\an8}[scoffs] We-we think he went on there 319 00:13:28,933 --> 00:13:31,018 {\an8}in the hope that somebody would hit him, 320 00:13:31,018 --> 00:13:34,855 {\an8}so that he could, uh, make a great political capital 321 00:13:34,939 --> 00:13:36,649 {\an8}out of the fact that we were football hooligans 322 00:13:36,649 --> 00:13:38,067 {\an8}and what have you. 323 00:13:38,067 --> 00:13:39,777 [crowd chanting] 324 00:13:39,777 --> 00:13:42,071 LOUISE: Hamilton has since been advised by the police 325 00:13:42,071 --> 00:13:45,407 not to attend home matches at his own club. 326 00:13:45,491 --> 00:13:48,494 {\an8}[crowd chanting] 327 00:13:53,415 --> 00:13:55,084 BRYN: In a fit of rage, 328 00:13:55,084 --> 00:13:57,586 he decided that he was gonna resign. 329 00:13:57,670 --> 00:14:00,089 And he scrawled it down on a napkin. 330 00:14:00,089 --> 00:14:02,049 Basically, I think, wrote, "I resign" 331 00:14:02,049 --> 00:14:04,760 and signed it "Alex Hamilton." 332 00:14:04,844 --> 00:14:06,387 That was him saying, "I want out," 333 00:14:06,387 --> 00:14:09,056 and that was them saying, "Great. Fine. Off you go." 334 00:14:09,056 --> 00:14:11,308 [tense music] 335 00:14:11,392 --> 00:14:13,310 [dramatic musical sting] 336 00:14:13,394 --> 00:14:15,604 {\an8}ROB: Hey, hi, hi, hi, hi. 337 00:14:15,688 --> 00:14:19,066 Have you heard from Shaun recently 338 00:14:19,066 --> 00:14:21,151 about the Racecourse purchase? 339 00:14:21,235 --> 00:14:22,403 RYAN: Yeah. 340 00:14:22,403 --> 00:14:24,655 Yeah, it is taking a long, long, 341 00:14:24,655 --> 00:14:26,365 long, long, long fucking time. 342 00:14:26,365 --> 00:14:29,827 Um, but I also, you know, I also recognize 343 00:14:29,827 --> 00:14:32,663 that this is not a simple thing. 344 00:14:32,663 --> 00:14:34,415 ROB: I think the thing that drives me crazy 345 00:14:34,415 --> 00:14:37,084 is that this is not a process 346 00:14:37,084 --> 00:14:38,627 that is in place to protect people. 347 00:14:38,711 --> 00:14:40,921 In fact, the people that are getting fucked 348 00:14:41,005 --> 00:14:42,339 are the people that are marginalized 349 00:14:42,423 --> 00:14:44,008 that are the ones that get fucked over 350 00:14:44,008 --> 00:14:45,634 always in these kinds of... RYAN: Rob tends to be 351 00:14:45,718 --> 00:14:46,886 a bit of a hothead. 352 00:14:46,886 --> 00:14:48,596 Rob's like-if you were in a burning building, 353 00:14:48,596 --> 00:14:50,639 Rob is-Rob is the first guy 354 00:14:50,723 --> 00:14:52,141 who's gonna run into that building 355 00:14:52,141 --> 00:14:54,518 and-and pull you out. 356 00:14:54,602 --> 00:14:56,061 I might look at, like, the version 357 00:14:56,145 --> 00:14:57,313 where we all get out. 358 00:14:57,313 --> 00:14:58,981 [laughs] Like, okay. 359 00:14:58,981 --> 00:15:01,025 Like... [laughs] 360 00:15:01,025 --> 00:15:03,110 That window is molten lava. 361 00:15:03,110 --> 00:15:04,236 I'm not gonna run through there 362 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,738 because I won't make it to the person. 363 00:15:05,738 --> 00:15:07,615 [laughing] Like, wait, let's just take a second 364 00:15:07,615 --> 00:15:08,782 and think about this. 365 00:15:08,866 --> 00:15:10,284 So yeah. So what I'm saying is, 366 00:15:10,284 --> 00:15:11,702 everyone would die in my version. 367 00:15:11,702 --> 00:15:13,203 [both laugh] 368 00:15:13,287 --> 00:15:15,581 Just Rob would die in his. 369 00:15:15,581 --> 00:15:18,083 You're so much more patient than me--you're so patient. 370 00:15:18,167 --> 00:15:20,544 I'm not so much more patient. I just drink more. 371 00:15:20,628 --> 00:15:22,338 ROB: [laughs] Is that what I need to do? 372 00:15:22,338 --> 00:15:23,422 I should just drink. 373 00:15:23,422 --> 00:15:25,174 And if you need any, uh, any gin, 374 00:15:25,174 --> 00:15:28,385 I-I got a guy. 375 00:15:28,469 --> 00:15:30,596 ROB: Oh, okay. All right. 376 00:15:30,596 --> 00:15:34,183 Well... all right, I guess we'll just keep waiting. 377 00:15:34,183 --> 00:15:35,976 We'll just keep waiting. Um, yeah. 378 00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:37,770 Waiting is, uh, my favorite color. 379 00:15:37,770 --> 00:15:39,980 I will, uh, I will talk to you very, very soon 380 00:15:40,064 --> 00:15:41,732 and uh, miss ya, love ya. - [sighs] 381 00:15:41,732 --> 00:15:44,693 Miss you, love you, miss you, love you, bye. 382 00:15:44,777 --> 00:15:46,153 He's too nice. 383 00:15:47,655 --> 00:15:49,698 He's too nice. 384 00:15:49,782 --> 00:15:51,825 It just-it drives me crazy. 385 00:15:53,285 --> 00:15:55,663 Not him being nice. That doesn't drive me crazy. 386 00:15:55,663 --> 00:15:58,999 It drives me crazy that we have to... 387 00:15:59,083 --> 00:16:01,043 just keep waiting. 388 00:16:01,043 --> 00:16:02,544 We're past the due process 389 00:16:02,628 --> 00:16:04,755 of-of protecting everybody involved. 390 00:16:04,755 --> 00:16:07,216 We're-we're, uh, we're months past that. 391 00:16:07,216 --> 00:16:10,302 It's-it's literally waiting for some lawyer 392 00:16:10,386 --> 00:16:11,971 to call another lawyer 393 00:16:11,971 --> 00:16:13,555 who's then gotta call a committee 394 00:16:13,639 --> 00:16:16,642 and the committee meets once every three months. 395 00:16:16,642 --> 00:16:19,395 And if they miss that because someone's got the flu, 396 00:16:19,395 --> 00:16:21,772 then it gets kicked to the bottom of the pile 397 00:16:21,772 --> 00:16:24,525 and another lawyer has to call another lawyer, 398 00:16:24,525 --> 00:16:27,194 and in-and in the interim, 399 00:16:27,194 --> 00:16:30,280 it's the team and the town that get fucked over 400 00:16:30,364 --> 00:16:35,244 because in-under the auspices of protecting the club, 401 00:16:35,244 --> 00:16:37,663 it's hurting the club because we can't do 402 00:16:37,663 --> 00:16:38,747 any renovation. 403 00:16:38,831 --> 00:16:40,624 We can't do any real updating 404 00:16:40,708 --> 00:16:42,209 because everything has to go through this process. 405 00:16:42,209 --> 00:16:45,879 And so we have this plan to-to revitalize 406 00:16:45,963 --> 00:16:48,924 the-the-the stadium, and we can't do anything 407 00:16:49,008 --> 00:16:50,342 until we get this information, 408 00:16:50,426 --> 00:16:53,387 so needless to say, I'm a little bit frustrated 409 00:16:53,387 --> 00:16:58,142 and Ryan is not because he's drunk or whatever. 410 00:17:03,147 --> 00:17:04,523 {\an8}[Spiro's "I Fear You Just as I Fear Ghosts"] 411 00:17:04,523 --> 00:17:06,442 {\an8}GERAINT: So Wrexham is a small town. 412 00:17:06,442 --> 00:17:08,861 {\an8}We had the mines starting to close down. 413 00:17:08,861 --> 00:17:11,905 {\an8}We had the Steelworks, and that was closing down as well. 414 00:17:11,989 --> 00:17:14,116 {\an8}And that has an effect with the football club. 415 00:17:14,116 --> 00:17:15,993 {\an8}The rent became too much. 416 00:17:15,993 --> 00:17:21,248 {\an8}So in 2014, the supporters got together and saved the club. 417 00:17:21,248 --> 00:17:24,293 {\an8}We had to raise £100,000. It was just amazing. 418 00:17:24,293 --> 00:17:26,128 {\an8}Kids were bringing piggy banks. 419 00:17:26,128 --> 00:17:27,379 {\an8}JACQUI: But we survived. ARTHUR: Yeah. 420 00:17:27,463 --> 00:17:29,673 {\an8}JACQUI: We survived. JULIE: We did. 421 00:17:29,757 --> 00:17:31,133 {\an8}We rose again like a phoenix 422 00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:32,384 {\an8}of the ashes. - [laughs] 423 00:17:32,468 --> 00:17:33,469 {\an8}You know, this is how-- this is how bully 424 00:17:33,469 --> 00:17:34,928 {\an8}Wrexham fans are. We come together 425 00:17:35,012 --> 00:17:39,099 {\an8}and we raised £127,000 in one day to save the club. 426 00:17:39,183 --> 00:17:40,726 {\an8}And Chester didn't when they were-- 427 00:17:40,726 --> 00:17:42,186 {\an8}when they were going bust. 428 00:17:42,186 --> 00:17:43,812 {\an8}Their fans didn't rally round. 429 00:17:43,896 --> 00:17:45,230 {\an8}They went dead. Boomf. 430 00:17:45,314 --> 00:17:47,357 {\an8}Wrexham fans wouldn't allow that to happen. 431 00:17:47,441 --> 00:17:50,110 {\an8}JULIE: Oh, that's when-- that's when we took over. 432 00:17:50,194 --> 00:17:54,073 {\an8}When we managed to get control of it, 433 00:17:54,073 --> 00:17:58,327 {\an8}that really was one of the highlights for me. 434 00:17:58,327 --> 00:18:01,747 {\an8}Regardless of what we won with-with trophies and things. 435 00:18:01,747 --> 00:18:03,415 {\an8}That was marvelous, but to think 436 00:18:03,499 --> 00:18:05,667 {\an8}that we could safeguard the club, 437 00:18:05,751 --> 00:18:07,586 {\an8}that was just fantastic, you know? 438 00:18:07,586 --> 00:18:09,213 {\an8}And-and... 439 00:18:09,213 --> 00:18:11,340 oh, gosh. [laughs] 440 00:18:11,340 --> 00:18:13,509 [soft music] 441 00:18:13,509 --> 00:18:16,804 BRYN: On one hand, the club was in safe hands again now, 442 00:18:16,804 --> 00:18:19,598 but on the other, it's actually quite an expensive business 443 00:18:19,598 --> 00:18:20,933 running a football club. 444 00:18:20,933 --> 00:18:23,143 SPENCER: It's ordinary Joes 445 00:18:23,227 --> 00:18:25,229 with whatever they can afford. 446 00:18:25,229 --> 00:18:27,106 You know, the minimum some people are putting in it 447 00:18:27,106 --> 00:18:29,650 is £12 a year. 448 00:18:29,650 --> 00:18:31,485 You know, some people contribute 449 00:18:31,485 --> 00:18:33,070 a lot more than that. 450 00:18:33,070 --> 00:18:35,864 Some people only put in the minimum amount 451 00:18:35,948 --> 00:18:38,325 but then do lots of volunteering 452 00:18:38,325 --> 00:18:41,161 and-and-and contributing in other ways. 453 00:18:41,245 --> 00:18:43,038 {\an8}JACQUI: Walked up mountains literally. 454 00:18:43,122 --> 00:18:44,873 {\an8}Walked up Snowdon, didn't they? JULIE: Yes. 455 00:18:44,957 --> 00:18:46,250 {\an8}To raise money... JULIE: Yes. 456 00:18:46,250 --> 00:18:47,334 {\an8}For the club. JULIE: Yeah. 457 00:18:47,334 --> 00:18:49,461 {\an8}And didn't we do a-a collection 458 00:18:49,545 --> 00:18:51,046 {\an8}for the wages once? BOTH: Yep. 459 00:18:51,130 --> 00:18:52,339 {\an8}- Yes. - Yep, yep. 460 00:18:52,339 --> 00:18:54,716 {\an8}[overlapping chatter] 461 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:56,009 {\an8}Yeah, pulled together to pay wages. 462 00:18:56,093 --> 00:18:57,719 {\an8}JACQUI: We just passed a hat around. 463 00:18:57,803 --> 00:18:59,346 {\an8}JULIE: Kenny Pemberton... - Yeah, people-- 464 00:18:59,346 --> 00:19:00,556 {\an8}JULIE: His house. - Yeah, people put... 465 00:19:00,556 --> 00:19:02,850 {\an8}JULIE: Gosh. JACQUI: Put money in and-- 466 00:19:02,850 --> 00:19:04,518 {\an8}well, we all did, didn't we? - Mm. 467 00:19:04,518 --> 00:19:06,228 {\an8}And we've got a lot to be grateful 468 00:19:06,228 --> 00:19:08,272 {\an8}to the-to the Trust for. 469 00:19:08,272 --> 00:19:10,149 {\an8}And all those people who worked so hard. 470 00:19:10,149 --> 00:19:12,359 {\an8}JACQUI: Yeah, yeah. - I mean, we're members, 471 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,319 {\an8}but there's people that worked harder than us. 472 00:19:14,403 --> 00:19:15,863 {\an8}JACQUI: Gosh, yeah. - Gosh. 473 00:19:15,863 --> 00:19:17,823 Frankly, the club has been struggling 474 00:19:17,823 --> 00:19:21,869 from that point onwards to this very day. 475 00:19:21,869 --> 00:19:23,787 If the club doesn't do so well 476 00:19:23,871 --> 00:19:25,914 {\an8}and the attendance goes down, 477 00:19:25,998 --> 00:19:28,041 {\an8}then the manager doesn't get as much money 478 00:19:28,125 --> 00:19:31,545 {\an8}as he was expecting to get to invest in his football side, 479 00:19:31,545 --> 00:19:34,381 and so the football team isn't quite as good again. 480 00:19:34,381 --> 00:19:36,884 So it's been an issue that's followed the club 481 00:19:36,884 --> 00:19:38,177 through all the years 482 00:19:38,177 --> 00:19:40,470 that the fans have been in control. 483 00:19:40,554 --> 00:19:43,473 [melancholic music] 484 00:19:43,557 --> 00:19:45,017 {\an8}GERAINT: It's an outdoor setting, 485 00:19:45,017 --> 00:19:47,686 {\an8}so it does wear and tear, weathers. 486 00:19:47,686 --> 00:19:49,938 {\an8}It needs work all the time. 487 00:19:50,022 --> 00:19:52,566 {\an8}Obviously, behind the goal, we've seen "the Kop," 488 00:19:52,566 --> 00:19:55,235 {\an8}uh, was closed 'cause we just didn't have the money 489 00:19:55,319 --> 00:19:56,737 {\an8}to-to keep it open. 490 00:19:56,737 --> 00:19:58,238 {\an8}Oh, God. It's all leaking, isn't it? 491 00:19:58,322 --> 00:20:00,824 {\an8}Uh, we used to get, uh, people complaining that the r-- 492 00:20:00,908 --> 00:20:02,492 {\an8}when on a rainy day, the rain was coming through 493 00:20:02,576 --> 00:20:04,620 {\an8}and dripping on them. 494 00:20:04,620 --> 00:20:07,164 {\an8}They just drain money, don't they, football grounds? 495 00:20:07,164 --> 00:20:08,999 BRYN: The club lost control of the stadium 496 00:20:08,999 --> 00:20:12,127 and the club began this inexorable slide down 497 00:20:12,211 --> 00:20:13,754 through the tiers into this position 498 00:20:13,754 --> 00:20:16,798 that it now finds itself in, in this fifth tier. 499 00:20:16,882 --> 00:20:20,344 So it had a-it had a seismic impact on the club. 500 00:20:20,344 --> 00:20:22,512 I didn't see a lot of hope under the Trust ownership 501 00:20:22,596 --> 00:20:24,431 and that's not a dig at them because, you know, 502 00:20:24,431 --> 00:20:26,683 they've put their time in and I respect them for it. 503 00:20:26,767 --> 00:20:28,727 So it's not a dig at them in the slightest. 504 00:20:28,727 --> 00:20:30,103 I just didn't see an out for the club. 505 00:20:30,187 --> 00:20:31,980 I didn't see a-- I didn't see a way forward. 506 00:20:32,064 --> 00:20:35,192 Um, a lot of fans didn't see a way forward. 507 00:20:35,192 --> 00:20:37,945 You know, those times were real bad, real low, 508 00:20:37,945 --> 00:20:40,739 really low because you--you knew we didn't have the money 509 00:20:40,739 --> 00:20:41,990 to get players. 510 00:20:42,074 --> 00:20:44,326 You knew players weren't getting paid on time. 511 00:20:44,326 --> 00:20:46,578 So it was just a knock-on effect 512 00:20:46,662 --> 00:20:49,039 and it was-it was a terrible time to be a fan. 513 00:20:49,039 --> 00:20:50,666 It's been... [laughs] it's been a terrible time 514 00:20:50,666 --> 00:20:52,251 to be a fan for a long time now 515 00:20:52,251 --> 00:20:53,460 to say the truth. 516 00:20:53,460 --> 00:20:55,295 Sam walked in and he said, "You'll never guess 517 00:20:55,379 --> 00:20:57,339 who's bought Wrexham Football Club." 518 00:20:57,339 --> 00:20:58,674 And I said, "Who?" 519 00:20:58,674 --> 00:21:00,592 He said, "Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney." 520 00:21:00,676 --> 00:21:01,927 I said... 521 00:21:01,927 --> 00:21:04,263 "As in Ryan Reynolds 522 00:21:04,263 --> 00:21:07,182 as in actor and Rob"-- I said, "I don't know him." 523 00:21:07,266 --> 00:21:09,142 He said, "Oh, yeah, you wouldn't know him. 524 00:21:09,226 --> 00:21:10,811 Always Sunny in Philadelphia." I said, 525 00:21:10,811 --> 00:21:12,354 "Oh, yes. Right, okay." 526 00:21:12,354 --> 00:21:13,981 Uh, I said, "You're joking." 527 00:21:13,981 --> 00:21:15,357 "Nope, that's right," he said. 528 00:21:15,357 --> 00:21:16,441 "They've bought it." [laughing] I said, 529 00:21:16,525 --> 00:21:18,110 "I can't believe it." 530 00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:22,864 {\an8}Funny though, how, you know, a little bit of good news... 531 00:21:22,948 --> 00:21:23,949 {\an8}- Rubs off. - Suddenly boosts 532 00:21:23,949 --> 00:21:25,117 {\an8}everything up. - Rubs off. 533 00:21:25,117 --> 00:21:27,035 {\an8}- Yeah. - Yeah, I mean, that's amazing. 534 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:28,120 {\an8}Isn't it? - Mm. 535 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:29,413 What's happening now for me 536 00:21:29,413 --> 00:21:32,416 is reward, um, 537 00:21:32,416 --> 00:21:34,293 for the-the effort and the sacrifices 538 00:21:34,293 --> 00:21:36,086 that supporters have put into football club over the years. 539 00:21:36,086 --> 00:21:38,046 {\an8}And when they came into buy it this time, 540 00:21:38,130 --> 00:21:40,590 {\an8}I was a bit suspicious and I thought, 541 00:21:40,674 --> 00:21:43,385 {\an8}"You know, are they going to love the club like we do? 542 00:21:43,385 --> 00:21:47,764 {\an8}"Are they really going to-to have 543 00:21:47,848 --> 00:21:51,184 {\an8}the-the best interests of the club at heart?" 544 00:21:51,268 --> 00:21:52,853 {\an8}And I just hope they don't let us down. 545 00:21:52,853 --> 00:21:55,063 {\an8}You know, it's, um, you know, we-- 546 00:21:55,147 --> 00:21:57,107 {\an8}well, we pray that they don't let us down. 547 00:21:57,107 --> 00:21:58,525 - They better not. - Yeah. 548 00:21:58,525 --> 00:22:00,068 You-you wouldn't cross a Wrexham fan. 549 00:22:00,152 --> 00:22:02,321 Don't, 'cause Wrexham-- Wrexham fans don't forgive... 550 00:22:02,321 --> 00:22:04,156 - They don't forgive easily. - Very easily. 551 00:22:04,156 --> 00:22:10,245 [light music] 552 00:22:15,584 --> 00:22:17,085 [phone chimes] ROB: You have some news 553 00:22:17,169 --> 00:22:18,712 for us? 554 00:22:18,712 --> 00:22:20,714 {\an8}Is it good news? - Well, it is. 555 00:22:20,714 --> 00:22:23,759 {\an8}After, uh, many months of trying 556 00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:25,969 {\an8}and, uh, frustration, 557 00:22:26,053 --> 00:22:27,429 {\an8}I would like to congratulate you. 558 00:22:27,429 --> 00:22:30,015 {\an8}You are now the proud owners of the Racecourse Ground. 559 00:22:30,015 --> 00:22:32,184 {\an8}- Whoa! - Yes! 560 00:22:32,184 --> 00:22:34,644 {\an8}Oh, my God! RYAN: Come on! 561 00:22:34,728 --> 00:22:35,896 {\an8}There we go! 562 00:22:35,896 --> 00:22:38,357 {\an8}Wrexham AFC owns the Racecourse Ground 563 00:22:38,357 --> 00:22:39,941 {\an8}and, uh, you've made it possible 564 00:22:40,025 --> 00:22:42,694 {\an8}and, you know, and keeping-- and keeping true to your words 565 00:22:42,778 --> 00:22:45,572 {\an8}in the mission statement, so congratulations. 566 00:22:45,572 --> 00:22:47,282 {\an8}Truly, you have made it possible-- 567 00:22:47,366 --> 00:22:51,661 {\an8}you, um, HK and Shaun and-and-and Ryan. 568 00:22:51,745 --> 00:22:53,955 {\an8}Like, I-I've just-- I-I hadn't-- 569 00:22:54,039 --> 00:22:56,249 {\an8}I lost my patience with it so long ago 570 00:22:56,333 --> 00:22:58,043 {\an8}that I had to check out of it completely 571 00:22:58,043 --> 00:22:59,503 {\an8}and I just appreciate you guys. 572 00:22:59,503 --> 00:23:01,129 {\an8}This is why Shaun wanted to do it over Zoom 573 00:23:01,213 --> 00:23:03,340 {\an8}is he-he wanted to see your angry, 574 00:23:03,340 --> 00:23:05,467 {\an8}scrunched-up, sad little face, Rob, 575 00:23:05,467 --> 00:23:07,636 {\an8}blossom into a smile. 576 00:23:07,636 --> 00:23:09,846 {\an8}RYAN: Having the oldest international 577 00:23:09,930 --> 00:23:12,682 {\an8}football club on the planet under our stewardship 578 00:23:12,766 --> 00:23:14,434 {\an8}is, like, both elation 579 00:23:14,518 --> 00:23:17,145 {\an8}and weirdly, I can feel an ulcer growing 580 00:23:17,229 --> 00:23:18,772 {\an8}as we speak. - [laughs] 581 00:23:18,772 --> 00:23:20,565 {\an8}Oh, have you got the email I've just sent you? 582 00:23:20,649 --> 00:23:22,526 {\an8}'Cause there is a second bit of news today. 583 00:23:22,526 --> 00:23:23,902 {\an8}Oh! SHAUN: If you open-- 584 00:23:23,902 --> 00:23:24,986 {\an8}If you-so there you go. 585 00:23:25,070 --> 00:23:26,154 {\an8}So if you want to open it up, 586 00:23:26,238 --> 00:23:29,366 {\an8}they are your first rendered images 587 00:23:29,366 --> 00:23:31,159 {\an8}of the new stand 588 00:23:31,243 --> 00:23:33,286 {\an8}the AFL architects have put together for us. 589 00:23:33,370 --> 00:23:34,371 {\an8}- Wow! - Oh. 590 00:23:34,371 --> 00:23:35,789 {\an8}Wow. 591 00:23:35,789 --> 00:23:39,501 {\an8}That is a big-time football stadium right there. 592 00:23:39,501 --> 00:23:41,545 {\an8}That is a-- - And that's just one stand. 593 00:23:41,545 --> 00:23:42,879 {\an8}That's just "the Kop" stand. - Yeah. 594 00:23:42,963 --> 00:23:44,589 {\an8}So-so what would be the next stand 595 00:23:44,673 --> 00:23:45,799 {\an8}that we would do? - Ugh, give him an inch, 596 00:23:45,799 --> 00:23:47,050 {\an8}he'll take a mile, Shaun. 597 00:23:47,134 --> 00:23:48,343 {\an8}I'm so sorry about-- 598 00:23:48,427 --> 00:23:50,470 {\an8}Wait, when can we--when can we show this to the public? 599 00:23:50,554 --> 00:23:54,141 {\an8}Uh, I need to go through the Council with Levelling Up Fund. 600 00:23:54,141 --> 00:23:57,102 {\an8}We probably need to warn a couple of people 601 00:23:57,102 --> 00:23:59,020 {\an8}at the Council it's coming out, 602 00:23:59,104 --> 00:24:01,356 {\an8}and then we can arrange a public launch 603 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,151 {\an8}and I think it'd be really useful to do that 604 00:24:04,151 --> 00:24:05,402 {\an8}because you have to have a pre-- 605 00:24:05,402 --> 00:24:07,988 {\an8}uh, a pre-application consultation period-- 606 00:24:07,988 --> 00:24:10,949 {\an8}ROB: A pre-application consultation period? 607 00:24:10,949 --> 00:24:12,117 {\an8}SHAUN: More bureaucracy, I know. 608 00:24:12,117 --> 00:24:14,327 {\an8}But at least-- - It's incredible. 609 00:24:14,411 --> 00:24:15,996 {\an8}Let's just put it out. Let's just put it out. 610 00:24:15,996 --> 00:24:17,497 {\an8}Let's just put it out. SHAUN: At least, at least-- 611 00:24:17,581 --> 00:24:19,166 {\an8}no, don't just put it out yet. 612 00:24:19,166 --> 00:24:21,501 {\an8}We-I'll-I'll give you the-- I'll give you the nod 613 00:24:21,585 --> 00:24:22,878 {\an8}when you can put it out. - Incredible. 614 00:24:22,878 --> 00:24:24,337 {\an8}Thank you, Shaun. Thank you for that great news. 615 00:24:24,421 --> 00:24:25,422 {\an8}Pleasure. RYAN: That is so neat. 616 00:24:25,422 --> 00:24:26,882 {\an8}We're putting out the video. 617 00:24:26,882 --> 00:24:28,091 {\an8}We're putting out the video, we're putting out the video. 618 00:24:28,175 --> 00:24:29,217 {\an8}Bye, love you, love you, bye. - Oh, boy. 619 00:24:29,301 --> 00:24:30,969 {\an8}- Okay, bye. - Bye, bye, bye, bye. 620 00:24:30,969 --> 00:24:37,058 [grand orchestral music] 621 00:25:41,957 --> 00:25:43,667 [child giggles, seagull cries]