‘Full Circle’-Rob Mac Returns to Where Wrexham’s Story Really Began

Rob Mac can trace Wrexham’s remarkable rise back to one evening on his couch.

It was just over six years ago that he finally took Humphrey Ker’s advice and watched Sunderland ’Til I Die—a decision that ultimately set him on the path to becoming co-owner of Wrexham AFC and one of the most famous owners in sports.

Mac admits he knew very little about soccer and never quite understood why Mythic Quest writer Ker was so obsessed with the sport, often scrambling to watch Champions League live streams during breaks on set. It simply didn’t resonate with him.

Then the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in 2020.

With so much free time on his hands, Mac finally took his friend’s advice and watched a documentary series about soccer to see if it would all click. He settled on the Netflix hit Sunderland ’Til I Die and quickly realized just how deeply the sport was woven into the fabric of a local community. The jeopardy of promotion and relegation, in particular, fascinated him.

As he binge-watched the series, Mac decided he wanted to become part of that world—not simply as a supporter, but as a co-owner and custodian of a club, with the ambition of restoring pride and optimism to a passionate community that had been neglected for far too long.

He asked Ker whether buying a club was even feasible, and after a lengthy process they identified Wrexham as the ideal fit. Even a fifth-division club wouldn’t be cheap though. So he reached out to Ryan Reynolds about a potential sponsorship opportunity and was stunned when the actor—whom he had never actually met at that point—responded by saying he wanted to buy the club together.

Five years, three promotions and five seasons of Welcome to Wrexham later, the rest is history. Wrexham has become as much a part of Mac’s life as the Philadelphia Eagles, though he still has a soft spot for Sunderland and the role that club played in sparking his love for soccer.

This weekend, everything comes full circle when Wrexham face the Black Cats in his hometown of Philadelphia. The Red Dragons will play the final match of their three-game U.S. tour on Sunday, having already beaten Leeds United in Tampa, before narrowly losing to Liverpool in New York.

For the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator, it will be a special opportunity to reflect on an extraordinary journey ahead of Wrexham’s latest push for promotion to the Premier League.

“It’ll definitely be a special one for me,” Mac tells Sports Illustrated. “Sunderland ’Til I Die played a huge role in opening my eyes to what football clubs mean to their communities. That series showed the emotional investment supporters have in their clubs, and it absolutely influenced the conversations Ryan and I had about Wrexham.

“Now, years later, to be playing Sunderland in Philadelphia as part of this journey feels incredibly full circle. It’ll be competitive on the pitch, but there's also a real appreciation for what that club and that documentary meant to me personally.”

Tickets are still available for Wrexham’s preseason clash with Sunderland at Subaru Park this weekend.

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