Latest news with #HumphreyKer
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Evening Standard
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
The Estate at the National Theatre review: Adeel Akhtar is extraordinary
'The first rule about being brown is that we don't tell white people how sh*t we treat each other,' Angad says at one point to Humphrey Ker's domineering whip Ralph (who was also his contemporary at Harrow). For all his deference to his rich, pregnant, non-Sikh wife Sangeeta (Dinita Gohil) he can't entirely escape the old, sexist codes of the Punjab or the bullying dynamics he absorbed at home and at school.
Leader Live
11-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Ker balances Wrexham AFC going for it and consolidation
It's a topic that Reds' executive director Humphrey Ker has touched upon, with the club having momentum following back-to-back-to-back promotions from the National League. However, coupled with ambition is the realisation there's plenty of infrastructure work required at the club. Speaking to Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman on The Sports Agents podcast, Ker said: 'It's an interesting one, because we talk a lot in the building about momentum. Like, we know that a huge amount of the success we've enjoyed this year was built on the foundations of two seasons ago. 'Our starting XI on the game that we clinched promotion against Charlton... if we hadn't got a couple of injuries, I think you might have had seven, maybe, players starting that game who had been with us in the National League. 'So, for us, that momentum is really important and you think, weirdly, despite all the many, many challenges and that we've got infrastructure issues, we don't have a training ground. 'Our stadium's very small, there's a lot of things that make it a little bit more difficult for us at present, this might be our best shot to go through the Championship.' Ker touched upon the subject of clubs in the second tier with Premier League parachute payments, which has been reduced with Luton Town's relegation to League One. While a fourth successive promotion would be welcomed by the club, Ker wouldn't actually mind a mid-table finish as Wrexham prepare for their first season in the second tier in over four decades. He added: 'I mean, realistically, if someone offered me 10th place now, I'd absolutely bite your hand off and would not worry too much about promotion. 'We're about to pump a load of money into this brand new stand, which is more than a stand for us. It's going to be a club shop. 'It's going to be offices. It's going to be a whole raft of things that go beyond just having an extra 5,000 seats in the stadium. 'We've got to do a training ground as well. We've got an awful lot of stuff we need to do.'
Wales Online
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'Shut up' – Ryan Reynolds' spending becomes clear as Wrexham chief hits back
'Shut up' – Ryan Reynolds' spending becomes clear as Wrexham chief hits back Wrexham director of football Humphrey Ker has hit out at the club's critics who have accused Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney of "ruining football" with their spending A Wrexham director has hit back at critics of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images ) Wrexham director Humphrey Ker has hit back at critics of the club's financial approach, urging them to "shut up". Since Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over the reins of the Welsh team in February 2021, heavy investment has been made in the playing squad and infrastructure. The approach has reaped rewards, with Wrexham securing a remarkable third consecutive promotion last month. There's an expectation of increased expenditure as the team gears up for life in the Championship. Some figures have levelled criticism at the club for "ruining football", citing their hefty spending on salaries and new signings. The most significant spend was the £2million splashed to bring striker Sam Smith from Reading in the January transfer window. However, Ker has stressed that Wrexham's finances are well-managed, buoyed by major sponsorship deals. Speaking on the Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, he responded to queries about how their success has been received among opposing fans. He said: "Everyone's been incredibly nice, but you do see lots of people online like, 'Oh, they're ruining football, and it's disgraceful. This is everything that's wrong with modern football'. Article continues below Wrexham director Humphrey Ker addressed criticism of the club's spending on Radio X (Image: Radio X ) "You do end up thinking, well, hang on, there's a lot of football clubs that are going out of business because their owners are grinding money out of the fans. Also, just because you've got loads of money behind you, there's no guarantee that you are going to get back-to-back-to-back promotions. "It's never been done before and the other bonkers thing about us is that we've actually lived within our means. In the National League, we spent way more than anyone else. In League Two, we spent a fair bit more than everyone else. "In League One, we were basically spending about the same or less than a number of other clubs. Birmingham spent way more than we did and I think Huddersfield spent about the same, but all our money comes from sponsorship." Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. He added: "We get crazy sponsorship deals because of the documentary and because of Rob and Ryan. Everyone's like, 'They're going to run into PSR problems, financial fair play is going to catch up, and they're going to get bored.' Actually, we have only been spending what we've been earning so far, so shut up people." Wrexham's latest accounts reveal the club's annual turnover has rocketed to an astonishing £26.7m, largely due to the global interest ignited by Reynolds and McElhenney and the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. The figures for the financial year ending June 2024, when Phil Parkinson's side were still in League Two, marked a 155 per cent increase compared to the previous year. The team's popularity has also led to profitable commercial partnerships with companies such as United Airlines and HP, resulting in a significant increase in sponsorship revenue from £1.9m to £13.2m. Despite the impressive figures, Wrexham posted an overall loss of £2.7m during the 12-month period. In a significant financial boost for Wrexham, loans totalling £15m from owners Reynolds and McElhenney were repaid following the investment from the New York-based Allyn family and several large share issues in October. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Football finance guru Kieran Maguire has praised Wrexham's economic strength, indicating they are poised to be competitive in the Championship next season. Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: "Wrexham made three times as much as any other club in League Two, more than any other club in League One and they would be in the top half of the Championship,". "Therefore they're not that far behind the Championship's big hitters – the likes of Stoke and Norwich. It's an incredible achievement in terms of bringing in money. It's also their ability to become an international brand which has really driven this. Article continues below "I was teaching in Charlotte, North Carolina last year and the only shirts I saw were those of Wrexham, which is an amazing achievement and that's on the back of the documentary." Maguire also projected that Wrexham stand to gain an additional £8m in TV revenue from promotion to the second tier. "That would put them fairly close to all of the clubs except for those who will be in receipt of parachute payments in the Championship," he added.
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Wrexham critics told to 'shut up' as truth on Ryan Reynolds' spending emerges
Wrexham have been slammed in some quarters for spending large sums on wages and transfer fees, but a club director has hit back, insisting they are keeping within their means Wrexham director Humphrey Ker has blasted people who criticise the club's spending, telling them to "shut up". Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have invested millions since buying the Welsh side in February 2021. The actors' cash injection has paid off after the Red Dragons registered their third successive promotion last month. Further spending is anticipated as Wrexham prepare to compete in the Championship next season. However, the pair have been accused in some quarters of "ruining football" by forking out large sums on wages and transfer fees. The club's biggest outlay was the £2million paid out to lure striker Sam Smith from Reading in January. But Ker insists Wrexham are keeping within their means after attracting some major sponsorship deals in recent years. The comedian was speaking during an appearance on the Chris Moyles Show on Radio X after being asked how the club's success had been received by fans of rival teams. He said: "Everyone's been incredibly nice, but you do see lots of people online like, 'Oh, they're ruining football, and it's disgraceful. This is everything that's wrong with modern football'. "You do end up thinking, well, hang on, there's a lot of football clubs that are going out of business because their owners are grinding money out of the fans. Also, just because you've got loads of money behind you, there's no guarantee that you are going to get back-to-back-to-back promotions. "It's never been done before and the other bonkers thing about us is that we've actually lived within our means. In the National League, we spent way more than anyone else. In League Two, we spent a fair bit more than everyone else. "In League One, we were basically spending about the same or less than a number of other clubs. Birmingham spent way more than we did and I think Huddersfield spent about the same, but all our money comes from sponsorship." He added: "We get crazy sponsorship deals because of the documentary and because of Rob and Ryan. Everyone's like, 'They're going to run into PSR problems, financial fair play is going to catch up, and they're going to get bored.' Actually, we have only been spending what we've been earning so far, so shut up people." Wrexham's latest accounts show the club's annual turnover has soared to a staggering £26.7m, largely due to the global interest sparked by Reynolds and McElhenney and the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. The figures for the financial year ending June 2024, when Phil Parkinson's side were still in League Two, marked a 155 per cent increase compared to the previous year.. The team's popularity has also resulted in lucrative commercial partnerships with companies such as United Airlines and HP, resulting in a sharp rise in sponsorship revenue from £1.9m to £13.2m. Despite the impressive figures, Wrexham posted an overall loss of £2.7m during the 12-month period. In another significant development, it was recently confirmed that loans worth £15m provided by Reynolds and McElhenney have been repaid. The clearance of the large sum followed the arrival of the New York-based Allyn family as new minority investors in October and several large share issues. According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, Wrexham are financially stable enough to challenge in the Championship next season. "Wrexham made three times as much as any other club in League Two, more than any other club in League One and they would be in the top half of the Championship,' Maguire told talkSPORT. "Therefore they're not that far behind the Championship's big hitters – the likes of Stoke and Norwich. It's an incredible achievement in terms of bringing in money. It's also their ability to become an international brand which has really driven this. "I was teaching in Charlotte, North Carolina last year and the only shirts I saw were those of Wrexham, which is an amazing achievement and that's on the back of the documentary." Maguire said the club would also receive an extra £8m in TV following promotion to the second tier. "That would put them fairly close to all of the clubs except for those who will be in receipt of parachute payments in the Championship," he added. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Welcome to Wrexham Season 4 OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds' series
Welcome to Wrexham Season 4 OTT Release Date: There's a big buzz in Wrexham again! Not only has the club secured promotion for a third straight season, but the hit documentary series Welcome to Wrexham is also back with Season 4, and it promises to be more exciting than ever. In the US, Welcome to Wrexham Season 4 will premiere on 15th May 2024, on FX, and will be available to stream on Hulu right after. Everywhere else in the world, it drops a day later on Thursday, 16th May 2024, on Disney+ (JioHotstar in India). The first two episodes will drop on day one, followed by weekly releases for the remaining six episodes. For the unversed, all previous seasons (1 to 3) are currently available on both platforms - a perfect time for a binge if you're new to the story! What's Welcome to Wrexham Season 4 all about? The stakes are even higher this season. With the men's team now charging ahead towards League One, the docuseries continues to follow their journey on and off the pitch. But this time, there's more! Season 4 also focuses on the Wrexham AFC Women's Team, who are giving their all in the Welsh Adran Premier League, facing off against some of the top sides. And if that's not enough, executive director Humphrey Ker is taking on a new challenge - training for a marathon. So expect a mix of football, emotions, and personal stories that fans have come to love. Why does this show still matter? When Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney first bought Wrexham AFC, it raised eyebrows. Now, it's raising trophies. Their bold dream of turning a small-town football club into a global story is happening in real-time, and this series captures every up and down along the way. By the way, Welcome to Wrexham has already won five Emmy Awards for its storytelling, editing, and production.
