Wrexham's Hollywood owners emerged from the January transfer window several million pounds lighter after spending big on new players.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney broke the Welsh club's transfer record last month after splashing out a reported £2million on Reading top scorer Sam Smith. The arrival of ex-Premier League striker Jay Rodriguez from Burnley also caught the eye after he was offered wages said to be worth £15,000 per week.
Hull City winger Ryan Longman was another fresh face brought in for a fee of around £500,000 as manager Phil Parkinson looked to boost Wrexham's League One promotion push. The Red Dragons' recruitment set-up underwent a major shake-up last summer to prepare for busy transfer windows such as this.
The restructure was triggered by new Wrexham chief executive Michael Williamson, who joined ahead of their first season in the third tier in two decades. His first moves included creating a five-man committee to run the rule over new signings, similar to the one established by Liverpool in 2012.
Details of the main people involved in transfer deals behind the scenes have mostly been kept under wraps so far. However, Williamson has now lifted the lid on the key figures who make up the panel.
Here, Mirror Football takes a look at each member, including a former Premier League managerial flop and an Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, and how the committee works.
What does the transfer committee actually do?
The committee is primarily responsible for identifying potential signings, assessing their suitability and value, and making decisions on which players to target and negotiate with. It was established partly to ensure accountability for the significant outlay on players by Reynolds and McElhenney.
One of its early focuses has been on reducing the age profile of Wrexham's squad, which includes experienced ex-Premier League stars like Steven Fletcher, 37, and 35-year-old James McClean.
Explaining the panel's approach, Williamson told The Leader newspaper this week: "We talk a little bit about the strategy of who we're looking to bring in, the profiles and then ultimately the approach and the financial investment.
"What's been important is how we balance the squad to have players that are veterans, leaders and experienced that can show that dressing room what it means to win, with players that are talented with quality that can also come along for the long-term.
"That's why you see players like Sam Smith, a fantastic, proven goalscorer at this level…still relatively young for a striker at 26. But then at the same time, looking at an opportunity to bring in somebody like Jay Rodriguez at 35 who has made over 200 appearances in the Premier League."
Who is on the committee?
Michael Williamson
Michael Williamson came with him an impressive CV when he was appointed at Wrexham. The American CEO has previously worked in senior roles at Inter Milan, D.C. United and Miami FC.
Williamson plays a key role on the transfer committee, enjoying a close relationship with the manager. Discussing the strength of his partnership with Parkinson at an event last month, he said: "Part of that is because I said to him that I will never force a player on you that you don't want, so don't think that will ever happen.
"However, I will put parameters on what we can do, whether it's budgetary, whether it’s looking at the age profile and making sure we know that when we invest in a player, there is a reason for it. That could be that we need to invest in a player to help us get promoted, or we need to invest in a player because once we get promoted, we need to make sure that we have a squad that's been built along the way."
Shaun Harvey
Former EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey has played a central role at Wrexham since the Hollywood takeover in February 2021. He recently scaled back his involvement after switching from being an executive director to a non-executive post, but is still part of the transfer set-up.
Harvey worked closely with Parkinson on transfers under Williamson's predecessor Fleur Robinson, who had a less hands-on approach to recruitment. The 54-year-old is a controversial figure in the football world, having been chief executive of both Bradford and Leeds when the clubs went into administration.
He started his time at Wrexham as a special advisor to Reynolds and McElhenney, before later becoming a director. He appears regularly in the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, in which he is seen working closely with the pair.
Les Reed
Les Reed was once named as one of the worst managerial appointments in Premier League history. He lasted just 41 days in charge of Charlton Athletic between November 14 and December 24 2006, registering just one victory during that period.
Reed enjoyed more success as head of football development and vice-chairman of football at Southampton between 2010 and 2018. He became an advisor to Reynolds and McElhenney at Wrexham in June 2021 and played a part in Parkinson's appointment as manager.
Reed's involvement in recruitment also pre-dates Williamson's arrival. Speaking about the key to Wrexham's success in May 2024, he told The Sun: "It's the combination of Wrexham's culture, history and tradition, its uniqueness as a Welsh club in an English league, with celebrities who understand all that and have got close to the community."
Phil Parkinson
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson previously enjoyed a large degree of autonomy over transfers before the creation of the transfer committee, despite some supervision from the owners' trusted advisors.
The results speak for themselves, with the ex-Sunderland and Bolton boss achieving back-to-back promotions from the National League and League Two in the last two seasons.
However, as the Red Dragons' sharp rise up the divisions continued, Reynolds and McElhenney were required to fork out increasing amounts of money on transfers. After Williamson took up his post, this led to a structured approach being adopted, with Parkinson now more accountable for his spending.
Humphrey Ker
Humphrey Ker is definitely the most unlikely member of the panel. The comedian and writer once attended Eton alongside Prince William.
However, Wrexham would not be enjoying their current success without him as he was the one responsible for getting his 'Always Sunny' boss McElhenney into football during Covid. Ker was the first person on the ground in Wrexham when the takeover was announced towards the end of 2020, acting as an important go between for the soon-to-be owners.
He was later rewarded with an executive director role, before stepping back to become a community director last month. Ker's involvement in signings comes despite the actor previously admitting to knowing little about running a football club before his time at Wrexham.
He is clearly well-respected, though, with defender Max Cleworth recently telling the Men in Blazers podcast: "He certainly teaches us a lot and he's really been here from the start. He's had a big influence and still does. He's someone all the lads and staff love."