January 22 – The lure of English football from across the pond is as strong as ever, and Hollywood continues to be the go-to destination to find investors. Marvel director, Joe Russo is the latest to try his luck, in the steel city of Sheffield as he has joined the board of Championship side, Sheffield United.
Russo (pictured left), who can boast directing the second-highest grossing film of all time, Avengers: Endgame, is no stranger to English football as he’s friends with Wrexham’s own Hollywood royalty in the form of Ryan Reynolds (pictured centre). The two were pictured together when the Red Dragons beat Boreham Wood in April 2023, to win promotion back to the English Football League.
“We are delighted to welcome Joe, Len and Terry to the board of directors of Sheffield United Football Club,” co-chairmen Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy told the official Blades website.
“We want to see the Blades competing in the top-flight of English football consistently, not just on a one-off basis. An important element of this is ensuring we have the highest quality team not just on the pitch but in the boardroom as well.
“Each of Joe, Len, and Terry bring outstanding capabilities and decades of experience to the table as we plan for the long term, develop the brand, and ensure we have the best infrastructure in place.”
Just last month, Saudi Arabian Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s sold the club to an American-based consortium COH Sports.
Chris Wilder’s team currently sits in second place in the EFL Championship after losing the ‘Yorkshire Derby’ to close rivals, Leeds United last weekend.
In a statement, the new consortium said the new owners were fully supportive of Wilder and the club’s CEO Stephen Bettis and were confident of providing the right structure for the club to flourish.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1737538986labto1737538986ofdlr1737538986owedi1737538986sni@o1737538986fni1737538986