WREXHAM AFC is to be the backdrop of a forthcoming romantic comedy movie featuring Ricky Tomlinson, it has been announced.

The movie, A League Apart, tells a "feel good story" about a football-obsessed Wrexham fan in the lead up to the club's historic 1992 FA Cup match with Arsenal.

Andy Evans, co-founder of independent film and television production company Mad as Birds, and director SJ Evans told the Leader more about the project, which it is hoped could start filming next year.

SJ, aged 43 and born in Wrexham, said: "The writer was another Wrexham lad, Robin Bell. We were both Wrexham fans and he came to me with this great idea a few years ago. "It started development there and it's been a labour of love. "Unfortunately Robin passed away last year so I have made it my focus and mission to get it made to the best of my capability as his legacy." He took the project to Mad As Birds, co founded by Andy Evans and BAFTA Cymru Award winning actor Celyn Jones.

Andy, aged 50 and also born in Wrexham, said: "We loved the script and could see SJ's vision, which we all share.

"It's a real feel good story about life.

"Ricky Tomlinson is on board and Celyn Jones is cast as well. "We're talking to other cast but we can't say too much more at the moment."

SJ said: "It's a very personal story because football is the backdrop, but it's about the people, the family, the relationships and how they interact with one another.

"We climax at the famous Arsenal game - I was a season ticket holder and I was there. I relate to the lead character. "I was there on the terraces. I went to away games where we were losing two or three nil, and then to play Arsenal and have that excitement, but also dread... then to win - it so so euphoric it was unbelievable."

Andy added: "Yes it's based on true events of the club, but the romantic comedy is the fiction which wraps it all up.

"If we can film in 2021, the likely release date would be 2022 which would sync with the World Cup.

"We've arranged for a tour of the stadium to start sorting things out - obviously it will be under new ownership when we start to film so we will have a discussion with the new owners but we don't expect it to be a problem because the story's very positive about the club and the town."

Speaking of their reaction to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's takeover of the club, SJ said: "When I saw the vote result, I did start to well up with tears of joy. "It's been such a hard time for the last 13 or 14 years and the board has done a fantastic job keeping us afloat and steady, but this injection of money for the club and community is only going to boost things - on and off the pitch."