Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham AFC have come under fire from environmentalists after chartering a private jet for a mere 37-minute flight to their League One match against Wycombe Wanderers.
The Welsh side opted for the short-haul flight rather than taking a coach to their crucial promotion clash on March 15, which they won 1-0.
Campaign group Fossil Free Football has condemned the decision as environmentally damaging.
The Blue Islands private jet flew from Jersey to Hawarden Airport near Wrexham to collect the squad before flying them approximately 150 miles south to Oxford Airport.
Following their victory, the team stayed overnight whilst the plane returned to the Channel Islands.
The aircraft then flew back to Oxford the next morning to transport the players back to north Wales.
In total, the jet covered 1,155 miles in just over five hours of flight time, including four positioning flights.
Remarkably, just four days after this environmentally questionable journey, Reynolds and Wrexham club officials travelled to New York to demonstrate their commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN initiative includes 17 goals described as 'a blueprint for a better world', aiming to achieve 'Cleaner air. Safer cities. Equality. Better jobs.'
Wrexham proudly announced on LinkedIn their partnership with the UN's Football for the Goals initiative to advance these objectives.
The environmental impact of Wrexham's travel choice is stark, with experts suggesting short-haul flights do 25 to 30 times more damage to the environment than coach journeys.
The flight saved the team just 90 minutes compared to travelling by road.
"Football at all levels is threatened by increased rainfall and flooding directly linked to the burning of fossil fuels," said Peter Crisp from Fossil Free Football.
"So there just can't be room in the sport for short-haul, ultra polluting and totally avoidable flights."
This is not Wrexham's first foray into environmentally questionable travel arrangements. BBC Sport revealed that during their 2022/23 National League title-winning season, the team took 16 domestic flights with an average airtime of just 43 minutes.
The club's financial might has grown substantially under their Hollywood ownership, with annual turnover increasing by over 155 per cent to £26.7 million.
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This financial power was demonstrated in January with the £2 million signings of strikers Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez.
The contradiction between Wrexham's environmental rhetoric and actions has not gone unnoticed by campaigners.
The club that asks fans to "speak up and take action" through the UN's #Actnow campaign appears reluctant to follow its own advice.
"If fans can travel a few hours to a match by coach or train, then so can teams like Wrexham, especially when they are also talking about positive impact and sustainability at the United Nations," Crisp added.
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The Welsh side opted for the short-haul flight rather than taking a coach to their crucial promotion clash on March 15, which they won 1-0.
Campaign group Fossil Free Football has condemned the decision as environmentally damaging.
The Blue Islands private jet flew from Jersey to Hawarden Airport near Wrexham to collect the squad before flying them approximately 150 miles south to Oxford Airport.
Following their victory, the team stayed overnight whilst the plane returned to the Channel Islands.
The aircraft then flew back to Oxford the next morning to transport the players back to north Wales.
In total, the jet covered 1,155 miles in just over five hours of flight time, including four positioning flights.
Remarkably, just four days after this environmentally questionable journey, Reynolds and Wrexham club officials travelled to New York to demonstrate their commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN initiative includes 17 goals described as 'a blueprint for a better world', aiming to achieve 'Cleaner air. Safer cities. Equality. Better jobs.'
Wrexham proudly announced on LinkedIn their partnership with the UN's Football for the Goals initiative to advance these objectives.
The environmental impact of Wrexham's travel choice is stark, with experts suggesting short-haul flights do 25 to 30 times more damage to the environment than coach journeys.
The flight saved the team just 90 minutes compared to travelling by road.
"Football at all levels is threatened by increased rainfall and flooding directly linked to the burning of fossil fuels," said Peter Crisp from Fossil Free Football.
"So there just can't be room in the sport for short-haul, ultra polluting and totally avoidable flights."
This is not Wrexham's first foray into environmentally questionable travel arrangements. BBC Sport revealed that during their 2022/23 National League title-winning season, the team took 16 domestic flights with an average airtime of just 43 minutes.
The club's financial might has grown substantially under their Hollywood ownership, with annual turnover increasing by over 155 per cent to £26.7 million.
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This financial power was demonstrated in January with the £2 million signings of strikers Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez.
The contradiction between Wrexham's environmental rhetoric and actions has not gone unnoticed by campaigners.
The club that asks fans to "speak up and take action" through the UN's #Actnow campaign appears reluctant to follow its own advice.
"If fans can travel a few hours to a match by coach or train, then so can teams like Wrexham, especially when they are also talking about positive impact and sustainability at the United Nations," Crisp added.
Find Out More...