Canadian Owner Aims to Replicate Reynolds’ Success

Eric Perez assumed ownership of Truro City in late November 2023. When questioned about the most recent Canadian owner of a National League team to achieve promotion, Eric Perez quipped, “We’re both good Canadian kids, and we do kind of look similar.” Perez, whose group has managed Truro City for a year, aims to replicate the success of Wrexham owner and Hollywood celebrity Ryan Reynolds by guiding the Cornish club into the English Football League. This is an ambitious goal, yet it appears somewhat more attainable considering Truro’s current standing near the top of the National League South; the Tinners had occupied the top spot until unfavorable results on Saturday. No ‘Welcome to Truro’ television series is currently planned, and Perez, known for establishing the Toronto Wolfpack rugby league team, states that they will not attempt to directly imitate the approach taken by Reynolds and his co-owner Rob McElhenney at the Racecourse Ground. “He’s already a global superstar, so they’re doing it their way and we’re going to do it the Cornish way, which is hard work, a little finesse, flair and I think knowing that Cornish is better,” Perez tells BBC Sport.”I appreciate what they’ve done in Wrexham. I’ve been following football my whole life so I’ve seen other clubs go from lower divisions into the Football League.”Even with their tremendous resources, their star power, their television show and everything, they still didn’t get promoted into the Football League the first time around.”That’s why you play the game and that’s what’s so brilliant about football – it can turn around and bite you in the neck when you think it’s coming in for a kiss.” Perez’s fellow countryman, Hollywood celebrity Ryan Reynolds, has contributed to financing Wrexham’s ascent from the National League through his partial ownership. Truro City supporters are well-acquainted with such a blend of triumphs and setbacks. A dozen years prior, the club was on the verge of expulsion from the National League after previous owner Kevin Heaney ceased bill payments due to his businesses being impacted by the global financial downturn. The club divested its stadium to developers and for a period of four years, they were compelled to play games in Devon and other distant locations while awaiting a new venue, which ultimately commenced operations in August. “We’ve gone from averaging 70-odd fans a game, playing at first an hour-and-a-half away and then almost four hours away at Gloucester and being in the relegation zone, to top of the table with an average of 1,800 fans a game in our own ground at home – what else could you ask for?” Perez says.”I don’t think you can find anybody that would have expected this.”I knew that it would eventually get to where it is now, but so quickly has been just an absolute blessing.” John Askey has guided Truro to 11 victories and only four losses in the National League South since assuming his role in the summer. The club appointed seasoned manager John Askey during the summer after the previous boss, Paul Wotton, departed to join their nearest National League South competitor, Torquay United. The ex-manager of York City, Port Vale, and Macclesfield Town, alongside Truro’s football consultant Alex Black, has assembled a team that has transitioned from fearing relegation to aspiring for a championship. “What’s changed is we’re actually playing in Truro,” explains Perez. “People have been deprived of Truro City for almost half a decade and I think we’re the best facility in Cornwall, that definitely helps for attendances.”Then obviously the football’s been amazing, we’ve got the two best strikers in the league, we’re top of the table, we’ve got a rock hard defence.”So what else do you want? Solid defence, explosive attacking, top of the table, winning games – if you don’t like that you don’t like football.” Perez had no prior involvement with football; he founded the Toronto Wolfpack rugby league team, which achieved Super League status before Covid-19 disrupted their objectives, and subsequently established Cornwall RLFC three years ago. However, he asserts that while his renown stems from the 13-player rugby code, his passion has consistently been for football, originating from a childhood fascination in Canada watching players such as Matt le Tissier and Eric Cantona during the 1990s. “There was a hole in the market, so I saw it and learned to appreciate rugby league,” he explains.”But football has always been my passion and the people I know, it’s their passion as well, so it was the logical thing to do it.”There’s a lot of parallels between the rugby league side and Truro City.”Truro City in the top six divisions of English football are the only Cornish club, we have the biggest catchment area.”We are outside the sphere of influence of the other football clubs, we’re almost on our own as well, so there’s a parallel there with the rugby league stuff.” Truro City’s captain, Tyler Harvey, leads the scoring in the National League South with 14 goals. Perez divested Cornwall’s rugby league team last month, and he and his investment group are now dedicating their full focus to Truro City. The club competes in the National League South against several teams possessing larger stadiums and more extensive histories. Boreham Wood and Torquay United have each been a single match away from advancing to League Two within the last seven years, whereas Maidstone United has previously competed in the fourth tier and defeated the current Premier League team Ipswich Town in the FA Cup last season. Nevertheless, Perez states that promotion is his objective, ideally reaching League Two within a five-year timeframe. “That was our stated ambition when we took over, and it remains our ambition and we will be ready as it happens,” he says.”We’re going to expand the seating and just kind of level up the entire operation.”Every division you go up you’ve got to level up your operation.” Perez affirms that he and his co-investors from Canada possess the financial resources and support to guarantee Truro avoids another tumultuous phase in its history, similar to that experienced in 2012. “You don’t get into football if you don’t have resources,” he explains.”If you don’t have resources, maybe tiddly winks is probably a better sport for you.”We’ll just have to use more resources quicker.” Cornwall has never previously hosted a football team in England’s top five divisions, but if Eric Perez’s plans succeed, Wrexham may not be the sole club celebrating a Canadian-born owner.