Let's be honest, before Ryan Reynolds put his face to Wrexham FC, no one really knew too much about the club – apart from its local fans. But things have certainly changed for this Welsh football team – and it really has had a Hollywood makeover, including a fairytale end to the season.
Only in a movie would you see a title race where the top two teams both have 100 points and have both scored more than 200 goals… but only one team will get automatic promotion. Well, it wasn't a movie – it was the reality for Wrexham and Notts County as they faced each other for the biggest game of their history. This was a football match that would attract attention from bettors all over the world – and it didn't disappoint.
A Race for the EFL
The race to join the EFL had never been closer than this. So close indeed that there have even been calls for three clubs to be promoted to League 2.
On Monday 10th April, over 100,000 fans filled the Racecourse Ground for the biggest-ever game in non-league history as Wrexham hosted Notts County in a make-or-break game.
These two teams had traded top spot throughout the season, both playing at the highest level week after week. Both teams hit 106 goals (higher than the previous 103 league record). Wrexham had amassed 31 wins and was just 6 points away from the 105 record set by Crawley.
There was so little to separate these two teams – and both were desperate to earn that automatic promotion.
A Reason to Hope
How the game ended up was worthy of any dramatic finale… and Wrexham certainly made its Hollywood owners proud. By the end of the game, they had moved within 7 points of automatic promotion to the English Football League after having edged the win of this 3-2 match over rival contenders, Notts County… and you couldn't have made up the ending – a stoppage-time penalty that was saved by ex Man U goalie, Ben Foster.
What makes it even more exciting was that Foster came out of retirement just the previous month to help sort out the goalkeeping injury troubles that had hit Wrexham. And it was him that saved Cedwyn Scott's last-minute spot kick, rewarded six minutes into stoppage time, saving the day to seal a dramatic victory at their home ground, leaving the team on the brink of a promotion – back into the English Football League.
They went into the game having suffered a shock defeat against Halifax Town on the Friday – giving up the top spot to Notts County – with just 1 month left of the season to play.
A Game of Two Sides
The team fell behind to a John Bostock free kick three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half. However, they fought back to go 2 goals to 1 ahead, with goals coming from Paul Mullin and Jacob Mendy. However, in the 75th minute, Kyle Cameron equalised for Notts.
Elliot Lee then managed to take advantage of a calamitous error three minutes later… and managed to hold on to the 3-2 lead, despite a nail-biting stoppage-time penalty saved by the hands of Ben Foster.
A Sunny Day
Hollywood actor, Ryan Reynolds and fellow owner Rob McElhenney, the star of ‘It's Always Sunny on Philadelphia' bought the club in 2021 – and even as they purchased it, they vowed to get the team back to the EFL for the first time since it was relegated in 2008. This game brought them that much closer to their dream.
However, it didn't come without a few scares. Reynolds certainly suffered as he watched – stating afterwards that he didn't think he had a heart anymore – having used all its remaining beats during that match. He has a whole team to thank, including Ben Foster… who will certainly be enjoying some hearty celebrations with the rest of the team.
