Wrexham begin first second-tier campaign in 43 years with trip to Southampton
The Welsh club, co-owned by Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia co-creator Rob McElhenney, are back in the second tier for the first time in 43 years after winning three consecutive promotions.
Wrexham met Eastleigh on the opening day of the Vanarama National League season in August 2022, but are now set to play grander Hampshire opposition three years on.
St Mary's will be the venue for Wrexham's Championship bow as Will Still takes charge of relegated Southampton for the first time in a 12.30pm kick-off.
Wrexham's first home game on August 16 will be West Brom, and Sheffield Wednesday will also visit SToK Racecourse before the Red Dragons travel to Millwall ahead of the September international break.
September brings home games with QPR and Derby and trips to Norwich and Leicester, while October starts with the so-called 'Hollywood derby' against Birmingham.
The two clubs were rivals in League One last season – Birmingham winning the title and Wrexham finishing runners-up – with the Blues also having a celebrity part-owner in NFL quarterback great Tom Brady.
Wrexham will entertain Birmingham on October 4 before making the short trip to Stoke two weeks later after the second international break of the season.
Frank Lampard's Coventry visit north Wales on November 1 and there are trips to Portsmouth, Ipswich and Preston before Christmas.
The first Welsh derby of the season against Swansea is an away fixture on December 20.
Wrexham host Sheffield United on Boxing Day and travel to Blackburn on New Year's Day.
Leicester at home on January 20 is the pick of the early 2026 fixtures, with away games at QPR and Sheffield Wednesday before the month is out.
Millwall, Ipswich and Portsmouth all visit in February and manager Phil Parkinson has a Racecourse reunion with former club Hull on March 10, four days before Swansea head north.
Wrexham head to West Brom for a Good Friday clash on April 3, with Southampton their Easter Monday visitors.
The return fixture with Birmingham takes places on April 11 and Wrexham finish the season at home to Middlesbrough on May 2.
The 46-game Championship season will consist of 33 weekend rounds, nine midweek rounds and four bank holiday rounds.
Goalkeeper Mark Howard, part of Wrexham's three promotion-winning squads, called the Southampton opener a 'dream' fixture and backed owners Reynolds and McElhenney to maintain the feelgood factor in the Championship.
'It is the dream. They (Wrexham players) all want to test themselves against the best players and the best opposition,' Howard told Sky Sports.
'No better opportunity than the opening kick-off at 12.30pm against one of the teams that have come down from the Premier League.
'It really has been a Hollywood movie, every part of it over the last three years. The back-to-back-to-back promotions have been incredible and the owners have brought along some very famous faces to the football club.
'To say you've had a laugh in the dressing room with Will Ferrell and Channing Tatum is beyond belief really.
'The owners live and breathe it. They are with you for every win, every loss, and reach out to you after every game.
'They are fully invested in it in what the lads are doing as people and players. You get that sense off them whether they're at a game or watching from America, Canada or wherever.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
13 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Henry Pollock tipped to fly high on the biggest stage by Lions boss Andy Farrell
Pollock made his Lions debut as a replacement in the 28-24 defeat by Ireland that opened the tour and has now been promoted to number eight for Saturday's first fixture on Australian soil against Western Force in Perth. At 20-years-old the swaggering Northampton back row is the squad's youngest player and less than six months ago he was playing in the Under 20 Six Nations. Team's Out 📋 Take a look at some of the key talking points from Andy Farrell's team announcement ahead of Saturday's clash against @westernforce 🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 26, 2025 Maro Itoje described his England team-mate as a 'pest' when he was called into the senior camp during the Championship and Farrell has urged him to remain fearless. 'Henry's not been a pest, definitely not! He's been great,' said Farrell, who has given Pollock permission to continue doing his famous try celebrations. 'He's hungry to learn and that's perfect because you can see that he's got a real point of difference. 'He sees things quickly and acts upon that. His line running is pretty good. His awareness of space, how sharp he is in his mind and his athletic abilities are up there with the other lads in the squad. 'He's hungry to make a difference the whole time. But he also understands what parts of his game he needs to improve. He's got a great attitude. 'He's certainly not overawed. I mean, I love that. You want kids to be themselves and he's just being himself. He doesn't know any different. 'But he's a humble kid as well. He doesn't think he's got it all, far from it. You want people with confidence and belief because that helps when he takes the field. 'You don't want a kid to go under the radar and in three weeks' time just settle into a side. You pick him for a reason. 'He's a Lion just like the eldest player. There's no difference whatsoever. His character is infectious to everyone. He's a great lad.' Itoje led the Lions against the Pumas in Dublin but the England captain has been stood down against the Force, resulting in Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan being placed in charge with Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy forming the second row partnership. 'It's a matter of giving people a chance. If leaders of the squad fall over along the way you have got to have plans,' Farrell said. 'We have got a lot of good second rows and Maro is a team player, he knows people have to get going and people have to show their hand as well. That competition will make him and the rest of the players fight a little bit harder.' Finn Russell, the early favourite to take the fly-half duties for the first Test against the Wallabies on July 19, makes his first appearance of the tour, forming a half-back partnership with Tomos Williams. 'Finn's game understanding and game control are top drawer. He has an ability to see space that allows him to think quicker than most,' Farrell said. Hugo Keenan, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Ryan are all expected to recover from minor injuries in time for Wednesday's clash with the Reds while Toulouse full-back Blair Kinghorn should arrive into camp on Monday.
Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ryan Reynolds roasted over 'sickening' TIME cover as fans are suspicious over how he and Blake Lively landed honor
Ryan Reynold's bizarre TIME cover has been roasted by fans who made shock claims about how he landed the prestigious shoot. The Deadpool star, 48, who along with wife Blake Lively has been embroiled in never-ending lawsuit drama with Justin Baldoni, was spotlighted in a feature titled: 'How Ryan Reynolds Rewrote the Script for Celebrity Entrepreneurs.' In recent years Reynolds has moved into the world of business - launching production company and marketing firm Maximum Effort - which has landed in the TIME100 most influential companies list. However, Reynolds' revelations about building successful businesses using his own fame and via 'fastversing' (getting companies he owns to promote each other) were soon ridiculed by fans who wildly claimed he had 'paid' to get on the cover. Reynolds was also dragged over hot coals for the 'weird' cover which showed only the back of his head - which he credited to not wanting to take the spotlight off his team. 'I insisted they take this photo for soooo many reasons but the chief one is @MaximumEffort is not me' he wrote. 'It's a tiny little pirate ship helmed by the most talented, tireless, and creative team of people on planet earth.' Fans took to social media to lambast the star with one writing: 'How Ryan Reynolds paid us to put him on the cover of this magazine!" Lol.' A second typed: 'How Ryan Reynolds rewrote the script with maximum effort' very ironic of them to say this given everything he's been exposed for. Others penned: 'These two keep on buying themselves good publicity, it's so exhausting and sickening. 'How to boycott everything Maximum Effort does??? God I loathe this man. 'That cash envelope from Reynolds must have been HUUGE. 'Very barf. $$$$$. Others praised the star's achievements - the companies he co-owns or has sold are valued at over $14 billion, according to Forbes , with a follower writing: 'You are one hell of a businessman. Everything you touch seems to take off. Maximum Effort was just named one of TIME100's Most Influential Companies. I insisted they take this photo for soooo many reasons but the chief one is @MaximumEffort is not me. It's a tiny little pirate ship helmed by the most talented, tireless, and creative team of people on… — Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) June 26, 2025 Fans took to social media to lambast the star with one writing: 'How Ryan Reynolds paid us to put him on the cover of this magazine!" Lol' 'Love to see this!!! Maximum Effort really is the best of the best! The wide-ranging interview also saw Reynolds open up about his family life with Lively and their four young children - with the actor saying his brood help him focus on the only important things in life. He said his value 'comes from having four kids and a good marriage. My self-worth isn't farmed out to any one thing that isn't under the roof of my home.' Lively also made an impromptu appearance during the chat, popping in in 'leggings and an oversized shirt' to hunt for her favorite snack of 'sour dried blueberries that taste like warheads.' She also jokingly scolded her husband for helping her rummage for the snack - saying it was 'chewing into your time' - before checking in with the star to coordinate their schedules for '10 minutes of catch-up time. Although Reynolds and Lively wouldn't be drawn on the latest stage of their legal battle - Reynolds said he finds it easy to detach from 'meaningless' online chatter. He said: 'I can read something that says, 'He should be drawn and quartered. I could read something that says I should win a Nobel Prize. Both are meaningless. 'None of us are comprised of our best moments. None of us are defined by our worst moments. We are something in the middle.' He added: 'Accessibility and accountability are a big part of how I do things. The people that I work with know me, so there's never a question of anything like that. If you operate with some degree of core values and integrity, they're going to help you up. If you're an asshole, they're not. And that's pretty simple.' The legal saga began in December 2024 when Blake Lively accused Justin Baldoni of sexually harassing her on set — claims he denied — prompting Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to sue Lively, her publicist Leslie Sloane, and Ryan Reynolds for defamation. Baldoni later escalated the fight with a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times over its explosive New Year's Eve exposé detailing Lively's allegations. Earlier this month, a judge dismissed Baldoni's defamation case in a major blow to the actor, though his legal team will still gain access to Lively's private text messages with Taylor Swift — whom Blake infamously referred to as 'my dragon' in an exchange allegedly meant to intimidate Baldoni — after withdrawing a subpoena aimed at the singer directly. Now, at Cannes Lions, Reynolds took the stage at Stagwell's Sport Beach to promote his soccer team, Wrexham AFC — and raised eyebrows with an unexpected quip. While handing a water bottle to someone in the crowd, the Deadpool star joked, 'I'm not throwing this. I've been around lawyers. You can walk up here and grab it,' according to Page Six. He also took a moment to reflect on how sports can bring people together in a world fractured by division, per the outlet. 'We live in a world right now that is so… identity politics… almost a religion,' Reynolds said. 'For that to be checked at the door in sports, in theatrical film, and in music, concerts, we all walk in, we go together.' Reynolds added, 'We're all feeling the same thing at the same time and the same moment. 'You have this bonding mechanism — and I don't mean to over romanticize it, but it's romantic. 'It's a beautiful thing to watch people come together, especially when we feel so divided in every other aspect of our life.' The panel comes after exclusively learned that Baldoni's lawyers will be allowed to peruse a tranche of messages exchanged by Blake and Taylor, with all communications related to It Ends With Us now set for scrutiny. Swift and Lively's relationship has cratered in recent months, with the singer left furious at being dragged into the case. And she is not the only Swift to be dragged in: last week the Daily Mail revealed the subpoena against her had been withdrawn because Baldoni's team had managed to acquire the information they were seeking – from none other than her dad Scott, 73. 'Scott Swift did not want his daughter to be dragged into this any further and he voluntarily gave up this information as part of a deal that would include [Baldoni's team] withdrawing their subpoena for Taylor,' the source explained. The pop star's doting dad - who has played a key role in building Swift's billion-dollar empire as her financial advisor - came to his daughter's rescue after she was allegedly blackmailed by Lively's lawyers. That 'blackmail' revelation appeared in a legal letter filed last month by Baldoni's lawyers, who alleged that Lively's team had attempted to 'coerce' Swift to issue a public statement in support of her. The filing claimed Lively's lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, had contacted Swift's team and demanded she 'release a statement of support for Ms. Lively, intimating that, if Ms. Swift refused to do so, private text messages of a personal nature in Ms. Lively's possession would be released.' Swift's team allegedly responded to Gossip Girl star Lively's 'inappropriate and apparently extortionate threats in at least one written communication' sent to Gottlieb, according to the letter.
Wales Online
37 minutes ago
- Wales Online
The carpenter with an edge out to put himself in Welsh rugby's shop window
The carpenter with an edge out to put himself in Welsh rugby's shop window The World Rugby U20 Championship is a shop window for players looking for contracts Wales U20s scrum-half Ellis Lewis in action for Neath The World Rugby U20 Championship will not only showcase international stars of the future but will also provide an opportunity for players to put themselves in the shop window in the hope of earning a professional contract. One player who is in this boat is Wales U20s scrum-half Ellis Lewis, who is one of only three uncapped players in Richard Whiffin's squad. The 19-year-old, who works as a carpenter for Swansea Council, was released by the Ospreys academy and has been playing his rugby for Neath in the Welsh Premiership. Lewis is hoping to use Wales' U20s World Cup campaign to put himself in the shop window for a professional contract. "I used to be with Ospreys but after U18s I unfortunately didn't get a contract so that's when I got a job with Swansea Council doing an apprenticeship in carpentry," he told WalesOnline. "I've been playing in the Premiership for Neath this season but I've signed for Swansea in the SRC. "The dream is to get a professional contract but we will see how it goes. Article continues below Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "It was a tough time when I got released by the Ospreys but my family helped me get through it. "I've used it as motivation and I've worked hard to get back into the Wales U20s squad after missing out on the Six Nations squad. "Hopefully I can impress and get my name out there during the World Cup and get on the market. "I want to pick up a contract somewhere and become a pro." If Lewis makes it to the top he will certainly have done it the hard way. Unlike the majority of the squad, the former Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera pupil has been playing his rugby for Neath RFC rather than Super Rygbi Cymru. He models his game on hard work and being an absolute nuisance to play against. "I'm more of an aggressive nine who likes the physical contact side of things," he said. "I've also got a good kicking game but my point of difference is the contact side of the game. "Growing up I used to look up to Rhys Webb and Faf de Klerk. "I've taken aspects of their game into mine and I've also taken some inspiration from Mike Phillips who was a lot bigger than other scrum-halves. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "They all like the contact so I enjoyed watching them growing up. I want to get on top of players all the time and just be in their faces while also making tackles. "Playing in the Welsh Premiership for Neath has definitely helped my development because it is different. "In the Prem you can get away with a lot more and it's a bit rougher. It's a different type of game but it's still good. "The Premiership is a really tough league and very aggressive whereas the SRC is still physical but it's more of an open, less structured game." Lewis will be fortunate this summer to play behind the strongest Wales U20s pack in years with the likes of Harry Thomas, Sam Scott, Ioan Emanuel, Luke Evans and Nick Thomas, among others, all front-five forwards with the size and power to make a mark. "We have a big physical pack," he said. "They are good and I'm confident they can get us onto the front foot. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Article continues below "It's easier when you play on the front foot as a nine because you get better ball so hopefully we can play some good rugby. "We want to make the top four and if our forwards can give us a platform hopefully we can get the back line moving."
