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Wrexham's promotion party with star left in A&E, players pouring pints and X-rated chants

Wrexham's promotion party with star left in A&E, players pouring pints and X-rated chants

Wales Online28-04-2025

Wrexham's promotion party with star left in A&E, players pouring pints and X-rated chants
Wrexham secured a third consecutive promotion with victory over Charlton on Saturday, sparking wild celebrations in the Welsh town as fans and players partied into the night
Wrexham players celebrate promotion at the Fat Boar restaurant
(Image: @FatBoarWXM )
Moments after the final whistle sounded, Wrexham's stunning 3-0 win against Charlton last Saturday set off vibrant celebrations. The pitch soon became awash with jubilant supporters who lifted players on their shoulders as owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney looked on in sheer amazement.
The North Wales club spectacularly notched up a third consecutive promotion, moving from League One to the Championship. Wrexham's manager, Phil Parkinson, affectionately kissed his medal, while the Hollywood pair ventured onto the field themselves.

They joined in the festivities by dousing CEO Michael Williamson with red Gatorade, borrowing from Super Bowl victory scenes. Inside the changing rooms, the team and coaching staff kicked off their celebrations, with midfielder Ollie Rathbone, scorer of the opening goal, dancing atop a table.

Wrexham fans celebrate promotion on the city's High Street
(Image: Liam Randall )
The revelry then continued into the Racecourse Ground's function rooms, accompanied by spouses and children, where plenty of Wrexham Lager – acquired by Reynolds and McElhenney – flowed freely, reports the Daily Star.
Out on High Street, fans kept the energy high, supporting local shops' sales rush, as the air shimmered red with the light of flares. Then came the chanting: "Back to back to back, ole ole", as some climbed lampposts and others peered out from the Midland pub windows. A few apprehensive police officers observed the scene.
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Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney celebrate promotion to the Championship
(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire )
The celebrations were entirely friendly, and the players quickly made their way from the stadium to the bustling local bars and pubs to join in with the fans. The Ironworks bar was a particular hotspot for most of the team.
It was there that striker Ollie Palmer tried his hand at bartending, serving pints to the elated supporters as the festivities continued well into the night. Over at the Golden Lion pub, karaoke enthusiasts were tweaking song lyrics to pay tribute to the newly-promoted heroes.

Wrexham's Ollie Palmer serves drinks to fans as the team celebrates
(Image: @RichWXM )
Defender Max Cleworth and wing-back Ryan Barnett were seen looking rather worse for wear in a McDonald's during the early hours of Sunday. Despite their condition, they managed to make it to the EFL Awards later that day, where they received accolades after being named in the League One Team of the Season.
Wrexham's community director Humphrey Ker might have had second thoughts about running the Manchester Marathon the following day, but he pushed through and impressively raised significant funds for the Wrexham Miner's Project charity.

At the marathon's finish line, he was welcomed by McElhenney, who confessed to nursing a "bit of a headache" from the night before. In keeping with tradition, the Wrexham squad reconvened on Sunday afternoon for a meal.
A Wrexham fan scales a street light in celebration
(Image: Liam Randall )
The revelry didn't stop there, with more drinks being enjoyed at the Fat Boar restaurant. The merriment included some risqué chants, a shirtless George Dobson, and even whispers that one of the team's stars ended up in A&E after an unfortunate incident involving glass.

Star forward Paul Mullin chose to mark the occasion with his loved ones, as footage emerged on social media showing him belting out Jamie Webster's 'Weekend in Paradise' at a karaoke venue in his native Liverpool.
Wrexham striker Paul Mullin celebrates in a Liverpool karaoke bar
(Image: @m0rganaaaa )
Mullin's future with the team is under scrutiny after limited playtime in League One this campaign. However, any decisions regarding his career are paused for the time being, as both the city and its football club bask in the glory of ascending to the second division for the first time since 1982.
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The promotion was achieved with undeniable flair. Reynolds captured the sentiment perfectly in an Instagram post.
His message read: "Somebody said the Welsh have the 'heart of a poet and the fist of a fighter.' That's what I love about this place. I wish the whole world could visit Wrexham. Diolch."

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Ex-Swans boss Williams earning 'honest buck' at airport
Ex-Swans boss Williams earning 'honest buck' at airport

BBC News

time13 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Ex-Swans boss Williams earning 'honest buck' at airport

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Tonight's rugby news as Dan Biggar flooded with messages after poignant post and Lions star defends teammates
Tonight's rugby news as Dan Biggar flooded with messages after poignant post and Lions star defends teammates

Wales Online

time15 minutes ago

  • Wales Online

Tonight's rugby news as Dan Biggar flooded with messages after poignant post and Lions star defends teammates

Tonight's rugby news as Dan Biggar flooded with messages after poignant post and Lions star defends teammates The latest headlines from Wales and around the world Dan Biggar posted this picture as he called time on his career These are your evening rugby headlines on Tuesday, June 24. Biggar confirms it's all over Former Wales international fly-half Dan Biggar has signalled the end of his glittering rugby career as he called "full-time" on his playing days. ‌ The 35-year-old announced in April that he would be hanging up his boots for good at the end of the season, having continued to play for club side Toulon after bowing out from Test rugby following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. ‌ Biggar - who also represented Ospreys and Northampton Saints at club level - won 112 caps for Wales in a 15-year international career, becoming his country's most-capped fly-half. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. He also helped guide Wales to three Six Nations titles and played at three World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in 2019. After Toulon were knocked out of the Top 14 play-offs by Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday, Biggar has confirmed that is now all over for him, with a full-time move into the media awaiting him. Article continues below Taking to Instagram, the Gorseinon product shared a photo of himself looking out over the empty field at Toulon's Stade Mayol and wrote: "Full-time. Grateful for every moment and ready for what's next." A number of rugby stars from Wales and beyond rushed to congratulate Biggar on a stellar career, with another France-based Welsh fly-half, Sam Davies, writing: "Pleasure learning from you and nipping at your heels for a couple of years pal! "Thanks for teaching me all you did.. catch you soon for a [beer] in France. 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Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt is among those to have highlighted the ancestry of some members of the touring squad, with former England star Danny Care and five-time Lions tourist Willie John McBride admitting they were uncomfortable with that aspect of the selections. Eight of the Lions' 38-man squad were born, raised and schooled in the southern hemisphere before making the move north, and have since qualified for England, Scotland and Ireland on different grounds. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. ‌ Ireland stars Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park all qualify for their nations on residence grounds, as do Scotland duo Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman. Meanwhile, Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu and Ireland's Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen have always been eligible to play for the Lions due to where their parents or grandparents were born. 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Barbarians confirm blockbuster squad The Barbarians have also confirmed their blockbuster squad for their clash with South Africa in at DHL Stadium this weekend, with New Zealand dominating the numbers. Robbie Deans has named a 23-man squad littered with international experience, with 18 of those involved holding Test caps and the likes of Ireland centurions Cian Healy, Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray all on board. ‌ The Irish trio were the first names confirmed for the fixture earlier this year and they have since been joined by former All Blacks captain Sam Cane and six other New Zealand internationals, namely Shannon Frizell, Hoskins Sotutu, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Leicester Fainga'anuku and Mark Tele'a. England internationals Joe Marchant, David Ribbans and Will Collier are also involved, alongside France's Melvyn Jaminet, Camille Chat and Hassane Kolingar; Uruguay's Santiago Arata Perrone; and Samoa's Paul Alo-Emile. Former Junior Springbok Ruben van Heerden is the lone South African in the squad, while Ricky Riccitelli, Josh Beehre, Lachlan Boshier and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens complete the numbers ‌ Deans will announce his matchday squad to face South Africa on Thursday afternoon. Barbarians squad in full: Forwards: Sam Cane, Peter O'Mahony, Cian Healy, Shannon Frizell, Hoskins Sotutu, Ricky Riccitelli, Ruben van Heerden, Camille Chat, Will Collier, Hassane Kolingar, Josh Beehre, Paul Alo-Emile, David Ribbans, Lachlan Boshier. Article continues below Backs: Mark Tele'a, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Santiago Arata, Josh Jacomb, Leicester Faingaʻanuku, Joe Marchant.

When roads will close in Cardiff as Oasis and major artists perform in city and train arrangements
When roads will close in Cardiff as Oasis and major artists perform in city and train arrangements

Wales Online

time33 minutes ago

  • Wales Online

When roads will close in Cardiff as Oasis and major artists perform in city and train arrangements

When roads will close in Cardiff as Oasis and major artists perform in city and train arrangements Cardiff Council has announced road closures as transportation arrangements which will be in place Thousands of music fans will be visiting Cardiff over the coming weeks (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Cardiff Council has announced when roads around the Principality Stadium will close as major music artists perform at the home of Welsh rugby. A series of concerts will be held at the stadium from July 4 to August 1. And to ensure that all those attending the concerts can get into and out of the stadium safely, surrounding roads will close. The road closure timings have now been released to allow fans to plan their trip to and from the city. They are as follows for the Oasis, Stereophonics, Kendrick Lamar and Catfish and the Bottlemen gigs. The gates to the stadium will open at 5pm for each concert. Oasis - July 4 and July 5 - 12 noon until midnight Stereophonics - July 11 and July 12 - 3pm until midnight Kendrick Lamar - July 19 - 3pm until midnight Catfish and the Bottlemen - August 1 - 3pm until midnight A spokesman for Cardiff Council said: "The M4 motorway is expected to be very busy for these concerts - so please plan ahead - and avoid the congestion in Cardiff by using the park and ride at the car park by the Vindico Arena on International Drive in the Sports Village - CF11 0JS. "For up to date traffic information on the motorway and trunk roads go to the Traffic Wales website, or @TrafficWalesS on Twitter and Facebook. Article continues below "Anyone attending these concerts are strongly advised to plan their journey in advance and get into Cardiff early. Please pay attention to the prohibited items listed at in particular the bag policy (no large bags permitted) before travelling into the city." Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here . What roads will be closed? From 7am, Scott Road and Park Street will be closed because of the need to prepare gate five and protect queuing fans. Apart from the Oasis concerts, when the roads will close at 12 noon, the following roads will be closed as part of the full city centre road closure which will take place at 3pm until midnight. Kingsway from its junction with North Road to its junction with Duke Street. Cowbridge Road East from its junction with Cathedral Road to its junction with Westgate Street. Tudor Street from its junction with Clare Road to its junction with Wood Street (access for residents and traders will be permitted via Fitzhammon Embankment). Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street from their junctions with Despenser Place to their junctions with Tudor Street (access for residents and traders will be permitted). The following roads will be closed in their entirety: Duke Street, Castle St, High Street, St Mary Street, Caroline Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Westgate Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate, Park Street, Havelock Street and Scott Road. Station Terrace and Guildford Street from the junction with Newport Road to the junction with Churchill Way will be access for buses only during the times of the road closures. This is to ensure that there is reliable access for buses to the satellite points in Churchill Way. Additionally, Penarth Road will be closed 30 minutes before the concerts finish and for up to an hour after they finish, on safety grounds - for train passengers arriving and departing from the train station. Civic centre Access to part of the civic centre will be controlled throughout the day, with access allowed only for event parking, limited commuter parking, loading and access to private car parks. Roads affected include King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road and Gorsedd Gardens Road. Train service arrangements To help manage the expected increase in passenger numbers, Transport for Wales (TfW) and Great Western Railway (GWR) will operate additional and strengthened services (trains with more carriages than usual) to get customers to and from the events smoothly. But some engineering works may impact services, and passengers are urged to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journey. The start of Oasis's sell-out tour will see GWR operate six extra trains to get people home again, providing almost 4,000 additional seats, for each of the two nights. For all events, those looking to travel by train are warned to check the time of their last train home, and to allow plenty of time. A queuing system will begin from 10pm and the queuing for mainline rail services will be on Central Square with the Valley queues at the rear of the station. Cardiff bus interchange will close at 12 noon for the Oasis concerts and at 3pm for the remaining concerts. Cardiff Queen Street Station will close at 10pm, unless customers have accessible requirements or are travelling to Cardiff Bay. Revenue protection inspectors will conduct ticket checks both before and after the events. Park and ride The event park and ride facilities will be using the car park by Vindico Arena on International Drive in the Sports Village, Cardiff Bay - CF11 0JS. The drop of point in the city centre is on Tresillian Way. Staff will be on site at 9am, but the first bus into the city centre will leave at 11am. The last bus back from the city centre will be at 12 midnight with the site closing soon after. The cost is £15. Cash only. Parking Civic centre event day parking (cars and coaches) Getting there: Exit Junction 32 of the M4, head south on the A470 towards the city centre and follow signage to the civic centre. ‌ Cost: £20 payable on the day for cars and £30 for coaches - card payments are also now available. Parking time: The car park will open at 8am and closes at 12 midnight. Sophia Gardens (cars) ‌ Getting there: Exit junction 32 off the M4 Cost: £20 for cars and £30 for coaches - card payments are now available. Parking time: Car park opens at 8.00am and closes at 12 midnight. ‌ Please note: Sophia Gardens car park will be staffed until 7pm all vehicles are left on site at the owner's risk. Cardiff Council says it will not be held responsible for any theft or damage to motor vehicles or personal possessions., and that any vehicles left in the car park after closing time will be fined. Buses Local bus services will be diverted while the city centre road closures are in place. National Express coaches will use Sophia Gardens as usual. Article continues below Taxis For the Oasis concerts, St Mary Street taxi rank (outside the former House of Fraser building) will close at 12 noon. For the remaining concerts, the taxi rank will close at 3pm and will re-open at midnight.

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