Latest news with #Lacey
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Lacey Chabert and Andrew Walker teaming up on Hallmark Christmas movie
Lacey Chabert and Andrew Walker are reuniting for a new Christmas movie. The 42-year-old actress previously shared the screen with the 46-year-old star in 2018's My Secret Valentine and the Hallmark Channel have announced the pair will appear together in their upcoming holiday movie She's Making a List. Hallmark broke the news with a teaser video, in which Lacey said: "It's my job to decide who's been naughty." Andrew then added: "Or nice. Like me. ... I'm basically a very tall nine year old." Lacey admitted it is "such a joy" to be working with Andrew again. She said in a statement: 'Reuniting with Andrew after all these years to do our first Christmas movie together is such a joy. "Andrew brings so much heart, humour, and warmth to every role, and working with him again felt like coming home. I am thrilled to do this one together... finally.' Andrew is equally thrilled to be reteaming with the "Queen of Christmas", whose role in She's Making a List marks her 16th festive movie to debut during Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas. He said: "What a gift it is to reunite with Lacey seven years after our Valentine's movie. 'She truly is the Queen of Christmas, not just for the heart she brings to every role, but for her incredible talent. She brings warmth, heart, and comedy with such ease, and she adapts to every role with a grace and talent that makes everyone around her better.' An official synopsis for the movie revealed She's Making a List follows Naughty or Nice inspector Isabel Haynes. It continues: "When she is assigned to evaluate mischievous 11-year-old Charlie Duncan, she expects a routine case. But things get complicated when Isabel unexpectedly falls for Charlie's widowed father, Jason Duncan (Walker), and begins to question the rigid rules of her job. "As Christmas approaches, Isabel must choose between following the holiday algorithm or following her heart." Jennifer Kramer, vice president of programming at Hallmark Media, said in a statement: "Bringing Lacey Chabert and Andrew Walker together for their first-ever Hallmark Christmas movie is a dream come true for our fans. 'She's Making a List captures the heart, humor, and holiday magic our viewers love, and we can't wait to share this unforgettable story with them this season." As well as She's Making a List, Andrew will also star with Tyler Hynes and Paul Campbell in a third Three Wise Men movie on the channel. She's Making a List is Lacey's 43rd Hallmark movie and she previously admitted she never expected to make so many. She told People magazine: "I never would've known when I did the first one that would turn into what it has, and I'm just so proud of it and the journey and the excitement of all that filming these movies has brought to my life. "It's just been a beautiful experience. ... Everyone knows I love Christmas and I love, love, love making these Christmas movies."
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Newport council promises more inclusivity for neurodivergent
Public services in Newport will be adapted to meet the needs of neurodivergent people, following a councillor's appeals for 'inclusion, compassion and respect'. 'This isn't asking for special treatment, it's about equity,' said Cllr Laura Lacey. 'It's about recognising that neurodivergent people have always been and always will be part of our communities.' City councillors have agreed to promote more inclusivity by ensuring the local authority's services 'are equipped to identify and meet the needs of neurodivergent individuals'. There will be extra training for all council employees, support for awareness and acceptance campaigns, and 'reasonable adjustments' to encourage more participation in public life. Cllr Lacey, who proposed the changes at a council meeting this week, told colleagues the policy was 'deeply personal'. 'As someone who is dyslexic, autistic and has ADHD, I know first-hand the struggles neurodivergent people face,' she said. 'I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my forties, after years of being misdiagnosed, misunderstood and even told I had bipolar disorder – when in fact, I was burned out from trying to survive in a world not designed for minds like mine.' She added: 'We need to create environments that work with neurodivergent minds, and not against them.' There was cross-party support for Cllr Lacey's calls, with several other councillors also sharing their personal accounts. 'Like many people, I didn't grow up knowing I was neurodivergent', said Cllr Stephen Marshall, as he recalled 'years of being told I needed to try harder, concentrate more, [that I was] lazy and to be more like everyone else'. He said many neurodivergent people are 'expected to keep pace in a world that wasn't built with you in mind, and if you struggle the assumption is you're the problem'. 'The truth is it's not about fixing people, it's about fixing systems – we can't afford to keep overlooking the potential of those one in seven people', he added, referring to population estimates of neurodivergence. Cllr Deb Davies, the cabinet member for education, said 'there is an increasing number of children presenting as neurodivergent, and there are many good reasons for this, including improved diagnosis and a better understanding of presentation'. The council wants to 'create better outcomes for those with a neurodivergent diagnosis', she said, before commending two headteachers for their influential work to date. She said Richard Drew, the headteacher of 'our first neurodivergent school' at Ysgol Bryn Derw, provides 'inspirational' guidance to the city's other schools 'which ensures a consistent approach'. Gaer Primary School's headteacher Alex Smith had made an 'astounding' impact by redesigning classrooms there to reduce sensory overload, she added. Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, who leads the local authority, welcomed the commitment to an 'important issue that affects many of us, whether we realise it or not' – while Cllr Matthew Evans, the opposition leader, said it was 'reassuring to see so much support'. 'We are not anomalies, we are your neighbours, your colleagues, your children and your councillors,' Cllr Lacey concluded. 'The current setup too often asks neurodivergent people to adapt endlessly, silently and to great personal cost,' she said. 'This motion shifts that burden back to where it belongs, onto the systems and institutions that should be serving all of us.'
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Sydney FC youngster broke down crying as difficult Wrexham question saw boss hit out
Wrexham were beaten 2-1 by Sydney FC in a pre-season friendly in Australia, with youngster Joe Lacey bursting into tears after scoring the winner for the hosts with a superb strike A Sydney FC prodigy was left in tears after netting the decisive goal in his squad's surprise win over Wrexham and sharing his family's Welsh heritage. The Red Dragons are currently on a pre-season tour in Australia as they gear up for their campaign in the Championship next season. They kicked off with a promising start, securing a 3-0 friendly win against Melbourne Victory last week. However, Wrexham faced a setback this Tuesday when they were edged out 2-1 by a spirited young Sydney side. The Hollywood-backed team initially went ahead in the first half thanks to an own goal after James McClean's free-kick was inadvertently deflected by Sydney's Corey Hollman. Sydney then levelled the scoreline just before the interval when defender Alexandar Popovic headed home from a corner. Despite Wrexham's efforts to regain control, they were caught off guard in the 74th minute by substitute Joe Lacey. The 18-year-old midfielder dazzled the more 40,000 spectators at Allianz Stadium with an excellent strike from just outside the box. Post-match footage showed Lacey in a poignant embrace with his sister. He later revealed the significance of his goal, citing his mother's Welsh background and mentioning that his aunt works as a paramedic at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground during games. In a post-match interview, Lacey said: "My mum's Welsh and it's very big for me. My family, they're all watching in Wales, she (Lacey's mum) is there at the moment. "I love them all. I'm very grateful for them. They're all in Wales besides from my sister who came in from Newcastle, so I'm very grateful for them." Reflecting on his goal, Lacey added: "It just felt like a video game. It felt like I had a VR (virtual reality) set on." Sydney manager Ufuk Talay seemed less than pleased during his post-match press conference when prompted to weigh up A-League teams against Wrexham. He sidestepped the comparison and urged Aussies to back their homegrown football. He said: "I personally don't like this comparison. They [Wrexham] play in their own competition, we play in our own competition. I don't think we're comparing apples with apples at the same time - it's apples with oranges. "Their budgets compared to our budgets are totally different. Our game is the A-League so we should love and support our domestic game regardless. Our competition level is good enough for players to be selected at international level." Wrexham's loss to Sydney was compounded by an injury to star midfielder Ollie Rathbone, who hobbled off before the break with an ankle issue. Post-match reports confirmed he was later taken to hospital for an X-ray. "We're really hoping for him and it's a very quiet dressing room in there, because we have concern about Ollie," Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson told the club's media team. "It didn't look that bad an incident when it happened, but it swelled up instantly in the dressing room, and Kev (Mulholland, club physio) has gone with him to hospital. We've just got to keep our fingers crossed." Parkinson will be keeping his hopes up for a clean bill of health as Wrexham wrap up their tour with a match against Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand on Saturday. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Teen describes moment she was choked by father in attempted 'honor killing' after refusing arranged marriage
A teenage girl sobbed as she told a court how she feared for her life as her own father choked her during an alleged 'honor killing'. Fatima Ali, 18, was giving evidence against her parents Ihsan Ali, 44, and mother Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali, 40, at their attempted murder trial on Tuesday. The couple are accused of trying to strangle their daughter outside Timberline High School in Lacey, Washington, on October 18 last year. Terrifying footage first published by the Daily Mail before the trial, and shown to the court today, shows Ihsan put her in a chokehold on the ground until her boyfriend Isiah, classmates, and bystanders rescued her. Fatima, who was just 17 when she was attacked, bravely told the jury of the agonizing moments her consciousness slipped away in her father's grasp. The petite 5ft 1in girl weighting just 101lbs felt his arms around her throat and 'dirt on my face' from the ground, couldn't breathe, and had pain in her neck. Prosecutor Heather Stone asked what Fatima was thinking as she struggled to stay alive. 'Heartbroken for what my dad did,' she said. 'Did you have any fear?' Stone asked. 'Yes.' 'Fear of what?' 'Of dying,' Fatima choked out, her voice breaking into a sob. She was barely able to respond 'no' when asked if she could say anything during the attack. Fatima was in such a state that Thurston Superior Court Judge Christine Schaller called a recess. The teenager explained she lost consciousness four times during the attack and only has flashes of memory. 'I could see my hand reaching my neck... because I knew my dad was choking me,' she said of one of them. 'I saw darkness at first. [Then] I saw Isiah and a friend standing above me.' Ihsan and Zahraa are accused of attempting to carry out a Muslim 'honor killing' on Fatima 'for refusing an arranged marriage with an older man in another county'. Fatima told police at the time her father threatened her with the barbaric practice multiple times, and was furious she was dating an American boy. Her parents planned to send her to their home town of Najaf in Iraq on a one-way ticket hours before she sneaked out of the house about 6am with just $100 she took from her mother and a bag of clothes. Fatima told the court she never told her parents she didn't want to get on the plane because 'no matter what I say it doesn't really change'. When she got to Timberline, the school counselor helped her find a place at Haven House, a youth crisis center, and gave her a blanket and a laptop to continue her studies. But the school didn't offer her a ride to the shelter, so when school ended at 2pm she walked to the bus stop with Isiah, who was 16 at the time. They saw what they thought was Ihsan's pickup truck but hoped it wasn't. He was already at the bus stop when they arrived. Fatima testified that at first her father didn't appear angry as he asked her to come home with him, but she 'felt the energy and intensity [increase]'. '[I told him] I didn't wanna go back home,' she said. Did he accept that? 'No.' 'Every time that I backed away, he comes closer.' Fatima said Isiah was by he side patting her back to comfort her as she argued with her dad in Arabic, but this seemed to make Ihsan angrier. When the bus finally arrived, Fatima turned to get on it and Ihsan grabbed her hoodie and said 'my daughter' in Arabic, she told the court. Isiah tried to push Ihsan away, but footage from the bus cameras showed the much larger man punch him in the face and send him flying. With the teen boy out of the way, he went after his daughter, grabbing her by the throat as she tried to flee. The girl's boyfriend jumped to his feet and along with two others boys charged at Ihsan and tried to pull him away, knocking both to the ground. The boys began punching, kicking, and stomping Ihsan as he put his daughter in a chokehold and refused to let go despite the flurry of blows. Fatima told the court she woke up hearing her mother saying 'my daughter' and felt feels Zahraa holding onto her chest and her neck. Prosecutors and witnesses alleged Zahraa was trying to finished the honor killing by strangling Fatima after Ihsan was subdued. Fatima said she initially couldn't get up and eventually when she was pulled away from her mother's grasp and tried to walk away, her legs were weak. She said her older sister Haneen, 21, who is not charged with a crime, was holding on to her sleeve and she tried to get her to let go. Eventually Haneen released her and she ran towards the school. Fatima told the court she was trying to get away from mother and sister because 'I was afraid'. She said she couldn't have gotten away if she was alone, but wasn't asked if that meant she would have died. Fatima ran into the school office, pursued by her mother. 'I told them he (Ihsan) was trying to kill me,' she said. Prosecutors did not ask the teenagers about the years of abuse she told police her father subjected her and her siblings, or about Ihsan's alleged threats to kill her. Judge Schaller ruled prosecutors couldn't bring up the arranged marriage or allow Fatima to talk in detail about a family trip to Iraq when she was 16. She only told the court 'I felt unsafe' when she was there. Fatima told police in her interview last year that the trip made her fearful of being sent there to be married off and never allowed to return to the US. Ihsan's lawyer Erik Kaeding and Zahraa's attorney Tim Leary will continue cross-examining Fatima on Wednesday. Isiah is also expected to give evidence this week. Witnesses, including Isiah and Fatima's classmates, gave evidence earlier in the trial about what they saw during the horrifying attack. John Denicola, a bus driver who stopped to help and whose cameras recorded the melee, told the court how he frantically tried the save the girl. 'Obviously, she was in distress, her eyes were rolling into the back of her head, you could tell she was not able to breathe,' he said. 'The look on [Ihsan's] face and the way he was squeezing, he was choking her.' Denicola said Ihsan didn't say anything as he choked Fatima, but his eyes were 'wide open' and he 'was focused on his task at hand'. Josh Wagner, a motorist who stopped his car in the middle of the road and ran to help, described how he freed Fatima from her father's chokehold. 'Her face was changing color as she was being choked... she was gonna lose consciousness if it continued... it was very obvious she was being choked,' he told the court. Wagner, a 13-year US Army veteran, held Ihsan down until police arrived and handcuffed him. Both Denicola and Wagner said the dozens of punches and kicks Isiah and his classmates laid into Ihsan were ineffective at getting him to stop choking Fatima. Wagner's wife Mary Wagner described how Fatima ran in front of her behind the tree pursued by Zahraa and her eldest sister Haneen, 21, then ran towards the school - as shown on the video Wagner's wife Mary, who watched the attack from her car before crossing the road moments later after Fatima was back on her feet. 'She appeared incredibly confused, she seemed not to know what her surroundings were, she was in kind of a panic,' she said. 'She turned around and looked at me, and her eyes were huge, she had hair in her face, she looked completely disheveled, she looked very confused, absolutely terrified.' Two of the teens' classmates also testified on Tuesday to seeing Fatima in similar distress as her father choked her. Both Ihsan and Zahraa are charged with second-degree attempted murder and attempted kidnapping, along with lesser crimes. They have been behind bars since soon after the attack on bonds of $1 million and $500,000. The trial is expected to continue for the rest of the month.
The Advertiser
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Hollywood-worthy drama in Wrexham friendly, star player sent to hospital
A near sell-out crowd in Sydney watched Hollywood-backed Welsh club Wrexham on Tuesday night, as a teenage A-League rising star shone bright in a 2-1 win for the home side. An impressive 40,242 fans - an overwhelming majority of which were wearing red Wrexham merchandise - packed into Sydney Football Stadium on a school night, as the visiting Championship side from Wales played its second friendly in Australia. There was no sign of Wrexham's famous owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney making a surprise appearance in the stands, but Sydney FC's supporter section 'The Cove' and the many Red Dragons fans ensured a loud and lively atmosphere. Wrexham scored the opener after a mean cross into the penalty area by captain James McLean led to a Sydney defender conceding an own-goal. Sydney FC didn't collapse like their A-League rivals Melbourne Victory did last weekend in a 3-0 defeat to Wrexham, though. Alexandar Popovic equalised for Sydney FC before half-time as Wrexham watched Ollie Rathbone, the club's reigning player of the year, go down with an ankle injury that immediately sent him to hospital for X-rays. Then, not long after the start of the second half, both teams substituted all their starters in somewhat comical scenes, with Sydney FC's youngsters given a chance to strut their stuff, and they did not disappoint. It was 18-year-old Joe Lacey's curling strike for his first senior goal in the 74th minute that eventually gave Sydney FC a 2-1 victory, with a heartwarming backstory that wouldn't be out of place if it featured in Wrexham's popular Disney documentary series. The Sydney youth academy product with Welsh heritage grew up in the harbour city, but both his parents were watching the game from Wales on holiday. There is even a family connection to Wrexham A.F.C. with Lacey's aunt a game-day paramedic at the club's famous Racecourse home ground. Lacey was in tears after the game as he was congratulated by his sister in the stands. "Well, as much as we're here to win games and win trophies, we're here to entertain as well," Sydney FC coach Ufuk Talay said post-game. "It's great that the young boys came on and entertained. "Hopefully we've excited these people and they buy memberships and they come to our games." The loss was Wrexham's first in its Australia and New Zealand pre-season tour. "We needed a competitive game and it certainly was that in front of 40,000 people, but obviously work to be done from our point of view," Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson said. "Some of the quality from us wasn't where it needs to be. There was some good stuff, but probably not enough, but it was a good, physical workout. "Ollie had to go to the hospital for an X-ray, so we're hoping. It's a quiet dressing room because we're concerned about Ollie. It swelled up instantly in the dressing room. We've just got to keep our fingers crossed." The next stop for the Red Dragons is Wellington for a game against A-League side, the Phoenix, on Saturday. Then the squad heads back to Wales in preparation for a Championship campaign starting August 9, chasing a fourth-straight promotion into the English Premier League. Welcome to Wrexham, Down Under. Australia is 16,000 kilometres from the small Welsh city, but for two off-season friendly matches soccer fans here have been swept off their feet by the Disney-produced, fairytale comeback story of Wrexham A.F.C. Unless Ryan Reynolds was dressed in his Deadpool costume to deliver the match ball in Melbourne, there have been no sightings of Wrexham's Hollywood star owners Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for the Australian tour - as yet. It doesn't seem to matter if they don't show, though. Through the exposure the acting duo have brought the club via a Disney documentary series 'Welcome to Wrexham', more fans, unprecedented investment, and even an economic boom has hit 'The Town'. And that impact has reverberated throughout the globe with extraordinary reach. A strong crowd of 37,020 turned out to Melbourne's Docklands for the first match of Wrexham's visit to Australia and New Zealand, and another impressive crowd is expected for the match at Moore Park on Tuesday night against Sydney FC. Meet-and-greet events in Australia in addition to the games truly highlight the mania surrounding the club that once languished in one of the worst leagues of professional soccer in Europe. Aussies have happily jumped on the bandwagon, wear all the kit, know the team chants, and worship past and present players as if they were born and bred in Wrexham. Now, from near financial ruin to achieving historic back-to-back-to-back promotions in the highly-competitive English football system, Wrexham is playing in the Championship, one division below the lucrative English Premier League. The underdog story well-documented in the Disney series is hard not to get behind, but the rise of Wrexham within just a few years to become a globally-adored team has been a whirlwind journey that even those within the squad struggle to process. Just ask Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson, sunkissed by Sydney's winter sunshine, fresh off the training pitch at NSW Rugby League Headquarters where Bulldogs NRL coach Cameron Ciraldo paid a visit, before a kick-around with a Steeden. "Sometimes you've got to pinch yourself," Parkinson said. "Young players, they can't quite believe it - to be representing Wrexham in Australia from where the club's come from. "It's been a tough period over the last 20 years... to imagine that we'd be touring Australia and having all these great experiences..." "There's been so many moments where people think, 'Has it been scripted?' But no, it actually all did happen," he added. Behind the revival has been Reynolds and McElhenney, who took over Wrexham's majority ownership in 2020. But unlike some sporting ownership changes, it appears as though every facet has been done right, and wholly embraced by original fans, as well as the ever-expanding new supporter community. The success along the way is proof of that. Could this happen to any other club in the world? For soccer fans in Canberra eagerly awaiting a new ownership announcement for its A-League Women and Men's team, it's a tantalising thought. "Of course, it can happen to any club," Parkinson said. "But for a club of the divisions we played in, to have this kind of publicity, it's pretty unheard of really". Wrexham's revival certainly is an inspirational story for struggling clubs around the world, and remarkably that story isn't over, nor has the club reached its ceiling. Major redevelopment is planned for its historic home ground, the Racecourse, the club's academy and women's programs still need improving, and of course, with further on-field success an EPL promotion is within reach. Experts will say Wrexham needs to sit in the Championship for a few seasons to allow the club to steadily grow on and off the field before the EPL, but good luck telling this team to slow down. While Parkinson said his team must be "realistic" with the playing roster dwarfed in salaries by some other Championship clubs, Wrexham dare to dream - and after what its achieved, who can blame them. "It's a very, very tough league [the Championship]. It's a huge step," the coach said. "I think hunger can take you a long way. It's not everything, but we have got players with a bit of a point to prove, and if we can add some Championship quality [players] to that, who knows?" A near sell-out crowd in Sydney watched Hollywood-backed Welsh club Wrexham on Tuesday night, as a teenage A-League rising star shone bright in a 2-1 win for the home side. An impressive 40,242 fans - an overwhelming majority of which were wearing red Wrexham merchandise - packed into Sydney Football Stadium on a school night, as the visiting Championship side from Wales played its second friendly in Australia. There was no sign of Wrexham's famous owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney making a surprise appearance in the stands, but Sydney FC's supporter section 'The Cove' and the many Red Dragons fans ensured a loud and lively atmosphere. Wrexham scored the opener after a mean cross into the penalty area by captain James McLean led to a Sydney defender conceding an own-goal. Sydney FC didn't collapse like their A-League rivals Melbourne Victory did last weekend in a 3-0 defeat to Wrexham, though. Alexandar Popovic equalised for Sydney FC before half-time as Wrexham watched Ollie Rathbone, the club's reigning player of the year, go down with an ankle injury that immediately sent him to hospital for X-rays. Then, not long after the start of the second half, both teams substituted all their starters in somewhat comical scenes, with Sydney FC's youngsters given a chance to strut their stuff, and they did not disappoint. It was 18-year-old Joe Lacey's curling strike for his first senior goal in the 74th minute that eventually gave Sydney FC a 2-1 victory, with a heartwarming backstory that wouldn't be out of place if it featured in Wrexham's popular Disney documentary series. The Sydney youth academy product with Welsh heritage grew up in the harbour city, but both his parents were watching the game from Wales on holiday. There is even a family connection to Wrexham A.F.C. with Lacey's aunt a game-day paramedic at the club's famous Racecourse home ground. Lacey was in tears after the game as he was congratulated by his sister in the stands. "Well, as much as we're here to win games and win trophies, we're here to entertain as well," Sydney FC coach Ufuk Talay said post-game. "It's great that the young boys came on and entertained. "Hopefully we've excited these people and they buy memberships and they come to our games." The loss was Wrexham's first in its Australia and New Zealand pre-season tour. "We needed a competitive game and it certainly was that in front of 40,000 people, but obviously work to be done from our point of view," Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson said. "Some of the quality from us wasn't where it needs to be. There was some good stuff, but probably not enough, but it was a good, physical workout. "Ollie had to go to the hospital for an X-ray, so we're hoping. It's a quiet dressing room because we're concerned about Ollie. It swelled up instantly in the dressing room. We've just got to keep our fingers crossed." The next stop for the Red Dragons is Wellington for a game against A-League side, the Phoenix, on Saturday. Then the squad heads back to Wales in preparation for a Championship campaign starting August 9, chasing a fourth-straight promotion into the English Premier League. Welcome to Wrexham, Down Under. Australia is 16,000 kilometres from the small Welsh city, but for two off-season friendly matches soccer fans here have been swept off their feet by the Disney-produced, fairytale comeback story of Wrexham A.F.C. Unless Ryan Reynolds was dressed in his Deadpool costume to deliver the match ball in Melbourne, there have been no sightings of Wrexham's Hollywood star owners Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for the Australian tour - as yet. It doesn't seem to matter if they don't show, though. Through the exposure the acting duo have brought the club via a Disney documentary series 'Welcome to Wrexham', more fans, unprecedented investment, and even an economic boom has hit 'The Town'. And that impact has reverberated throughout the globe with extraordinary reach. A strong crowd of 37,020 turned out to Melbourne's Docklands for the first match of Wrexham's visit to Australia and New Zealand, and another impressive crowd is expected for the match at Moore Park on Tuesday night against Sydney FC. Meet-and-greet events in Australia in addition to the games truly highlight the mania surrounding the club that once languished in one of the worst leagues of professional soccer in Europe. Aussies have happily jumped on the bandwagon, wear all the kit, know the team chants, and worship past and present players as if they were born and bred in Wrexham. Now, from near financial ruin to achieving historic back-to-back-to-back promotions in the highly-competitive English football system, Wrexham is playing in the Championship, one division below the lucrative English Premier League. The underdog story well-documented in the Disney series is hard not to get behind, but the rise of Wrexham within just a few years to become a globally-adored team has been a whirlwind journey that even those within the squad struggle to process. Just ask Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson, sunkissed by Sydney's winter sunshine, fresh off the training pitch at NSW Rugby League Headquarters where Bulldogs NRL coach Cameron Ciraldo paid a visit, before a kick-around with a Steeden. "Sometimes you've got to pinch yourself," Parkinson said. "Young players, they can't quite believe it - to be representing Wrexham in Australia from where the club's come from. "It's been a tough period over the last 20 years... to imagine that we'd be touring Australia and having all these great experiences..." "There's been so many moments where people think, 'Has it been scripted?' But no, it actually all did happen," he added. Behind the revival has been Reynolds and McElhenney, who took over Wrexham's majority ownership in 2020. But unlike some sporting ownership changes, it appears as though every facet has been done right, and wholly embraced by original fans, as well as the ever-expanding new supporter community. The success along the way is proof of that. Could this happen to any other club in the world? For soccer fans in Canberra eagerly awaiting a new ownership announcement for its A-League Women and Men's team, it's a tantalising thought. "Of course, it can happen to any club," Parkinson said. "But for a club of the divisions we played in, to have this kind of publicity, it's pretty unheard of really". Wrexham's revival certainly is an inspirational story for struggling clubs around the world, and remarkably that story isn't over, nor has the club reached its ceiling. Major redevelopment is planned for its historic home ground, the Racecourse, the club's academy and women's programs still need improving, and of course, with further on-field success an EPL promotion is within reach. Experts will say Wrexham needs to sit in the Championship for a few seasons to allow the club to steadily grow on and off the field before the EPL, but good luck telling this team to slow down. While Parkinson said his team must be "realistic" with the playing roster dwarfed in salaries by some other Championship clubs, Wrexham dare to dream - and after what its achieved, who can blame them. "It's a very, very tough league [the Championship]. It's a huge step," the coach said. "I think hunger can take you a long way. It's not everything, but we have got players with a bit of a point to prove, and if we can add some Championship quality [players] to that, who knows?" A near sell-out crowd in Sydney watched Hollywood-backed Welsh club Wrexham on Tuesday night, as a teenage A-League rising star shone bright in a 2-1 win for the home side. An impressive 40,242 fans - an overwhelming majority of which were wearing red Wrexham merchandise - packed into Sydney Football Stadium on a school night, as the visiting Championship side from Wales played its second friendly in Australia. There was no sign of Wrexham's famous owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney making a surprise appearance in the stands, but Sydney FC's supporter section 'The Cove' and the many Red Dragons fans ensured a loud and lively atmosphere. Wrexham scored the opener after a mean cross into the penalty area by captain James McLean led to a Sydney defender conceding an own-goal. Sydney FC didn't collapse like their A-League rivals Melbourne Victory did last weekend in a 3-0 defeat to Wrexham, though. Alexandar Popovic equalised for Sydney FC before half-time as Wrexham watched Ollie Rathbone, the club's reigning player of the year, go down with an ankle injury that immediately sent him to hospital for X-rays. Then, not long after the start of the second half, both teams substituted all their starters in somewhat comical scenes, with Sydney FC's youngsters given a chance to strut their stuff, and they did not disappoint. It was 18-year-old Joe Lacey's curling strike for his first senior goal in the 74th minute that eventually gave Sydney FC a 2-1 victory, with a heartwarming backstory that wouldn't be out of place if it featured in Wrexham's popular Disney documentary series. The Sydney youth academy product with Welsh heritage grew up in the harbour city, but both his parents were watching the game from Wales on holiday. There is even a family connection to Wrexham A.F.C. with Lacey's aunt a game-day paramedic at the club's famous Racecourse home ground. Lacey was in tears after the game as he was congratulated by his sister in the stands. "Well, as much as we're here to win games and win trophies, we're here to entertain as well," Sydney FC coach Ufuk Talay said post-game. "It's great that the young boys came on and entertained. "Hopefully we've excited these people and they buy memberships and they come to our games." The loss was Wrexham's first in its Australia and New Zealand pre-season tour. "We needed a competitive game and it certainly was that in front of 40,000 people, but obviously work to be done from our point of view," Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson said. "Some of the quality from us wasn't where it needs to be. There was some good stuff, but probably not enough, but it was a good, physical workout. "Ollie had to go to the hospital for an X-ray, so we're hoping. It's a quiet dressing room because we're concerned about Ollie. It swelled up instantly in the dressing room. We've just got to keep our fingers crossed." The next stop for the Red Dragons is Wellington for a game against A-League side, the Phoenix, on Saturday. Then the squad heads back to Wales in preparation for a Championship campaign starting August 9, chasing a fourth-straight promotion into the English Premier League. Welcome to Wrexham, Down Under. Australia is 16,000 kilometres from the small Welsh city, but for two off-season friendly matches soccer fans here have been swept off their feet by the Disney-produced, fairytale comeback story of Wrexham A.F.C. Unless Ryan Reynolds was dressed in his Deadpool costume to deliver the match ball in Melbourne, there have been no sightings of Wrexham's Hollywood star owners Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for the Australian tour - as yet. It doesn't seem to matter if they don't show, though. Through the exposure the acting duo have brought the club via a Disney documentary series 'Welcome to Wrexham', more fans, unprecedented investment, and even an economic boom has hit 'The Town'. And that impact has reverberated throughout the globe with extraordinary reach. A strong crowd of 37,020 turned out to Melbourne's Docklands for the first match of Wrexham's visit to Australia and New Zealand, and another impressive crowd is expected for the match at Moore Park on Tuesday night against Sydney FC. Meet-and-greet events in Australia in addition to the games truly highlight the mania surrounding the club that once languished in one of the worst leagues of professional soccer in Europe. Aussies have happily jumped on the bandwagon, wear all the kit, know the team chants, and worship past and present players as if they were born and bred in Wrexham. Now, from near financial ruin to achieving historic back-to-back-to-back promotions in the highly-competitive English football system, Wrexham is playing in the Championship, one division below the lucrative English Premier League. The underdog story well-documented in the Disney series is hard not to get behind, but the rise of Wrexham within just a few years to become a globally-adored team has been a whirlwind journey that even those within the squad struggle to process. Just ask Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson, sunkissed by Sydney's winter sunshine, fresh off the training pitch at NSW Rugby League Headquarters where Bulldogs NRL coach Cameron Ciraldo paid a visit, before a kick-around with a Steeden. "Sometimes you've got to pinch yourself," Parkinson said. "Young players, they can't quite believe it - to be representing Wrexham in Australia from where the club's come from. "It's been a tough period over the last 20 years... to imagine that we'd be touring Australia and having all these great experiences..." "There's been so many moments where people think, 'Has it been scripted?' But no, it actually all did happen," he added. Behind the revival has been Reynolds and McElhenney, who took over Wrexham's majority ownership in 2020. But unlike some sporting ownership changes, it appears as though every facet has been done right, and wholly embraced by original fans, as well as the ever-expanding new supporter community. The success along the way is proof of that. Could this happen to any other club in the world? For soccer fans in Canberra eagerly awaiting a new ownership announcement for its A-League Women and Men's team, it's a tantalising thought. "Of course, it can happen to any club," Parkinson said. "But for a club of the divisions we played in, to have this kind of publicity, it's pretty unheard of really". Wrexham's revival certainly is an inspirational story for struggling clubs around the world, and remarkably that story isn't over, nor has the club reached its ceiling. Major redevelopment is planned for its historic home ground, the Racecourse, the club's academy and women's programs still need improving, and of course, with further on-field success an EPL promotion is within reach. Experts will say Wrexham needs to sit in the Championship for a few seasons to allow the club to steadily grow on and off the field before the EPL, but good luck telling this team to slow down. While Parkinson said his team must be "realistic" with the playing roster dwarfed in salaries by some other Championship clubs, Wrexham dare to dream - and after what its achieved, who can blame them. "It's a very, very tough league [the Championship]. It's a huge step," the coach said. "I think hunger can take you a long way. It's not everything, but we have got players with a bit of a point to prove, and if we can add some Championship quality [players] to that, who knows?" A near sell-out crowd in Sydney watched Hollywood-backed Welsh club Wrexham on Tuesday night, as a teenage A-League rising star shone bright in a 2-1 win for the home side. An impressive 40,242 fans - an overwhelming majority of which were wearing red Wrexham merchandise - packed into Sydney Football Stadium on a school night, as the visiting Championship side from Wales played its second friendly in Australia. There was no sign of Wrexham's famous owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney making a surprise appearance in the stands, but Sydney FC's supporter section 'The Cove' and the many Red Dragons fans ensured a loud and lively atmosphere. Wrexham scored the opener after a mean cross into the penalty area by captain James McLean led to a Sydney defender conceding an own-goal. Sydney FC didn't collapse like their A-League rivals Melbourne Victory did last weekend in a 3-0 defeat to Wrexham, though. Alexandar Popovic equalised for Sydney FC before half-time as Wrexham watched Ollie Rathbone, the club's reigning player of the year, go down with an ankle injury that immediately sent him to hospital for X-rays. Then, not long after the start of the second half, both teams substituted all their starters in somewhat comical scenes, with Sydney FC's youngsters given a chance to strut their stuff, and they did not disappoint. It was 18-year-old Joe Lacey's curling strike for his first senior goal in the 74th minute that eventually gave Sydney FC a 2-1 victory, with a heartwarming backstory that wouldn't be out of place if it featured in Wrexham's popular Disney documentary series. The Sydney youth academy product with Welsh heritage grew up in the harbour city, but both his parents were watching the game from Wales on holiday. There is even a family connection to Wrexham A.F.C. with Lacey's aunt a game-day paramedic at the club's famous Racecourse home ground. Lacey was in tears after the game as he was congratulated by his sister in the stands. "Well, as much as we're here to win games and win trophies, we're here to entertain as well," Sydney FC coach Ufuk Talay said post-game. "It's great that the young boys came on and entertained. "Hopefully we've excited these people and they buy memberships and they come to our games." The loss was Wrexham's first in its Australia and New Zealand pre-season tour. "We needed a competitive game and it certainly was that in front of 40,000 people, but obviously work to be done from our point of view," Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson said. "Some of the quality from us wasn't where it needs to be. There was some good stuff, but probably not enough, but it was a good, physical workout. "Ollie had to go to the hospital for an X-ray, so we're hoping. It's a quiet dressing room because we're concerned about Ollie. It swelled up instantly in the dressing room. We've just got to keep our fingers crossed." The next stop for the Red Dragons is Wellington for a game against A-League side, the Phoenix, on Saturday. Then the squad heads back to Wales in preparation for a Championship campaign starting August 9, chasing a fourth-straight promotion into the English Premier League. Welcome to Wrexham, Down Under. Australia is 16,000 kilometres from the small Welsh city, but for two off-season friendly matches soccer fans here have been swept off their feet by the Disney-produced, fairytale comeback story of Wrexham A.F.C. Unless Ryan Reynolds was dressed in his Deadpool costume to deliver the match ball in Melbourne, there have been no sightings of Wrexham's Hollywood star owners Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for the Australian tour - as yet. It doesn't seem to matter if they don't show, though. Through the exposure the acting duo have brought the club via a Disney documentary series 'Welcome to Wrexham', more fans, unprecedented investment, and even an economic boom has hit 'The Town'. And that impact has reverberated throughout the globe with extraordinary reach. A strong crowd of 37,020 turned out to Melbourne's Docklands for the first match of Wrexham's visit to Australia and New Zealand, and another impressive crowd is expected for the match at Moore Park on Tuesday night against Sydney FC. Meet-and-greet events in Australia in addition to the games truly highlight the mania surrounding the club that once languished in one of the worst leagues of professional soccer in Europe. Aussies have happily jumped on the bandwagon, wear all the kit, know the team chants, and worship past and present players as if they were born and bred in Wrexham. Now, from near financial ruin to achieving historic back-to-back-to-back promotions in the highly-competitive English football system, Wrexham is playing in the Championship, one division below the lucrative English Premier League. The underdog story well-documented in the Disney series is hard not to get behind, but the rise of Wrexham within just a few years to become a globally-adored team has been a whirlwind journey that even those within the squad struggle to process. Just ask Wrexham coach Phil Parkinson, sunkissed by Sydney's winter sunshine, fresh off the training pitch at NSW Rugby League Headquarters where Bulldogs NRL coach Cameron Ciraldo paid a visit, before a kick-around with a Steeden. "Sometimes you've got to pinch yourself," Parkinson said. "Young players, they can't quite believe it - to be representing Wrexham in Australia from where the club's come from. "It's been a tough period over the last 20 years... to imagine that we'd be touring Australia and having all these great experiences..." "There's been so many moments where people think, 'Has it been scripted?' But no, it actually all did happen," he added. Behind the revival has been Reynolds and McElhenney, who took over Wrexham's majority ownership in 2020. But unlike some sporting ownership changes, it appears as though every facet has been done right, and wholly embraced by original fans, as well as the ever-expanding new supporter community. The success along the way is proof of that. Could this happen to any other club in the world? For soccer fans in Canberra eagerly awaiting a new ownership announcement for its A-League Women and Men's team, it's a tantalising thought. "Of course, it can happen to any club," Parkinson said. "But for a club of the divisions we played in, to have this kind of publicity, it's pretty unheard of really". Wrexham's revival certainly is an inspirational story for struggling clubs around the world, and remarkably that story isn't over, nor has the club reached its ceiling. Major redevelopment is planned for its historic home ground, the Racecourse, the club's academy and women's programs still need improving, and of course, with further on-field success an EPL promotion is within reach. Experts will say Wrexham needs to sit in the Championship for a few seasons to allow the club to steadily grow on and off the field before the EPL, but good luck telling this team to slow down. While Parkinson said his team must be "realistic" with the playing roster dwarfed in salaries by some other Championship clubs, Wrexham dare to dream - and after what its achieved, who can blame them. "It's a very, very tough league [the Championship]. It's a huge step," the coach said. "I think hunger can take you a long way. It's not everything, but we have got players with a bit of a point to prove, and if we can add some Championship quality [players] to that, who knows?"
