Latest news with #RedDragons
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Wrexham line up stunning Premier League triple transfer with £12.5m ex-World Cup goalkeeper and West Ham legend wanted
More big names linked to the Red Dragons after three promotions NEW WREX MEN Wrexham line up stunning Premier League triple transfer with £12.5m ex-World Cup goalkeeper and West Ham legend wanted Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WREXHAM want to offer Wales keeper Danny Ward the chance to join their first season back in the Championship. Ward, 31, has been freed by Leicester after a difficult spell and could leap at the chance to join Phil Parkinson's ambitious Red Dragons. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Danny Ward is just one of the top stars on Wrexham's radar Credit: Getty 4 The Red Dragons have gone from the fifth to the second tier in three years Credit: Getty The 44-cap star was a schoolkid at Wrexham until joining Liverpool in 2012. But in six years at Anfield he never came close to tying down a first-team spot. Instead he was loaned out to Morecambe, Aberdeen and Huddersfield before a £12.5million switch to the King Power Stadium. Ward, who played at the 2022 World Cup, is just the latest player with a Premier League pedigree being linked to Wrexham this summer. READ MORE WREXHAM NEWS WREX FACTOR Wrexham's millionaire Hollywood owners set to be hit hard in the pocket The Red Dragons and Derby have put former Wolves centre-back Craig Dawson on their shortlist of targets. Dawson, 35, wants to play on and Rams boss John Eustace likes his experience. But Eustace is also eyeing Blackburn defender Danny Batth - which might allow Wrexham to do a deal for Dawson on top wages. The Red Dragons have also shown reported interest in two ex-England stars who are leaving West Ham on a free transfer. 4 Wolves veteran Craig Dawson is being targeted as he wants to play on Credit: Getty BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Parkinson is keen on left-back Aaron Cresswell, 35, and 33-year-old striker Danny Ings. Former Liverpool man Ings joined West Ham from Aston Villa for £12million in January 2023. Fulham skipper Tom Cairney is another experienced name said to be on Wrexham's radar. The Nottingham-born Scotland midfielder, 34, is becoming a free agent. However, Cottagers manager Marco Silva has suggested he wants to keep the ex-Blackburn ace. The Red Dragons are returning to the second tier for the first time since 1981/82 after making history under the ownership of Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Wrexham have become the first team to reach this level via three promotions in a row.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Ryan Reynolds put on spot by Landon Donovan as he scoffs at Wrexham 'miracle'
Wrexham have secured three successive promotions since being bought by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, but former Premier League star Landon Donovan has questioned their success Former Premier League star Landon Donovan has thrown down the gauntlet to Ryan Reynolds after casting doubt on Wrexham's fairytale rise. Since being taken over by the Deadpool actor and his fellow screen star Rob McElhenney in February 2021, the Welsh club have achieved an impressive three consecutive promotions. The Red Dragons are now gearing up for their first season back in the second tier after a 43-year absence. The Hollywood duo have been lauded for their impact on Wrexham's fortunes, with their ambitions now set on reaching the Premier League. However, ex-Everton midfielder Donovan has questioned the narrative of the team's ascent depicted in the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. Appearing on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast, which he presents alongside US legend Tim Howard, Donovan suggested that the owners' success was largely due to significant financial investment. He also put Reynolds and McElhenney on the spot about whether they're prepared to dig deeper into their pockets to help Wrexham's push for the top flight. "If you watch the show, you think it's some miracle, but it's not a miracle," Donovan said. "It's an amazing story, but they have also spent at the top of every one of the leagues they've been in. "The question now is whether they can do it in the Championship. My first thought was no, but I did see a report last week that they were willing to offer a player £50,000 a week. "They clearly have the money to do it, but are they going to take the risk? It's a big risk now, and you could lose £30m or £40m and not get promoted. It's going to be interesting to watch." However, Howard was more upbeat about Wrexham's chances of making the challenging leap to the top. Despite acknowledging the substantial investment in the team, the ex-Manchester United goalkeeper highlighted that splashing out money doesn't always equate to success. Howard said: "They say the hardest jump in all of the promotions is from the Championship to the Premier League, because there is just more money in that league. "Money makes the world go round when it comes to football or sports, and they [Wrexham] are pumping a tonne of money into that team. They're just better and if they continue to do that, I think they could possibly do it [be promoted]. "It's mind-blowing if you think about it because this could have easily gone the other way. It could have easily gone really bad because they spent a tonne of money on the wrong players and didn't get this success." He added: "The Premier League is filled with all sorts of crazy stories and I hope they are able to do it." Several current Premier League stars have been rumoured for a potential switch to Wrexham following their promotion. These include Fulham's Tom Cairney and the West Ham United pair of Danny Ings and Aaron Cresswell. 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 Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ryan Reynolds overruled on Wrexham plan as it emerges who has the real power
Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds has shared how manager Phil Parkinson rejected one of his ideas as the Red Dragons prepare for their first season in the Championship Ryan Reynolds has highlighted the significant role of Phil Parkinson at Wrexham after sharing how the manager vetoed one of his proposals. The Welsh team are currently on a high, having secured promotion from League One in April. The club is now gearing up for their first season in the second tier in 43 years. Wrexham recently revealed plans for a pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand in July, with the Red Dragons gaining worldwide recognition under the stewardship of Reynolds and co-owner Rob McElhenney. The "Wrexham Down Under Tour" will pit them against Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix. Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Reynolds disclosed that he had also hoped to arrange a friendly match against Auckland FC. However, Parkinson dismissed the idea of playing against the newly formed club, opting instead for an early return home. "I really wanted us to play Auckland FC, which is a new team," Reynolds said. "I just like the idea of the third-oldest football club playing one of the newest. But Phil was like, 'Absolutely not, we are getting these players back to Wales ASAP after Wellington'." Parkinson's decision came in the wake of criticism over poor scheduling, which was blamed for Wrexham's sluggish start to life in League Two in 2023. That year, the club embarked on a summer tour of the United States but didn't return until a week before the season kicked off, leaving little time to readjust. Later on in the podcast, Reynolds mentioned he had complete faith in the manager, providing insight into Parkinson's significant influence at Wrexham. The co-owners have consistently said they would not interfere with football-related decisions since buying the club. It's a strategy that seems to have been successful, given Parkinson's three back-to-back promotions. Former Wrexham and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes it is to the co-owners' credit that they have given him so much control. When asked about the dynamics in December, Foster said: "Phil Parkinson is the guy that has the say so on everything, with players in, players out, new contracts, and even when it comes to media duties. He wants to know what's going on. "I love the way that they give him all that power. When you've got two massive A-list Hollywood stars running the football club, money could become a massive problem, and you could be haemorrhaging cash all over the place, but he makes sure it doesn't happen." He added: "The manager nowadays is a coach, and they just get the players that the big dogs have brought in, and they have to work with them. But Phil Parkinson still maintains that he is the guy that brings every single player in." Parkinson is evidently thrilled with the support from Wrexham's owners. He praised their impact after promotion to the Championship was sealed. Parkinson said: "The owners have come in and done an amazing job. I'm so pleased for them because they deserve it. There's lots of ways you can be supportive as owners. "It can be making sure we get a key player when it matters the most. But it can also be support when the results don't go quite as well as you want them to, but still allowing us to do our jobs." He added: "That's what they've always done. They're invested in all of the decisions, but they trust us in our decision making and that's why we've had success over the last three years." 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.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Ryan Reynolds has Wrexham pre-season request denied to show where power truly lies
Ryan Reynolds has Wrexham pre-season request denied to show where power truly lies Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has provided an insight into the level of control Phil Parkinson enjoys at Wrexham after revealing how the manager shut down one of his suggestions Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds has revealed how Phil Parkinson shut down one of his ideas for pre-season (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA via Getty ) Ryan Reynolds has underscored Phil Parkinson's influence at Wrexham after revealing how the manager overruled one of his ideas. The North Wales side are riding high after achieving promotion from League One in April. Preparations are underway for the club's first season in the second tier in 43 years. Wrexham recently announced they will be heading on a pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand in July, with the Red Dragons now enjoying global popularity under Reynolds and co-owner Rob McElhenney. The "Wrexham Down Under Tour" will see them take on Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix. Reynolds has now told the Men in Blazers podcast how he also wanted to tag on a friendly against Auckland FC. However, Parkinson rejected the suggestion of taking on the club, which was only formed last year, in favour of returning home. "I really wanted us to play Auckland FC, which is a new team," Reynolds said. "I just like the idea of the third-oldest football club playing one of the newest. But Phil was like, 'Absolutely not, we are getting these players back to Wales ASAP after Wellington'." Parkinson's decision was made after poor scheduling was blamed for Wrexham's slow start to life in League Two in 2023. The club flew off on a summer tour of the United States that year, but didn't return until a week before the start of the season, leaving little time to reacclimatise. Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson (centre) and owners Ryan Reynolds (left) and Rob McElhenney (right) have enjoyed huge success together (Image: AMA/Getty Images ) Reynolds said later in the podcast that he trusted the manager "implicitly" and his comments provide an insight into just how much power Parkinson enjoys at Wrexham. The co-owners have made it clear throughout their time at the club that they won't involve themselves in footballing decisions. It's an approach that appears to have worked, with Parkinson achieving three successive promotions at Wrexham. Former Red Dragons and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes it's to the actors' credit that they have surrendered so much control to him. Speaking in an interview back in December, Foster said: "Phil Parkinson is the guy that has the say so on everything, with players in, players out, new contracts, and even when it comes to media duties. He wants to know what's going on. "I love the way that they give him all that power. When you've got two massive A-list Hollywood stars running the football club, money could become a massive problem, and you could be haemorrhaging cash all over the place, but he makes sure it doesn't happen. Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Disney+ This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more from £4.99 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. He added: "The manager nowadays is a coach, and they just get the players that the big dogs have brought in, and they have to work with them. But Phil Parkinson still maintains that he is the guy that brings every single player in." Article continues below It's an arrangement which Parkinson himself is also clearly happy with after lauding Reynolds and McElhenney's role in Wrexham's success. Speaking shortly after they sealed promotion to the Championship, he said: "The owners have come in and done an amazing job. I'm so pleased for them because they deserve it. "There's lots of ways you can be supportive as owners. It can be making sure we get a key player when it matters the most. But it can also be support when the results don't go quite as well as you want them to, but still allowing us to do our jobs. "That's what they've always done. They're invested in all of the decisions, but they trust us in our decision making and that's why we've had success over the last three years."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Reynolds must get wallet out - Wrexham's Prem dream won't happen sitting back
If someone had told me in 2020 that Wrexham would be playing in the Championship in five years' time, I'd have laughed them out of the room. In April of that year, the Red Dragons registered their lowest-ever position, finishing 20th in the National League after clubs voted to end the 2019/20 season early following the Covid outbreak. Wrexham were precariously positioned just three points above the drop zone, only a sliver away from slipping into regional, mostly part-time football. The club was also in a perilous situation off the field as directors warned the pandemic was having a "serious effect" on its financial health. Enter Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at a time when Wrexham were in urgent need of a lifeline. Fast forward to the present day and, in what feels like a fever dream, Phil Parkinson's side are now just one step away from the Premier League after securing three successive promotions. As a supporter of around 25 years, the list of teams Wrexham will be playing in the Championship next season really whets the appetite. In fact, I must have run through it at least a dozen times already. When Reynolds and McElhenney attended their first game, it was against Maidenhead United in the fifth tier. The prospect of facing the likes of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton, who were all plying their trade in the Premier League last term, is undoubtedly an exciting one. But with the top tier now in sight, the club stands at a critical crossroads. Where do they go from here - do they go all-out for a potential fourth fairytale promotion? Or would aiming for consolidation and creating a sustainable base be a better idea before mounting a challenge? The views of the owners already seem pretty clear. Not long after Wrexham's latest promotion from League One was confirmed, McElhenney wrote on X: "If I'm being honest I don't even know what the word 'consolidation' means," before tagging the club into his post. McElhenney's enthusiasm is infectious, but after once shaking buckets around the town centre to raise funds to keep the club alive, I find it hard not to feel slightly nervous in the back of my head. The Championship is a different beast from any challenge the owners have faced before. To put it plainly, it's an unpredictable dogfight and a financially volatile league at the best of times. Welsh comedian and football devotee Elis James, who, as a Swansea fan, knows just as well as anyone what life in the second tier is like. "From what I know, the Championship is financial suicide for everyone because of the big contracts, and you're earning less," he said. That's not a joke either - just look at clubs like Reading and Derby, and it's not hard to see how it can all go wrong. But James also acknowledges that Wrexham, buoyed by their booming commercial revenue and Hollywood backing, are in a unique position, with "less to worry about" in that regard. When I talked to football finance expert Dan Plumley, he also backed that up, pointing to the astonishing £26.7million revenue Wrexham pulled in whilst playing in League Two. That figure dwarfs some current Championship clubs and should ease any concerns about the club's position as far as profitability and sustainability (PSR) rules are concerned. Reynolds and McElhenney have also shored up Wrexham's financial position by welcoming new minority investors in the form of the Allyn family from New York, who aren't short of a dollar or two. Next season will be the first time in 43 years that the club has played in the Championship, but they're not going into battle light-handed. So, what does that mean as far as going for promotion next season is concerned? No one is saying it'll be easy, but this is the time to be bold and go for it. Wrexham's revenue, commercial reach, and star-powered ownership offer a safety net which most clubs can only dream of. While most newcomers are fighting for survival, this shouldn't be Wrexham's reality. As Plumley, speaking on behalf of Gambling Industry News, put it to me: "You could see them having a roll of the dice on trying to get to the Premier League for the next three years. With the owners, they're likely to give it a go." Reynolds and McElhenney should not abandon all sense of caution. Championship success still depends on smart recruitment, strong squad depth, and tactical flexibility. Some will point to the club's lack of infrastructure as a reason to hold back. With no permanent training ground and a capacity of only 10,000 next season while a new stand is being built, it's a fair argument. But when the Hollywood owners first came to town, they outlined a pretty clear goal: to reach the Premier League. It sounded fanciful at the time, but now it is within touching reach. Momentum is important in football, and few are riding the wave like Wrexham right now. No one could whinge and whine if Wrexham fail to achieve that dream at the first time of asking. It would be quite the story. They have already invested significantly in the club, but a large cash injection is needed again, and the mentality must be to aim high - which, under Parkinson, I'm sure it will be. James, who was recently appointed as a judge for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, added: "If you're a proper football person who's worked in the game for years and years, you're going to say, 'let's consolidate'. I don't know if that's good telly, though, and I'm not sure that's how Hollywood superstars think." There's a rare "lightning in a bottle" energy around Wrexham right now, and the owners need to strike while the iron is hot. If they harness it correctly, they might just achieve their dream of top-flight football sooner rather than later. Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront. Fans are already excited about next season, with Wrexham recently linked with signing Premier League stars like Jamie Vardy and Tom Cairney in the summer transfer window. With PSR limits looming further down the line, a well-planned but ambitious push over the next few years would be both financially viable and strategically shrewd. Because playing it too safe could cause them to lose their edge. What if the fairytale dulls, the brand stagnates, and new fans start moving on? Yes, the Championship is an unforgiving monster, and yes, the climb is steep. But Wrexham now have the peak of the mountain within their reach, with financial backing and a global spotlight which few others can match. Sometimes in football, you get a window. And when it opens, you don't consolidate - you climb through it. 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. 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.
