Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney celebrated in the stands as Wrexham moved closer to promotion from the National League in dramatic fashion on Saturday.
The Welsh club have shot to international fame through the reality television series ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, which charts the fortunes of the team since their 2020 sale to Reynolds and McElhenney.
Wrexham have played in the fifth-tier National League for the last 15 years, but, revitalised by their celebrity owners, they are on the verge of a return to the professional ranks in League Two.
Reynolds and McElhenney were in attendance to witness a potentially decisive 3-2 win over promotion rivals Notts County at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday.
And fittingly there was a plot twist ripped straight from a feel-good Hollywood movie as former England goalkeeper Ben Foster saved a stoppage-time penalty to preserve Wrexham’s vital victory.
“That was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before,” Reynolds told BT Sport.
After receiving the freedom of the borough at a civic ceremony earlier in the day, Reynolds and McElhenney watched John Bostock’s stunning free-kick put Notts County ahead late in the first half.
Paul Mullin and Jacob Mendy struck to give Wrexham a 2-1 lead (it was Mullin’s 44th goal of the season in all competitions) before Kyle Cameron equalised 15 minutes from time.
But Elliot Lee quickly restored Wrexham’s advantage and the 40-year-old Foster, who came out of retirement last month after regular ‘keeper Rob Lainton was injured, saved Cedwyn Scott’s last-gasp penalty to spark wild celebrations from the club’s famous owners.
Wrexham sit top of the table, three points clear of second-placed County with a game in hand, putting them in pole position to secure the league’s only automatic promotion place.
Remarkably, it was the first time in the history of England’s top five football divisions that two teams with 100 league points each had ever faced off, and it lived up to the hype.
In a bid to keep his jubilant players focused, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson played down their strong position in the promotion race.
“Of course it’s a step in the right direction but there’s a lot of work to be done,” said Parkinson, whose side have four games remaining.
“The title race is not over until it’s mathematically ours. We’ve got work to be done, we’ve got to keep going.
“It was a big moment for Fozzy (Foster). I brought him in for those moments and one’s happened today.
“But we’ve got to keep our feet firmly on the ground because we’ve achieved nothing yet.”
Foster called it “about as good as it gets”, while Reynolds said: “I don’t feel like I have a heart anymore, I think I used all the beats that I had left during that match. That was unlike I’ve anything I’ve ever seen before.”
“That was really something. I’m very hooked (to football) … I’m genuinely at a loss for words,” he added.
Co-owner Rob McElhenney said: “I’m going to have to have about 6 or 7 glasses of whiskey!”