Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney hailed for making Wrexham 'shinier' without sacrificing the club's 'essence'

Former Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster has spoken highly of the club's Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, crediting them for making the Red Dragons "shinier" without losing their "essence". Foster played for Wrexham across two different spells, with his first stint coming back in 2005 when he joined the club from Stoke City on a loan deal.

  • Foster hailed ‘s Hollywood owners
  • Credited actors for keeping club "essence"
  • Wrexham lose latest pre-season game

Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney hailed for making Wrexham 'shinier' without sacrificing the club's 'essence'Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney hailed for making Wrexham 'shinier' without sacrificing the club's 'essence'Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney hailed for making Wrexham 'shinier' without sacrificing the club's 'essence'

The former Manchester custodian returned to the Welsh side after coming out of retirement in March 2023, as he joined the club on a short-term deal. He was part of the squad that won the title that year.

Since 2023, Wrexham have gained two more promotions and are now gearing up to compete in the . The massive change in fortune happened after Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in February 2021. Foster has credited the Hollywood stars for leading the Red Dragons to glory without sacrificing the club’s core identity.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the 42-year-old said: “The main thing is that it’s still the same club. That’s the bar, that’s the essence of it that’s still matters the most, that it’s still the same football club. The community’s there, it still feels and tastes the same, but it’s a lot shinier.”

Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham side are visiting and for their pre-season preparations, which started with a 3-0 win over . However, on Tuesday, they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of . The Red Dragons will next face on July 19 in their final game of the tour.