Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac given new deadline to take Wrexham to Premier League
Ex-Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster has boldly claimed the Welsh club will reach the Premier League within the next two or three years. The shot-stopper was instrumental in the Red Dragons' rise from the National League after emerging from retirement in March 2023.
The former Manchester United and England keeper famously pulled off a vital penalty save in stoppage time during a crucial encounter with title rivals Notts County at the Racecourse Ground to seal a pivotal 3-2 victory. He hung up his gloves again in August of the same year following a difficult beginning to their League Two campaign, but continues to be adored by Wrexham supporters.
The 42-year-old, who also lifted the LDV Vans Trophy with the club during a temporary stint in 2005, has now delivered his assessment on how long he believes it will take them to reach the top tier. Phil Parkinson's side are currently 16th in the Championship standings after collecting seven points from their first six matches following their rise from League One in April.
Despite some inconsistent early performances, Foster is confident that it won't be long before Wrexham are battling in the Premier League.
Speaking to former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce on the podcast, he said: "They'll be fine. They've signed some really good players and Championship-proven players. They won at the weekend, a great win, so I think they'll be fine, they'll get into a little rhythm and even come January, they'll give it another go.
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"It won't be long, until Wrexham are in the Premier League, I promise you. I'm going to give it two or three years, not even as far as five years, it will be two or three years."
Wrexham's Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have consistently stated that their ultimate goal is to guide the club into the top flight. Reports surfaced over the summer that they had established a target to complete the final leap by 2027, which aligns with Foster's prediction.
Following confirmation of Wrexham's promotion from League One, Deadpool star Reynolds said: "Our goal is to make it to the Premier League. It just seemed like an impossible dream, but as storytellers, you look as much as you can at the macro view of history.
"Without it I would not be here. You can go all the way back from the Gresford Disaster to Mickey Thomas, who is a huge point of aspiration for this club. And the goal was to reach that feeling – and it is a feeling."
Meanwhile, Foster disclosed that Reynolds continues to display his goalkeeper's shirt from their National League promotion-winning campaign in his home.
He said: "He sent me a picture about three weeks ago, the shirt's in a room in his house. He sent a selfie, and the shirt is in a frame on the wall behind him. He still keeps in touch with all the lads; it was out of the blue and out of nowhere."
Foster also expressed his belief that Reynolds and Mac have contributed more than just financial benefits following the success of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. It comes as other clubs, including Birmingham City, part-owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, have adopted a similar strategy.
He added: "The attention they're bringing is more valuable than just finances. They're the OG's, but their model is very different. I think Tom Brady is doing it in a very similar way at Birmingham. The first one to mark it was Wrexham with the documentary. I think they've brought in a different audience to the game, but it's still a football audience."