Here’s your round-up of all the latest Wrexham AFC news on Monday April 24.
Will Foster stay?
One question on most Wrexham fans’ lips this weekend has been whether the 40-year-old former Manchester United and Watford stopper Ben Foster will extend his stay at the club.
With promotion secured, coming out of retirement to re-join the club where he first caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson 18 years ago has proved to be one of the best decisions of his career.
He signed in March and has played in seven games, saying of potentially carrying on: "You have to contemplate it because to be part of this team, to be part of Wrexham is a special thing. It really is."
Away from football, Foster has built a strong YouTube channel TheCyclingGK with 1.4million followers. With his U-turn on retirement has come the return of his popular series Matchday Vlogs, where he films each game through a camera placed in the corner of his net as well as various other behind-the-scenes elements.
After Wrexham’s promotion-winning result, the keeper took his GoPro to the pitch to celebrate with the Wrexham faithful. As the team paraded the National League trophy around the Racecourse, Foster was joined by Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney.
In the next segment, Foster turns to Reynolds and says "we’ll do it again next season.” Reynolds replied enthusiastically: "Yes! All right, that's a contract. It’s done."
Make of that what you will, Wrexham fans.
Rob McElhenney 'addicted' to club videos
Wrexham fans wouldn't blamed for waking up with sore heads on Monday morning, or trying their best to relive Saturday's epic promotion-sealing win all over again. Co-owner Rob McElhenney is no different.
The American had a confession for his one million Twitter followers on Monday afternoon: “I have a problem,” he said. “I am addicted to watching Wrexham AFC videos. Please send help.”
Many have taken to social media to share their best clips from the weekend’s antics, with one video from Sunday evening showing club captain Ben Tozer partying topless with local celebrity Bootlegger and dozens of other fans while joining in with chants of “we hate Chester” and “we’re gonna win the league.”
Ruth Dodsworth wears Wrexham kit in weather forecast
Others have taken less raucous approaches, with ITV presenter and Wrexham fan Ruth Dodsworth turning up to work in her Wrexham home shirt. True to her word, she promised viewers she would do the weather bulletin in the red strip if the club got promoted, and even showed off her shoes to match. “It’s always sunny in Wrexham,” she said.
Latest on celebration plans
With no plans currently announced, and with one game yet to play for Wrexham, it might be deemed disrespectful to Saturday’s opponents Torquay to have already planned that far ahead. Therefore, the city’s council have remained tight-lipped about any celebration plans but have said they will be working with the club to support any future arrangements.
A spokesperson for Wrexham Council told WalesOnline: “Obviously this is a fantastic moment for Wrexham, and we’ll liaise with the club to see how we can support any plans to celebrate its phenomenal success.”
There are few occasions in recent memory of when Wrexham might have had reason to celebrate with an open-top bus parade. However, one of those came in 2005 when the club had just won the Football League Trophy after a 2-0 win over Southend United at the Millennium Stadium (with a certain Ben Foster, then 22, between the sticks in Cardiff).
In terms of open-top bus parades, history could again repeat itself in the coming weeks.
Wrexham even-money for another promotion next season
Before the dust has even settled on Wrexham's National League title success, Paddy Power are offering even odds for Wrexham to be promoted from League Two next season. As part of a new ‘Wrexham Specials 2023/24’ category they also have them at odds of 7/2 to win the division outright.
Incidentally, the bookmaker also has Lionel Messi at 250/1 to sign for the club, although we don't think Paul Mullin has anything to sweat about there.
Wrexham will be hoping to justify those promotion odds by at least emulating last year’s National League winners, Stockport County, who are currently one point off an automatic promotion spot in League Two.
As they look ahead to next season, executive director Humphrey Ker insists things are just getting started. “We feel that the sky’s the limit for Wrexham,” Ker said. “The interest in this club is astronomical and we believe we have a very strong chance of going up again next year. We want to do this again. We want to be having these parties next year and as many summers after that as we can possibly manage.”
Bonuses and Vegas plans
Talking of gambling, it seems Wrexham’s players might be taking their well-earned £250,000 bonus State-side to Las Vegas.
After the side’s almost title-deciding win against Notts County on Easter Monday, it was revealed that the players were not treated to a big celebration. Instead, co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney promised them a “monster” summer trip if the team achieved promotion.
“They’ve promised us a monster one at the end of the season. If we get promoted, they’re going to take us away somewhere with a lot of flashing lights,” Ben Foster told CBS Sports show Morning Footy shortly after the win over the Magpies.
Foster gave a strong hint it would be Sin City when he reacted to the Morning Footy pundit’s suggestion of “Vegas!” with a beaming smile across his face.
READ MORE:
Wrexham's odds to get promoted next season as Ben Foster tells Ryan Reynolds 'we'll do it again'
Video shows Wrexham players singing 'F*** the Tories' in McDonalds following historic win
Everyone missed another Hollywood celebrity at the Wrexham game with Paul Rudd
I spent the night at the Turf pub as Wrexham won the league and it was awesome as fans partied away
