Ryan Reynolds and McElhenney answered Paul Mullin's Wrexham transfer ultimatum

23 July 2023 , 07:00

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Hollywood actor and co-owner of Wrexham Ryan Reynolds was able to convince Paul Mullin to drop down a division to join his team (Image: Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Wrexham goalscoring hero Paul Mullin has revealed that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney did not have it easy when it came to convincing him to sign for the club back in 2021.

The prolific marksman is now as synonymous with the Welsh outfit and its Hollywood owners following his remarkable exploits for the club over the last two seasons. Incredibly, the Liverpudlian forward scores 38 times in the National League last term to help the Red Dragons win the title.

It would be fair to say that the former journeyman striker has already secured his legacy at the Racecourse Ground but Mullin had his reservations before signing for the club. In fact, the 28-year-old has revealed that Wrexham's world-famous chairmen had to lay their considerable charm on thick to convince him to commit to dropping down into the non-league.

It is easy to forget that prior to the former Tranmere Rovers star's move to North Wales, he had delivered the best season of his professional career during his single full campaign with Cambridge United. In a sign of things to come, the ex-Liverpool youth player scored an astounding 32 times in 46 appearances in League Two to win the division's Golden Boot.

In an interview with the EFL’s official website, Mullin admitted that he was not initially sold on the move but was eventually convinced to make the switch after hearing Reynolds and McElhenney's plans for the club. He gave them an ultimatum - they had to win him over with their plans and they did just that.

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He explained: "They had to win me over in terms of what the plans were for the club. I had to buy into that and believe what they were telling me.

"Everything they’ve promised me, they’ve stuck to. I want to play as high as I can in football, as anyone does.

"But when this opportunity arose, it was the best for me as a family man, who wanted to be close to home. It was the perfect solution for me rather than moving away to play in higher leagues. I care about my son more than that."

Ryan Reynolds with Wrexham striker Paul Mullin at the FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Manchester United (Ryan Reynolds / Twitter)

Eventually, his faith in the project was repaid considerably, with Wrexham's swashbuckling road to automatic promotion for the first time in 15 years seeing the team win support from neutrals from across the globe. The mixture of the club's Hollywood ties, the success of the "Welcome to Wrexham" TV series and the dedication team's passionate supporters has been a potent combination, with the Red Dragons' stock having never been higher.

There is no doubt that the fan-favourite striker Mullin was one of the major reasons for the Walian outfit's whirlwind rise, with his strike in the title-deciding 3-2 win over challengers Notts County writing his name into club history. His two strikes against Boreham Wood also ensured the team's promotion back to the EFL, to cap a dream season.

Such is the intrigue surrounding the club, that they have embarked on a whistlestop tour of the US this summer as they prepare for the new League Two campaign in style. After facing off against Premier League giants Chelsea stateside, a clash versus Manchester United is also in the diary for July 26.

Tom Beattie