Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over, Wrexham have made bold signings like Paul Mullin or Ben Foster. See how these stars built the road to the Premier League.
Since the Hollywood duo of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took the reins at Wrexham AFC in early 2021, the club’s transfer strategy has been anything but “non-league”. They’ve consistently lured players who were realistically too good for the divisions they were playing in, effectively using a “Premier League blueprint” to climb the English football pyramid.
Here are the seven most famous signings of Wrexham during the “Deadpool” era, turning them from a struggling fifth-tier side into a Championship promotion contender.
1. Paul Mullin
The move that started it all was undoubtedly Paul Mullin. In the summer of 2021, Mullin shocked the English football world by joining Wrexham on a free transfer from Cambridge United.
What made this move so staggering was that Mullin had just finished as the top scorer in League Two and helped Cambridge gain promotion to League One; instead of playing in the third tier, he chose to drop two divisions to the National League.
Mullin quickly proved he was the ultimate “cheat code” for the lower leagues. In roughly 140 appearances from National League to League Two, he has hammered in over 100 goals, becoming a living legend at the Racecourse Ground. His clinical finishing was the engine behind Wrexham’s National League title and their subsequent promotion to League One.
With the club bringing in even more elite signings, Mullin is currently transitioning from an automatic starter to a vital squad player. However, his 100+ goal legacy remains the foundation upon which Wrexham’s current Championship ambitions are built.
2. Ben Foster
When Wrexham’s primary goalkeeper went down during the high-stakes 2022/23 promotion race, the owners pulled a rabbit out of a hat by convincing Ben Foster to come out of retirement.
Foster, a Premier League veteran with a storied career at Manchester United and Watford, joined on a free transfer in March 2023. At the time, he was more known for his “Cycling GK” YouTube channel than his reflex saves, but he proved he still had the magic.
His tenure was brief but legendary, spanning just 12 appearances across his second stint at the club (adding to the 21 games from his original 2004/05 loan spell at the club). The climax came in the 97th minute of a crucial match against title-rivals Notts County, where Foster saved a penalty to essentially secure Wrexham’s promotion.
However, after a few matches in League Two the following season, Foster realized his reflexes weren’t quite where he wanted them to be. He retired for the second and final time in August 2023, leaving as a hero to focus on his media career.
3. Ollie Palmer
To complement Mullin’s speed, Wrexham needed a physical presence, and they found it in Ollie Palmer. In January 2022, the club paid a staggering £300,000 – a record fee for the National League at the time – to pry him away from AFC Wimbledon.
Palmer was a proven League One striker, and seeing a fifth-tier club pay six figures for a player from the third tier was a massive display of financial muscle.
Palmer’s impact was immediate, providing the muscle that allowed Mullin more space to operate. Being the focal point of the attack, he has made over 110 appearances and netted more than 40 goals.
Having played a massive part in two consecutive promotions, Palmer played a key role in Wrexham’s rise before leaving the club in 2025 to join Swindon Town.
4. Elliot Lee
While the strikers got the headlines, Elliot Lee provided the creative spark that tied everything together.
Joining on a free transfer in 2022 after leaving Luton Town – a club that was on its own miracle run to the Premier League, Lee brought a level of technical quality rarely seen in the fifth tier. Having grown up in West Ham’s academy and played extensively in the Championship, he was one of the most technically gifted players in the National League.
Lee has been a model of consistency, playing over 100 matches and scoring more than 30 goals, many of them spectacular long-range strikes. He was the only player to score in Wrexham’s first game back in the EFL and has been named in the Team of the Season for his efforts.
However, with the arrival of high-intensity midfielders like George Dobson, Lee has seen his undisputed starting spot slip away. It is perhaps the clearest sign yet that Wrexham is no longer just building a team – they are building an elite Championship-ready machine where past heroics don’t guarantee future minutes.
5. James McClean
In August 2023, Wrexham signaled they weren’t just happy to be in League Two by signing James McClean from Wigan Athletic.
McClean arrived with a massive reputation, having played over 150 Premier League games and earning nearly 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland. Known for his intense work rate and “no-nonsense” attitude, he was brought in to instill a top-flight mentality in the locker room.
McClean’s first season was defined by consistency and durability, as he made over 40 appearances and helped guide the club to an immediate promotion to League One. Whether playing as a winger or a wing-back, his crossing and tenacity were invaluable.
However, after fulfilling his mission of helping Wrexham rise through the tiers, McClean chose to follow his heart back to his hometown, departing the club to join Derry City in the League of Ireland.
6. Arthur Okonkwo
Following Ben Foster’s retirement, Wrexham needed a long-term solution in goal, and they found a gem in Arthur Okonkwo.
Standing 6’6″, the Arsenal academy product joined on loan in the summer of 2023 after a successful stint in the Austrian top flight. It was a massive coup for Wrexham to beat out several Championship clubs for the signature of one of England’s most promising young keepers.
Okonkwo was a revelation, keeping double-digit clean sheets in over 40 appearances and being named in the League Two Team of the Season. His shot-stopping ability was a primary reason Wrexham boasted one of the best defensive records in the league during their promotion campaign.
Realizing his worth, Wrexham moved quickly to sign him on a permanent free transfer in the summer of 2024 after his Arsenal contract expired. He remains the club’s undisputed number one.
7. Steven Fletcher
Rounding out the list is Steven Fletcher, the definition of a “seasoned pro”. He joined Wrexham on a free transfer in September 2023 after leaving Dundee United.
Fletcher’s resume is elite, featuring nearly 400 top-flight appearances for clubs like Wolves, Sunderland, and Stoke City, along with dozens of caps for Scotland. At 36, he wasn’t brought in to play every minute, but to provide clinical finishing when it mattered most.
Fletcher has embraced his role perfectly, often coming off the bench to score crucial goals, including a memorable hat-trick against Accrington Stanley. In his first season, he chipped in with 8 goals and helped secure the promotion to League One.
After 2024/25 season, Fletcher has officially retired from professional football. His retirement marks the end of an era for the “Deadpool” veterans, as the club now looks toward a younger, Championship-ready core.
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