We all know how much Ryan Reynolds loves Paul Mullin, but the source of that particular obsession may have been forgotten by now.
It seems the rise of Wrexham over the last few years has gone hand in hand with the phenomenal goalscoring exploits of Paul Mullin.
That has allowed the striker to hold a special place in the hearts of Wrexham fans around the world, and also made him a firm favourite for both Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The love-in may have to come to an end this summer, though, as Mullin looks set to leave Wrexham after falling down the pecking order in 2024/25.
If he does go, we’re sure it’ll be a very sad day for the Wrexham owners.
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How Ryan Reynolds became obsessed with Paul Mullin
We’ve taken a look back to the early days of Mullin’s success at Wrexham, and how it got Ryan Reynolds very excited indeed.
In fact, back in 2022, there was a little run of form for Mullin — which included firing Wrexham to the FA Trophy final and scoring in a dramatic 6-5 win over Dover Athletic— that Reynolds saw first-hand and described as a “top 10 moment” in his entire life.
Reynolds attended that win over Stockport County in the FA Trophy, witnessing Mullin score two goals in stoppage time to book the Red Dragons a place at Wembley.
After the game, Reynolds said: “I got in [to Wrexham] at eight or seven this morning. And I’ll be back in New York at between eight and ten tonight. It’s a bit of a commute but man, it was worth it! That was really exciting.”
When asked if he would be back again for the final, Reynolds replied: “Oh, I wouldn’t miss it. Are you kidding me? Wembley. That’s once in a lifetime.”
Speaking to the BBC about Reynolds’ reaction to the win, Mullin recounted how the Canadian superstar put him on the map by sharing a video of one of his goals, which led to viral fame and over 3.6m views of the clip.
“It’s crazy,” Mullin said. “With Ryan and Rob involved it’s always a bit hectic around us. But at the weekend, that goal’s gone viral and Ryan’s putting it everywhere. My phone’s not stopped doing backflips and I’ve had to put it on sleep mode to get some sleep. It’s surreal sometimes the type of attention that the Hollywood superstars bring to the club.”
Reynolds has often been there to see some of the most magical Paul Mullin moments in the flesh, and has grown very close to the striker over the years. So much so, in fact, that he even put the Wrexham star in a superhero costume for the Deadpool & Wolverine movie.
But, it’s not just Reynolds giving Mullin opportunities; this works both ways. Mullin went on to add: “He said he’d never experienced anything like it and I often say to him that football gives you every emotion and it’s impossible to describe how it makes you feel. I think Saturday gave him the feelings that he probably hadn’t experienced before in life.”
Paul Mullin exit will break Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s hearts
While Paul Mullin is desperate to represent Wrexham in the Championship, it’s a dream that looks very unlikely to come true at this stage.
Mullin was axed by Phil Parkinson last season, and based on the fact Wrexham appear to be looking for new strikers this summer, it’s hard to imagine him having a future in North East Wales now.
There’s a chance Mullin gets pre-season to prove himself, of course, but with plenty of clubs thought to be keen on signing him and a bit-part role at best surely on the cards, it may be in the interest of everyone if he does move on.
When that day comes that Mullin does move on, we’re sure both Ryan and Rob will be devastated. Of all the players in the Wrexham squad, it is Mullin who has best represented the success and the direction in which the club is heading under their superstar owners.
Like the fans, Ryan and Rob adore Super Paul Mullin, and we’re already fighting back the tears thinking about the farewell message they’ll send when he leaves.