Wrexham midfielder James McClean has now dropped a ‘phenomenal’ claim about owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
James McClean is a symbol of how far Wrexham have come in such a short space of time.
The Irishman has played in the Premier League for clubs such as West Brom and Sunderland.
Four years ago, the idea of attracting a player of McClean’s calibre would have been out of the window completely, but now they’re backed by the ambition of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, they’re able to pull up trees in the transfer window.
When the 35-year-old joined Wrexham last summer following their promotion to League Two, the response was still that of shock as many felt he only joined for the money.
Fast forward 10 months and McClean has proven that isn’t the case as he played a vital role in their promotion to League One, recording 10 assists and starring as a left wing-back or midfielder.
Ben Foster has even described him as the hardest-working footballer he’s seen, which speaks volumes about his attitude and commitment to the cause.
Ultimately, McClean joined Wrexham as he was attracted by the project on offer, with the former Sunderland winger now praising the work Reynolds and McElhenney have done in Wales.
James McClean left blown away by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds
It’s hard not to have good words to say about McElhenney and Reynolds given what they’ve achieved at Wrexham but when describing how he feels about the Hollywood owners, McClean was lost for them.
Speaking as a pundit on RTE on Tuesday night, McClean said: “It’s phenomenal. What the two lads have done there, it’s very hard to put into words. Fantastic. It’s no gimmick. We’ve had two promotions in two years. Things are definitely being run right there.”
James McClean is one of the best signings of the McElhenney and Reynolds era
Wrexham have been able to attract so many unbelievable players in recent years. They signed Paul Mullin from League One side Cambridge when they were in the National League.
Elliot Lee, a player vastly experienced in the third tier, was snapped up on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.
But, in terms of experience and playing at the highest level, McClean is arguably the best signing they’ve made.
McClean has played 158 times in the top flight, so attracting a player of that calibre for most clubs at their level was unthinkable.
And although he’s approaching the twilight years of his career, he’s still performing at such a high level and will be an invaluable player in League One.