Despite playing just 12 games for Wrexham across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, Ben Foster is rightly regarded as a club legend at the Racecourse Ground.
Having announced his retirement from football aged 39 in the summer of 2022, Foster made a shock return to the sport with then-National League side Wrexham in March 2023.
Thanks to an injury suffered by goalkeeper Rob Lainton, the club signed the former Manchester United shot stopper to a short-term deal to provide competition for Mark Howard in between the sticks.
It was a move that, at the time, baffled many football fans, with Humphrey Ker even labelling Foster “an unusual character to see turning out for a National League football club” given his pedigree at the very top of the sport.
Foster certainly made a difference for Phil Parkinson’s side after being drafted into the starting lineup, helping Wrexham secure promotion back to the Football League by making one standout contribution in particular.
Ben Foster said Wrexham penalty save vs Notts County in 2023 gave him ‘goosebumps’
That standout contribution came in the biggest game of the Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds era up to that point, a top-of-the-table clash with Notts County at the Racecourse Ground.
In what proved to be a title-deciding game on matchday 43 of the National League season, and with Wrexham holding a narrow 3-2 lead, Notts County were awarded a penalty for an Eoghan O’Connell hand ball in the 96th minute of the game.
Foster was able to come to the rescue for Wrexham from the resulting spot kick, diving to his right to palm Cedwyn Scott’s effort clear of danger and earn the Welsh outfit a vital three points.
It would prove to be a season-defining moment for Wrexham, as the club went on to win the National League by tallying up a remarkable 111 points – four more than Notts County, who would earn promotion via the play-offs.
When reminiscing about the famous penalty save on ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ season two, Foster said:
“That moment there, wow, I get goosebumps. Look can you see the goosebumps? Genuinely one of the best feelings of my career was that moment.”
What Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds said about Ben Foster’s penalty save for Wrexham
The club owners were fortunately in attendance for the 3-2 win over Notts County, and bore witness to the brilliance of Foster.
Speaking on ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ about the save, Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds both labelled it as “one of the greatest moments” of their lives.
“One of the greatest moments of my entire life,” said Rob.
Ryan responded: “I have been characterising it the exact same way. Aside from my family, which I’m required to say, that was the greatest moment of my entire life.”
That moment would earn Foster a year-long contract at the club in the summer of 2023, but he would retire once again soon after a 5-5 draw with Swindon Town in late August.