Manchester United get a brief feature in the new Welcome to Wrexham season three documentary, on Disney+.
The Red Devils faced off with the Red Dragons in the pre-season 2023 tour of the USA, in a game that allowed a lot of the Manchester United academy lot to get a first-team runout.
The game was ultimately overshadowed by a reckless Nathan Bishop challenge on Paul Mullin, which resulted in the Wrexham striker suffering a collapsed lung.
It was a huge occasion for the now League One side, which their owners dually noted.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney on Manchester United
Welcome to Wrexham season three released on Disney+ in the UK on the 3rd of May 2024. Episode 1 followed the Red Dragons on their pre-season tour, where they faced Chelsea, LA Galaxy and then Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.
Co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were equally as excited and terrified to face the Red Devils. They knew the magnitude of the club. They told Disney+.
“Manchester United have a following which is like a legion,” said Reynolds. “If I were to equate any kind of comparison to them, in US terms, I would say that they’re the Yankees maybe?”
Rob McElhenney then replied: “Yankees times ten. They are a global force. So for us to play them is a – it’s a great honour… for them.”
Ever the jokers, but it was Wrexham who did have the last laugh at the Snapdragon Stadium. They beat United 3-1.
A future fixture for Manchester United and Wrexham?
Wrexham got a taste of the future in this fixture. The Hollywood owners have huge aspirations for the future, as revealed when they went up to the football league in 2023.
“Of course, our aim is to reach the Premier League,” said Reynolds to Welsh channel S4C following their promotion to League Two in April 2023.
“Why not? If it takes five years, or 20 years, that’s the goal. The most challenging thing about that would be the need to revamp the stadium, but that would be a really nice problem to have.”
Now, after back-to-back promotions, Wrexham now play League One football next season. How long till they climb the football league ladder to the promised land of England’s top flight?