Why Paul Mullin reacted to ‘stupid’ Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney rumour after not being helped out by Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson

WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite being a modern day legend at SToK Racecourse, as a three-time Player of the Year with 110 total goals for the Red Dragons and a historic run of three successive promotions on his professional CV, prolific striker Mullin found himself slipping down the pecking order in 2024-25.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

There were periods towards the end of the season when he was not even included in matchday squads, with more big-money signings delivering added competition for places, and questions were asked on a regular basis of why the fan favourite was not involved.

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DID YOU KNOW?

That lively debate generated plenty of speculation and conjecture, with it suggested at one stage that Mullin had contacted Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owners Reynold and McElhenney in order to air his grievances.

WHAT MULLIN SAID

Mullin, who feels manager Phil Parkinson could have done more to help him out at that stage, has told the Stillryan podcast: “It’s stupid stuff. There was a thing earlier in the year about, like, I’ve rang the owners, Rob and Ryan, and gone above the manager and that’s why I’m not playing. I don’t know where they get it from.

“Don’t get me wrong, the manager could have helped me out and just come out and said why you weren’t playing and that would have been it done. I don’t know why that didn’t happen, but I had to respond. That’s not me. That’s not my personality. That didn’t happen. I had to reply. You feel the need to reply.

“I get it if someone says ‘he’s been crap’. Fair enough, you can have your opinion. But in my head I was like ‘I had back surgery five months ago, played four games in two weeks and then didn’t play for two months, and then played four games in nine days’. What do you want me to do? It’s different from playing every week like I have for the last three years.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Mullin, who was one of the first marquee signings made by Reynolds and McElhenney following their takeover in 2021, is still under contract in North Wales for another two years but has severed ties with Wrexham in the summer transfer window of 2025 after joining League One side Wigan on a season-long loan.