Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds was visibly stunned after his side were drawn against Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round. The Hollywood star, who watched the draw alongside Hugh Jackman, could barely contain his excitement as the ball came out.
In a video posted on social media, Reynolds is seen staring open-mouthed at his tablet before exclaiming: 'Wait, wait, wait, we're home to Chelsea.' Jackman responded: 'That's what you wanted,' prompting Reynolds to clap and utter a string of colourful language. 'Yes. What the ****?' he said.
The tie will see Wrexham host the Premier League giants at the Racecourse Ground next month. The Red Dragons booked their place in the last-16 with a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town, thanks to a goal from Josh Windass. Chelsea, meanwhile, breezed past Hull City 4-0.
This will not be the first time the two sides have met in recent years. Following Wrexham's takeover, they faced Chelsea in pre-season friendlies in the United States in 2023 and 2024, drawing crowds of over 50,000. Their last competitive meeting was in 1982, when Chelsea eventually won an FA Cup third replay 2-1.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, who famously led Bradford City to a 4-2 comeback win over Chelsea in the FA Cup in 2014, savoured the moment after defeating Ipswich. 'We spoke before the game about our chance to create a bit of history,' he said. 'We've done it and I'm so pleased because it was always going to be a tough game against a very good side.'
