Wrexham’s 5-5 draw with Swindon this weekend continued their remarkable trend for high-scoring games since their takeover by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
The actors have brought a Hollywood feel to the club on their rise from the National League, with blockbuster finishes and scorelines to stretch credulity.
Here, the PA news agency looks at Wrexham’s most outlandish storylines in recent seasons.
Serial dramaThe end of the 2020-21 season gave a taste of things to come, beating Boreham Wood 3-2 and King’s Lynn 5-3 as they just missed the play-offs. After the takeover they averaged 2.54 total goals per game (scored plus conceded).
A promotion push in 2021-22 saw Wrexham score in all but six of their 54 games in all competitions, with an average of 3.20 total goals in each.
Having finished second behind Stockport, the final heartbreak was delivered in a 5-4 play-off defeat after extra time as Grimsby’s Luke Waterfall scored a 119th-minute winner.
Last season they won the National League with a record 111 points but were pushed by Notts County, whose 117 goals bettered Wrexham by one as both eclipsed Hereford’s previous record of 103.
The goals per game in Wrexham’s fixtures across all competitions – including an FA Cup run in which striker Paul Mullin finished as the competition’s top scorer – increased to 3.64.
It is currently at 5.20 this season – or 6.50 for their four League Two games, where they have both scored and conceded 13 with no other team above 10 in either category.
Goals galoreOf Wrexham’s 152 competitive games since the takeover, almost a quarter (35) have seen five or more goals.
There have been nine, and five this year alone, in which both teams have scored three times or more.
Those include beating relegated Dover 6-5 in March 2022 and Barnet 7-5 in October of that year, while Wrexham have won five and lost only two of the nine.
The latest against Swindon led Reynolds to tweet “So much heart” as both he and McElhenney stressed never to leave a game early, and James Jones and Elliot Lee’s stoppage-time goals to salvage a point added to their record of vital late strikes.
The 11-goal Dover thriller saw Jordan Davies score twice in stoppage time to complete a comeback from 5-2 down, and Mullin’s late penalty saw off Eastleigh 3-2 two weeks later.
They have scored nine and conceded seven goals in the 90th minute and beyond since the takeover – which does not even include Waterfall’s effort for Grimsby.
Farewell FosterEven by Hollywood standards, Ben Foster’s short character arc is an unlikely one.
The old hand brought out of retirement for one final mission, former Watford and England goalkeeper Foster produced the highlight of the promotion chase with a stoppage-time penalty save to secure April’s vital win over County.
After 13 league goals conceded already this season, though, the 40-year-old has abruptly and emotionally retired once more.
The EFL’s data provider Opta lists Wrexham with 3.20 expected goals against this season, excluding penalties. They have shipped 10 from those chances, in addition to James Tilley’s spot-kick for AFC Wimbledon and a pair of own goals.
“Sometimes you’ve got to be brutally honest with yourself and admit you can’t really do what you used to do,” Foster said on Instagram.
“I feel like there’s probably been about four or five goals already this season that I should be saving, goals are going in and I’m thinking ‘how haven’t you saved that?'”
Martino resigns as Inter Miami coach after early playoff exit
Gerardo Martino has resigned as Inter Miami's head coach due to personal reasons, the MLS side have confirmed.
The Argentine ends his 17-month stint in charge of the Herons following their MLS Cup exit just under a fortnight ago.
Martino, who oversaw Miami's Leagues Cup triumph soon after his arrival last season, guided the franchise to this year's Supporters' Shield with a regular-season record tally of 74 points.
However, they were eliminated by his former side Atlanta United in round one of the MLS Cup playoffs.
Miami opened their best-of-three series against Atlanta with a 2-1 win, only to lose by the same scoreline in Game 2 before falling to a dramatic 3-2 defeat in the decider.
“It has been an honour to work at such a special club, and to lead such a special team," Martino said.
"I’ve enjoyed my stay at Inter Miami and will treasure the memories made and relationships forged here for the rest of my life.
"I depart with nothing but gratitude for my time here and would like to offer sincere thanks to everyone that made it possible."
Fonseca: Milan have 'respect' but 'are not afraid' of Juventus
Paulo Fonseca said Milan have plenty of "respect" for Juventus, but his side "are not afraid" of their rivals ahead of their Serie A clash on Saturday.
After a slow start to the season, Milan are six points adrift of Juventus in the table, but only a place behind them, as they aim to make up the ground on the top six.
The Rossoneri have played a game less than Thiago Motta's side, and could catapult themselves back into the Scudetto picture with a win this weekend.
Milan return to the San Siro for the first time since a 2-0 defeat to Napoli at the end of October, and could register two consecutive home defeats in Serie A for the first time since between October and November in 2023.
"It is not decisive, but it is important, like all of them," Fonseca told reporters ahead of Saturday's game.
"I can't say that the game against Juve is more important than the next one against Empoli because we need consecutive victories.
"It's a different game, but I always think positively. We are Milan, we have a lot of respect for the 'Bianconeri', but we are not afraid. We are here ready to win."
A boost for Milan is that Juventus will be without top scorer Dusan Vlahovic for Saturday's clash after returning from international duty with a muscle problem.
Despite the Serbian's absence, Fonseca was aware of the danger his probable replacement, Timothy Weah, would pose, having managed him during his time at Lille.
"Juve knows how to adapt very well. I don't know if Weah will play," Fonseca said.
"Weah is very fast and attacks deep, not like Vlahovic. It will not be the same thing of course.
"We will have to pay attention to movements in depth and less to support work, because he is a player who does less of this job."
While Fonseca has endured a stuttering start to his tenure at the San Siro, Milan have shown they have the ability to match the very best.
They beat rivals Inter in October before stunning Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in their last Champions League encounter, keeping their play-off hopes alive.
"I believe it's a matter of motivation and not pressure," Fonseca said.
"Against Inter, Juve and Real it is easy to be motivated, it's more difficult to go to Cagliari and have the same motivation.
"Pressure is always with us, every day. If we don't want to have pressure, then we shouldn't be here."
'Right guy at the right time' - Amorim confident of changing Man Utd's fortunes
Ruben Amorim believes he is the "right guy at the right time" to turn Manchester United's fortunes around.
The 39-year-old signed a two-and-a-half-year deal earlier this month to keep him at Old Trafford until June 2027, replacing Erik ten Hag after he was sacked in October.
Amorim is the sixth permanent United manager since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, having left Sporting CP to take charge during the international break.
He won two Primeira Liga titles as Sporting head coach as well as two Taca da Liga trophies, while he led the club to a perfect start in the league this season, winning all 11 of their games.
United sit 13th in the Premier League table ahead of their trip to Ipswich Town on 15 points, though they are just four points behind Chelsea in third.
Amorim recognised the size of the task ahead of him in Manchester but is confident he can make a change.
"I'm a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself, and I believe in the club," he said during his first press conference.
"I think we have the same idea, the same mindset and that can help.
"I truly believe in the players; I know you don't believe a lot, but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don't think it's possible, I do.
"Call me naive, but I believe I am the right guy at the right time. I truly believe I am the right guy."
Aged 39 years and 302 days, Amorim will be the youngest to take charge of his first match for the Red Devils since Wilf McGuinness in August 1969 (31y 288d).
United have won just four of their 11 league games so far this season, and have struggled in front of goal, netting just 12 times so far.
Expected to implement his favoured 3-4-3 formation, Amorim admitted it would take time for the club to adapt and has asked for patience as the players get used to his tactics.
"I know at Manchester United we have to win games. We need a lot of time because it's a tough league, we have to improve a lot to try to win the title," he added.
"We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don't know how long it will take."
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