Manager Phil Parkinson believes Wrexham’s Hollywood-propelled journey has laid an attractive path that the likes of non-League Chorley can follow with pop group Boyzone.
Vanarama National League North outfit Chorley have said they want to replicate the success of Wrexham after entering into negotiations for Boyzone to become the new face of their club.
Wrexham returned to the English Football League after a 15-year absence in 2023, fuelled by the investment and publicity that followed their high-profile takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
They are now challenging for promotion from Sky Bet League Two and Parkinson, who coincidentally was born in Chorley, believes the Red Dragons have changed perceptions of the divisions below the elite.
Parkinson told the PA news agency: “Buying a football club can be an exciting adventure for owners.
“Obviously, it’s important owners get the right people in place to make sure that the money is spent wisely but, of course, there’s been some success stories like, I think, Rob and Ryan and we’re only really at the start of it.
“I think what Wrexham and Notts County did last year put the National League on the map like it had never been before in the incredible battle we had for the title.
“I think it’s really good for the sport and also shows that buying a football club is not all about buying one at the top end, ready-made.
“The journey can be buying a club which needs piecing back together brick by brick, and that’s what our owners have done.
“Rob and Ryan have really bought into the culture of the game over here. I think it’s been refreshing for them and they’ve really enjoyed the experience so far.
“Other people have probably looked at that and thought, yes, we can do something similar.”
Chorley announced this week Boyzone singers Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy, along with Westlife’s Brian McFadden, would attend their FA Trophy tie with Solihull Moors on Saturday.
It is part of a collaboration which could lead to Boyzone not only getting involved in useful promotional work for the club but, potentially, bringing investment.
The club described their ongoing discussions with the group as a “game-changer” that could push Chorley into the “limelight like never before”.
Whether or not it generates the attention that Reynolds and McElhenney have brought to Wrexham remains to be seen, but that would certainly be the dream.
The club’s chief operating officer Tom Clarke said: “They’ve written the playbook, haven’t they? They’ve proven that as a tried-and-tested model and obviously it’d be absolutely fantastic to do anything like that.
“It’d be wonderful if they were to come in and have an active role within the club, and ultimately that’s got to be what our goal is set for, as part of those negotiations.”
Chorley, whose Victory Park stadium holds 4,100, were taken over by London-based entrepreneur Prince Yemoh last May and have big ambitions.
They are currently sixth in the sixth tier and see Salford who, backed by a group of players from Manchester United’s famous ‘Class of 92’ rose through the non-League ranks, as another inspiration.
Clarke said: “Salford is probably a very good example. We’re under new ownership, there’s lots of things changing, lots of things happening.
“We’ve great ambitions to progress through the National Leagues and hopefully into league football in the not-too-distant future.”
Amid the news about Boyzone, which has grown from a personal friendship with Lynch, it has emerged that Chorley were served with a winding-up petition this week but its significance has been played down.
The case, which was filed on Tuesday, is listed as open in a court filing but Clarke said: “It’s been dealt with, it’s done. It was something and nothing and it’s gone.”
Jonathan David names Barcelona as dream club amid Lille uncertainty
Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.
The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.
Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.
However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.
"Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel.
"In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."
"[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.
"Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."
David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.
Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.
"Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring.
"I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."
David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.
However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.
"Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said.
"But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."
Scotland 'never lost belief' to get Nations League lifeline, says Clarke
Steve Clarke says Scotland "never lost belief" as they secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Poland to give themselves a lifeline in the Nations League.
Scotland needed a win to avoid automatic relegation and finished third in Group A1. They now face a relegation play-off to defend their place in the top tier of the competition.
Scotland made a lightning-quick start in Warsaw as John McGinn, who was rewarded with a place in the starting line-up after scoring the winner against Croatia, cushioned in his 20th goal for the national team after just three minutes.
Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay both hit the woodwork as they attempted to double their lead before the break, while Craig Gordon produced some fine saves to protect their advantage.
Kamil Piatowski's stunning strike pulled Poland level just before the hour-mark, but Andy Robertson, on his 80th appearance, proved the difference, rising high to send a towering header past Lukasz Skorupski in the 93rd minute.
Robertson is the first player to score a 90th-minute winner for Scotland since McTominay against Israel in a World Cup qualifier in October 2021.
It is the first time since March-September 2023 (a run of five) that Scotland have won back-to-back internationals, and Clarke was delighted to finish the Nations League group stage on a high.
"A good way to end this Nations League campaign. You always believe. It was a very open game, a lot of chances," Clarke said.
"We always felt one more chance would come, maybe not from the source it actually came from, but it was a fantastic cross from John Souttar, who was outstanding defensively, and a great header from the captain.
"We started with three defeats, three narrow defeats, with good performances. The players didn't lose belief. I didn't lose belief in the players, and they end up taking seven points from the last three games, which gets us into the play-off.
"The more you play at this level, the better you get. The players never lost belief.
"There's been a lot of good moments over my five-and-a-half years, and this is just another step on the journey."
The draw for the Nations League play-offs will take place on Friday, with the ties to be played in March.
Pedri: 'Everything going well' with Barcelona contract talks
Pedri says "everything is going well" in the talks over a contract extension with Barcelona.
The youngster has played in all 13 of Barcelona's LaLiga matches this season, helping them to sit top of the pile, with 11 wins so far.
He has already proved key in their midfield, with none of his team-mates making more interceptions than him (eight, level with Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal), while he has also scored three times.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has made no secret of his desire to sign the 21-year-old to a contract extension, and Pedri issued a promising update on the talks taking place.
"I'm very calm, my agents are handling it, I haven't had any news, everything is going well," he told Sport.
Pedri has suffered from hamstring injuries since 2021, after playing 73 matches for club and country in the 2020-21 season.
He missed a total of 25 games for Barcelona and Spain last season, including the semi-final and final of Euro 2024, having been forced off in the early stages of La Roja's quarter-final win over Germany.
However, his injury troubles look to be behind him this season, and he is hopeful he can stay settled in the Barcelona side.
"Physically, I feel good. I have consistency, which makes me enjoy football," he said. "It's a great start to the season and I hope it will continue for a long time.
"Both in the national team and in Barca, I feel comfortable. It is positional football.
"It [his injury issues] was given more airtime, perhaps because I was playing in important tournaments [for Spain] and at Barcelona, I didn't have that continuity.
"I'm working out my body. When you relapse, you look for solutions until you find the key. I have found what suits me well, and I have the continuity that I like."
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