Wrexham AFC, the oldest association football club in Wales and the third oldest in the world, have recently completed their historic US tour, which saw them play three friendly matches against American teams. The tour was part of the club's preparations for their return to the Football League after 14 years in the National League.
The tour was also a chance for the club's new owners, Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, to showcase their vision and ambition for Wrexham to a wider audience. The duo bought the club in February 2021 and have since invested in improving the facilities, staff and players at the Racecourse Ground.
Wrexham started their tour with a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea U23s in Portland, Oregon, on July 17. Despite the scoreline, manager Phil Parkinson praised his players for their performance and attitude against a strong Chelsea side. He also thanked the local fans who came to support Wrexham and gave them a warm welcome.
The second match was a 4-0 win over LA Galaxy II in Los Angeles, California, on July 21. Wrexham dominated the game and scored four goals in the second half, courtesy of Jordan Davies, Jake Hyde, Paul Mullin and Kwame Thomas. The match was attended by McElhenney, who cheered on his team from the stands and met with some of the players and staff after the game.
The final match was against Manchester United U23s in San Diego, California, on July 26. Wrexham lost 2-1 in a close contest that saw them take the lead through Mullin in the first half, before United equalized through Anthony Elanga and scored the winner through Shola Shoretire in the second half. Reynolds was unable to attend the match due to filming commitments, but he sent a video message to wish his team good luck.
Wrexham will return to Wales with plenty of positives and memories from their US tour, as well as some areas to improve on before their League Two campaign kicks off on August 7. They will face MK Dons at home in their opening fixture.
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