Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac star in Spygate spoof: Wrexham co-owners mock Southampton ahead of weekend clash – after missing out on play-offs amid scandal
Wrexham will take on Southampton in the Championship this weekend – and the Welsh side’s Hollywood owners have taken it upon themselves to poke some fun at their opponents ahead of the game.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have taken Wrexham from non-league to the Championship since their takeover of the club in 2021, and haven’t shied away from using their acting credentials for a bit of publicity.
On this occasion, in a video shared to social media, the actors can be seen coming from behind a tree similar to that of which Southampton intern William Salt was caught spying near.
Mac says: ‘I’m Rob Mac, co-chairman of Wrexham AFC.’
Reynolds then springs from behind the tree, and adds: ‘I’m Ryan Reynolds, also co-chairman of Wrexham AFC. Today, for no particular reason, we want to talk about the importance of privacy.’
Mac then adds: ‘Specifically how to prevent spies from looking at what you’re doing on the internet.’
Wrexham owners Rob Mac (left) and Ryan Reynolds (right) poked fun at Southampton in a spoof Spygate sketch
The duo then continue to play out a sketch for the advertisement of Firefox, and the mocking of Southampton doesn’t stop.
Mac says: ‘And this message isn’t just for people in Wrexham. Or Oxford, or Ipswich, or Middlesbrough.’ The latter three were the sides Southampton were found guilty of spying on.
The video ends with Reynolds showing Mac a video on his phone, as he jokes he’s watching the ‘Southampton pickleball team’ train.
Youngster Salt was spotted by Middlesbrough filming their training session ahead of the Championship play-off semi-final and, following revelations by Daily Mail Sport, the Saints were eventually thrown out of the competition.
There was considerable sympathy for Salt, who told an EFL panel that he did not have an opportunity to say no and was acting on instructions from those above.
WhatsApp messages obtained during the EFL investigation reveal how Salt was told, ‘You legend. Manager loved it’, after a spying mission on Oxford United in December.