We refuse to believe any UK football fan didn’t let out a little smile upon hearing the news that Ben Foster came out of retirement to re-sign for Wrexham AFC nearly 20 years on from his first spell.
The 39-year-old goalkeeper called time on his playing days at the end of last season after slowly moving towards becoming a squad player-come-YouTuber over the past few years and having already enjoyed a long and successful career.
However, following a nudge from the coach and celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, he was convinced to lace up his boots once more and the former United, Stoke, West Brom and Watford man will now be playing between the sticks at the Racecourse Ground until the end of the season.
To make things even more wholesome, the Premier League veteran has confessed that transfer talks didn’t last long, confessing on his YouTube and Spotify show, the Fozcast: “To be honest, the negotiations took about five minutes”, adding that he’s been paid “literally peanuts”.
Ben Foster: “I don’t need much [money] – to be honest, the negotiations took about five minutes… Wages wise, it’s literally peanuts… the part for me is getting the team over the line and getting them promoted.” #WxmAFCpic.twitter.com/Ke5vPdT1UK
— RobRyanRed – Wrexham AFC Podcast (@RobRyanRed) March 23, 2023
Nevertheless, Foster admitted that he doesn’t need much money after such a great career up and down the football pyramid and while “things changed a lot since [he] was last here”, he said, “it’s nice to be back” and labelled manager Phil Parkinson “top class”.
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Parkinson, an EFL journeyman himself, had similarly complimentary words for the seasoned keeper, stating: “We’re delighted to welcome Ben to the club. With Rob Lainton getting injured at the weekend, it was important we had all bases covered going into the last part of the season, which this signing ensures.”
The ex-England international first played for Wrexham back in 2005 when he was loaned out by Stoke City and went on to win the EFL Trophy — his first-ever piece of silverware. Now he’s back to help them finally get out of the National League (currently three points clear at the top with a game in hand).
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As for his expectations for the season, he said the goal is simple: “getting the team over the line and getting them promoted”, adding “I’m a very low-maintenance player. Just wheel me out, I’ll do a job.” Now that’s the kind of attitude we can get behind.
Speaking to talkSPORT after the sudden move, he revealed that the whole deal felt just as out of the blue for him too, detailing how he got a call from the manager after a bike ride one day and, before he knew it, he’d given them the thumbs up.
Shedding some light on his discussions with the Hollywood owners, he said that Reynolds “actually slid into [his] DMs” once the agreement had been confirmed, joking: “I’m buzzing I’ve got Ryan Reynolds in there, I ain’t even replied to him! I’ll leave him hanging for a bit!”
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He went on to admit that he actually approached him first, messaging, “I used to play for Wrexham and if you’re ever available for a podcast I’d love you to come.” Thankfully, he finally responded, saying: “Mate, sorry I didn’t reply. I’ll definitely do the podcast with you, thank you for signing.”
That Deadpool episode is going to be a great watch… You can see him talking about the surprise transfer in full on his YouTube channel down below:
Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever
Danny Jones
Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.
It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.
With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.
Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.
Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.
You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.
Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.
There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.
Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.
For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.
That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.
Pitch view rooms coming to the Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel at #ManCity’s Etihad Stadium. 🤯
As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.
Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.
BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.
You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.
Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.
René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking
Danny Jones
Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.
The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.
Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.
The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.
We are delighted to announce that Micky van de Ven has signed a new contract with the Club!
Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.
“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.
“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”
“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.
He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”
As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.
While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.
On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.
Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?
As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…
Danny Jones -
24th March 2023 
