Manchester United confirmed that they would be playing Wrexham AFC as part of their US tour on Tuesday, but the Welsh club’s Hollywood owners had a much better way of announcing the pre-season friendly.
While the Red Devils put out a simple statement revealing that one of their games would come against the resurgent Red Dragons, Wrexham‘s celebrity owners in Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney once again decided to put their acting to good use and inform their own fans of the upcoming match.
So, what’s the best way for a National League club to announce a massive fixture with one of the biggest sporting franchises in the world? Well, ideal scenario: getting a United legend and perhaps the greatest football manager of all time to help you do it would have quite the impact. Surely not?…
Yes, somehow, Rob and Ryan managed to convince Sir Alex Ferguson to be in the video and while they’re the ones known for their funny bones, it’s the gaffer who shines as the star of the show.
50% Dragon. 50% Devil. 100% Red. Wrexham play @ManUtd in San Diego, July 25th!
Manchester United vs Wrexham AFC, announced by the Sir Alex Ferguson. What a time to be alive.
So good. We almost thought we were staring at a still image at one point and the gag was going to be along the lines of him not even being there while they wonder, ‘is he frozen’?, but the punchline was the perfect level of dry for Scotsman who is literally known for his infamous ‘hairdryer’.
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Now, we’ve seen plenty of parodies and funny videos since the acting, writing and comedy-producing duo first bought the club back in November 2020, but I think it’s fair to say we never expected to see Sir Alex in a sketch.
Obviously, we’ve seen countless commercial ads involving United down the year working — including that time the players met Deadpool himself (remember that?) — but we can’t remember the legendary coach ever getting involved with these kinds of shenanigans before.
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Suppose retirement has given him the free time to focus on the things he enjoys: i.e. more United.
As detailed in the video and United’s tour teaser at the start of the week, the two teams will be playing in a pre-season friendly at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on July 25 later this year.
Not only will there be plenty of American Reds piling through the doors this summer, but there’s also sure to be a fair few transatlantic Wrexham supporters too, as the story of the club’s takeover has captured the attention of millions, especially after their hugely popular documentary series.
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To make things even cooler, it isn’t the only connection between the Devils and the Dragons we’ve seen of late either, as former United keeper and Premier League veteran Ben Foster came out of retirement to sign for Wrexham 18 years on from his previous loan spell. What a coup
Reynolds even popped up in his latest matchday vlog. Wrexham really is one of the strangest sporting stories we’ve witnessed in quite some time.
The former United man decided to come out of retirement after Ryan Reynolds ‘slid into his DMs’. 😅🧤https://t.co/YoW3J4kocI
Dame Sarah Storey is going on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Danny Jones
Record-breaking local athlete and Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, is set to become the latest to join the Strictly Come Dancing annals.
With the Strictly cast for 2026 steadily being unveiled, we always keep an eye out for the Greater Manchester names in particular.
That being said, we’re buzzing to see the hugely successful Stockport swimmer turned cyclist will be swapping her Team GB kit for sparkly, sequined ballroom gowns and an entirely different type of sport and fitness.
Announced on Friday, 17 July, Storey is the seventh celebrity to be confirmed for the 24th series of the hit BBC show and dancing competition.
Having represented her country not only at nine Paralympics but across two different disciplines after switching to the racing bike back in 2005, she’s our most decorated competitor in the entire history of the Games with 30 medals to her name – 19 of which are gold.
Absolute GOAT levels.
But now the Cheadle Hulme-born is once again set to show her versatility to see how she fares on the dance floor later this year.
Commenting ahead of the new-look season which starts this September, the 48-year-old said: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.
“I have always loved watching Strictly, and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!”
This latest sea-change comes not long after the local legend and sporting icon officially announced her retirement from professional sport more than three decades on from first bursting onto the scene.
Thank you for taking the time to leave all the incredible messages. It’s so wonderful to read them and thank you for being the greatest supporters 🥰
— Dame Sarah Storey (@DameSarahStorey) July 9, 2026
What a career she’s had; it obviously didn’t take her long to get tired of sitting still for once, either.
She will be joined by the likes of Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer and Will Best.
In case you missed it, the upcoming edition of Strictly Come Dancing will be the first since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe stepping in as replacements.
In other starring Stockport news, we’ve finally got more info on the final season of a popular programme filmed in the area. Find out more down below.
Oasis’ Wonderwall on the brink of becoming UK number one for first time ever 30 years after initial release
Emily Sergeant
Could Wonderwall FINALLY become UK number one for the first time ever?
England may no longer be in the running to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being knocked out in the Semi Finals by Argentina, who claimed a 2-1 win when the two teams faced off in Atlanta on Wednesday night (15 July), but it looks like that hasn’t harmed Wonderwall’s trajectory to the top of the Official UK Charts.
Oasis’ most-streamed song of all time – and arguably their most famous – is currently sitting right at the top of Spotify’s Global charts, meaning it is in the race to become the official UK number one later today.
Despite the fact it never reached number one when it was first released back in 1996 as part of the band’s second studio album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, the song has always had such cultural significance here in Manchester.
But after being adopted by the fans of the England men’s national football team during this World Cup, and belted out after every Three Lions victory this tournament, the song has taken on a whole new life.
Wonderwall was described at the time by the band’s lead guitarist and songwriter, Noel Gallagher, as being about ‘an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself’ – with the song’s title inspired by George Harrison’s solo album Wonderwall Music.
Sure, it has nothing to do with football (but neither did Sweet Caroline, let’s be real), but it’s an absolute anthem and one that’s become a symbol this year for the belief that football may have just been coming home after 60 years.
Win or lose, Wonderwall remains.
Unfortunately, while Wonderwall is in pole position as it stands, it’s up against some fierce footballing competition with the likes of Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds’ enduring anthem, Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home), hot on its heals.
Standing between both of them – and chart glory – is, of course, Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s record-breaking duet, Rein Me In, which looks to retain the top spot as it eyes a 17th non-consecutive week at the summit.
It’s also expected that The Beatles’ iconic 1968 hit, Hey Jude, will also find its way into the Top 40 in honour of the tournament’s star player Jude Bellingham.
So, will Wonderwall reign supreme then? Will the Gallagher brothers have another reason to celebrate tonight after the success of last year’s historic Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour? We’ll have to wait and see.
You can tune into the Official Chart Show on BBC Radio 1 from 4pm today.
Danny Jones -
28th March 2023 
