Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney ready ‘travelling army’ after 40-year wait as Wrexham brace for FA Cup clash with former Premier League champions Blackburn

The Red Dragons have been rewarded for their FA Cup derby win over local rivals Shrewsbury with a fourth-round tie away at Ewood Park. That contest will see Phil Parkinson’s side lock horns with Championship opposition once again – having sent Coventry crashing out of the same competition last season.

Wrexham - with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney potentially coming along for the ride - are expecting to be given a sizeable ticket allocation by Blackburn, with Parkinson telling The Leader of what promises to be another special occasion: “I have seen some of the away followings there this year and Blackburn always give the away team a great allocation of tickets. It gives us an opportunity to take a large travelling army with us which always gives a special FA Cup feel to it. There is that bonus and it is a test for us against a Championship team. Of course we would have loved a home draw but we didn't get it and when the game comes, we will be prepared for it. To be in the fourth round of the FA Cup is exciting and when we get to that game we will have had a good look at Blackburn. We will know everything about them and go there to give ourselves the best chance to keep our cup run going.”

Wrexham have not faced Blackburn since squaring off in the old Second Division back in 1981-82, with that long wait for a reunion adding extra spice to an eagerly-anticipated knockout clash with former Premier League champions. Parkinson added: “Blackburn are a famous club, one of the founder members of the Football League, and we haven't played them competitively for over 40 years. That's great for the club and our supporters, to go to a ground many of them will never have visited.”

Wrexham have three League Two fixtures against AFC Wimbledon, Newport and Crawley to take in before heading to Blackburn. They will hope to arrive at Ewood Park on January 27 with a standing inside the fourth tier automatic promotion places safely cemented.