Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney poke fun at Southampton 'Spygate' scandal in hilarious Wrexham social media clip

Wrexham's A-list owners Reynolds and McElhenney have never been shy about using their platform for a bit of gamesmanship, and their latest social media skit has set the stage for a fiery encounter. In a video posted to Wrexham's official X account, the duo poked fun at Southampton's recent history of training ground espionage - referencing the incident where Saints were kicked out of the play-off final and docked four points after an intern was caught spying on Middlesbrough's training session.

The video begins with Reynolds emerging from behind a tree, playing into the theme of clandestine observation. Ostensibly a promotion for their shirt sponsor, Firefox, the Deadpool star quipped: 'Today, for no particular reason, we want to talk about the importance of privacy.' It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator McElhenney quickly joined in, adding: 'Specifically, how to prevent spies from seeing what you're doing.'

As the conversation turned toward internet safety and club management, Reynolds joked about searching for 'how to run a football club' before the pair declared privacy is 'important to people everywhere.' They specifically name-checked Middlesbrough, Oxford United, and Ipswich Town - the clubs targeted during the previous campaign's spying incidents.

Reynolds concluded the satirical segment by stating: 'Refreshing, huh? An organisation that actually respects your privacy.' The 59-second clip reached a hilarious crescendo as the pair looked at a mobile phone, purportedly showing a Southampton pickleball team in practice.

Despite the light-hearted approach from the owners, Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is taking a more professional stance on the matter. Wrexham finished seventh last season and were technically the team most affected by the play-off reshuffle following the Saints' disqualification. However, the manager is keen to ensure his players remain focused on the task at hand rather than past grievances.

Reflecting on the situation, Parkinson was clear about his team's position regarding the EFL's previous rulings. 'We're the team which obviously were affected because we were seventh, but we accepted the EFL decision on that,' said Parkinson. 'Southampton got punished for it and they've had to accept their punishment and move on. That's all I can say on it really, it's gone. We're concentrating on what we've got to do and likewise they're the same.'

Southampton visit the Racecourse Ground on Saturday currently sitting ninth in the table with 10 points, three points ahead of Wrexham in 19th. The memory of their last meeting remains fresh for the North Wales outfit, as the Saints secured a dominant 5-1 victory at the Racecourse in April.