‘Don’t Google my credentials!’ - Dr Rob McElhenney provides sick note for Wrexham fan desperate to watch FA Cup clash with Blackburn from Ryan Reynolds’ homeland

The Red Dragons will be in action at Ewood Park on Monday. Some 7,000 supporters are making the trip to Lancashire for a tie that could line up a fifth-round clash with Premier League giants Newcastle. McElhenney will not be heading over from Los Angeles for the game.

He is, however, eager to ensure that as many Wrexham eyes as possible are on the match. Plenty in Great Britain will be free from the stresses of day jobs by the time that the action in Blackburn gets underway at 7:30pm local time. There is, however, a considerable time difference to be taken into account when it comes to supporters in the Americas.

Wrexham’s collection of fans in Canada – the homeland of McElhenney’s co-owner Ryan Reynolds – are desperate to ensure that they can tune in during a working day. McElhenney is on hand to help them out, posting on social media: “To whom it may concern, @WrexhamCanada is hereby excused from work on Monday January 29, 2024. They have a weird cough or something. If that’s not enough of an excuse, let’s go with the flu. Wouldn’t you hate to catch it if they showed up to work in that condition? They are cleared to come back on Tuesday January 30, 2024. Oh, I think that happens to be the day after the Wrexham match. Weird timing. Best wishes, Dr. McElhenney (Don’t Google my credentials, just trust me. I’m a real doctor).”

Wrexham lost to Premier League-bound Sheffield United in the fourth round of the FA Cup last season and are eager to avoid suffering a similar fate against more Championship opposition. Their priority in 2023-24 is, however, promotion out of League Two – with Phil Parkinson’s side currently flying high in that division.