Wrexham: Goalkeeper Ben Foster comes out of retirement to rejoin Ryan Reynolds' club after 18 years

Foster first played for the club on a loan spell 18 years ago Credit: Wrexham AFC

Wrexham have signed former Manchester United and England goalkeeper Ben Foster - who has come out of retirement to rejoin the club he played for almost twenty years ago.

Foster, 39, returns to the Racecourse Ground after he last played for them on a loan spell 18 years ago.

The club is co-owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who say they intend to take the side to the Premier League.

They also have made a series Welcome to Wrexham which documents the takeover and the events that take place inside one of the oldest football clubs in the world.

Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in February last year

On Foster's return to North Wales, Foster said: “I’m over the moon. I’ve been at the Club an hour this morning and it seems a really nice place. Everyone is down to earth and the manager’s top class.

“It’s changed a lot since I was last here, but it’s nice to be back and it’s nice to be back as a player too. It will be interesting to see how my body feels after training today! I’m looking forward to getting started."

The club tweeted the announcement with the caption, "Welcome back to Wrexham".

Foster first arrived at Wrexham on loan from Stoke City, making 21 appearances in all competitions to earn his move to Old Trafford – having starred at the Millennium Stadium alongside Sir Alex Ferguson’s son Darren.

He made 23 appearances for United, and spent two seasons on loan with Watford, before moving to Birmingham City and then West Bromwich Albion.

He returned to Watford in 2018, and was ever present in the next two Premier League campaigns, before helping the Hornets bounce back to the top flight after relegation.

Ryan Reynolds is often seen in the crowds at the Racecourse Credit: PA

Last season, he made a further 26 Premier League appearances and arrives back at Wrexham having made more than 500 club appearances, as well as earning eight England caps.

Manager Phil Parkinson said of his signing: “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.”