Goals for Albi and autistic children

When rumors began to spread in 2020 about the possible purchase of Wrexham AFCthe local indie music group’The Declan Swans‘ They did a song called ‘It’s Always Sunny in Wrexham’ which fans loved.

The chorus is: ‘Less than a mile from the town center – A famous old stadium falling apart – Nobody has invested a cent – Bring the Deadpool and Rob McElhenney (‘Less than a mile from the city center – A famous old stadium in ruins – No one has invested a penny – Bring Deadpool and Rob McElhenney‘). In every corner of the city there is excitement about the rebirth of a club with 160 years of history, the third oldest in the world. Three years later, the Wrexham AFC They were able to advance two categories, up to League One.

The purchase of the club

This is a request from a city of Welsh (44,000 inhabitants) who lived in the mines until the government Thatcher He closed them in March 1984, the actors begging Ryan Reynolds (actor of Deadpool, Green Lantern, Free Men) and Rob McElhenney They will buy the club and save it from bankruptcy. The group of partners who managed it at the time supported the sale with more than 95% of the votes.

Then, the first team moved outside the system of 4 English professional leagues (from premier until Second League), the old stadium The Racecourse Ground (built in 1864, when the club was formed and the oldest playing field is still standing) needs serious renovation, a professional sports structure is missing and most importantly, the new property needs to connect with the city and the its fans to show that they won’t leave if things don’t go well.

“Football is second”

Reynolds and McElhenney They made the purchase of the club effective in February 2021 when it went into effect National League. In that first season they could not promote him but in the 2022-23 academic year they came first and rose to Second League. On April 13, they endorsed a 6-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers to mathematically prove the promotion to League One two days before the end of the championship that ended last weekend, with the help of the coach who has been there since the arrival of the Hollywood dollars, Phil Parkinson.

And to a large extent, thanks to those 105 goals Paul Mullin (6/11/1994 – Litherland, England) has scored since signing in the 2021-22 season. All are signed ‘A’ with fingers oriented to Alby, their son (born in 2019) who suffers from autism spectrum disorders (ASD). People with TORCH They often have problems with communication and social interaction, rigid or repetitive behavior or interests, and may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. Paul explained in the documentary’Welcome to Wrexham‘that “football comes second” to his family’s life. And he added “the fact that Alby “Being autistic means nothing, happy and healthy child, he is no different from others.” Although “the first 12 months of life of Alby He was hitting all the targets…then he started going backwards. “He stopped making eye contact with me, his mother, and anyone else.” He recognizes that “even if he doesn’t speak, as long as we make him smile every day, we’re doing something right.”

Impact on society

Inform the history of Albyserved to show other cases such as in Millie Tippingfan of Wrexham since before they appeared Reynolds and McElhenney. He is also autistic and enters the stadium in a quiet place while acknowledging that watching the games and feeling part of the fan community fills him with self-confidence. Wave of Harrythe boy who dresses up as the mascot of Wrexham (a red dragon) who is also autistic.

A few months ago it was also learned that a member of the same staff of Wrexhamthe Northern Irish attacker James McClean (4/22/1989, Derry, Northern Ireland) who signed for the team in October from WiganEditrevealed on social media that she had been diagnosed with autism when she went public with her son’s diagnosis. Willow Ivy during World Autism Acceptance Week.

McClean He expressed his strong anti-monarchist position on several occasions, such as when he distanced himself from his colleagues when observing the minute of silence for the death of Elizabeth II or refuse to play for the national team Northern Ireland (as we have already discovered in another ‘Outsiders’ – ‘Zero sympathy for the Queen and her institution’). During the weekend of the promotion celebration, people chanted ‘He hates the f***ing King’ and McClean He did not hesitate to join the chants. After the controversy that arose in United Kingdomhe said he doesn’t take anything back.

Your own song

A fan dedicated to the team sang, as the results came in, some refrains about the players, as is common in many English fields. Mullin also has a custom song by ‘The Declan Swans‘ which the crowd often chanted. in the bedroomMullins 10‘ they sang “Since coming on the scene – He’s our super goal machine – We’ve got Mullin, super Paul Mullin.” (“Because he came on the scene – he’s our super goal machine – We’ve got Mullin, super Paul Mullin”).

Next season the level of competitiveness will be even more demanding. we hope that the Mullin can continue to symbolize ‘A’ in many games, making the city of Wrexham that they may continue to increase, as well as providing visibility to the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Meanwhile, many fans of other clubs look with healthy envy on the history of this humble club that has already entered the elite.