Wrexham and Birmingham draw 1-1 in 'Hollywood derby'

WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Wrexham settled for a 1-1 draw with third-division leader Birmingham on Thursday in a match between two clubs with celebrity owners.

Wrexham is attempting to earn its third straight promotion under the ownership of actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney but missed a chance to gain ground on Birmingham, which boasts Tom Brady as a minority shareholder.

League One leader Birmingham extended its unbeaten streak in all competitions to 15 games. The club leads Wycombe by three points and third-place Wrexham by five points. The top two teams earn automatic promotion to the Championship, and the next four enter a playoff for one other promotion spot.

Oliver Rathbone curled in a shot in the ninth minute the Racecourse Ground. Birmingham leveled the score in the 18th when Lyndon Dykes’ header ended up in the net.

British media had dubbed the game the “Hollywood derby” due to the celebrity owners, but none of the star owners were in attendance.

Birmingham City’s Lyndon Dykes scores his side’s first goal of the game, during the English Football League One soccer match between Wrexham and Birmingham City at the SToK Racecourse, in Wrexham, Wales, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

From Los Angeles, McElhenney sent a video message to Sky Sports: “1-1, I’ll take that against Birmingham City. It was probably the best side we’ve played all season.”