‘Welcome to Wrexham’ star Ben Foster retires from football!

Retirement
Call from Hollywood
Crucial saves
'Memories'
Conceding five
Statement
'Special place in my heart'
'Welcome to Wrexham'
Playing in the Premier League
England
Struggling
Others to blame
Phil Parkinson
'Magnificent penalty save'
Retirement part 2
Social media career
Retirement

Ryan Reynolds' 'Welcome to Wrexham' star Ben Foster has retired from football after just five games of the current EFL league season.

Call from Hollywood

The 40-year-old shot-stopper initially stepped out of retirement when Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney called for his services to help Wrexham get out of the National League.

Crucial saves

The ex-England goalkeeper made 12 appearances for 'The Dragons,' coming up with crucial saves to help Wrexham return to the Football League for the first time in 15 years.

'Memories'

According to @VancityReynolds on X, Ryan Reynolds said: "He built memories I'll never let go of for as long as I live. I love this guy. Thank you for everything, Ben."

Conceding five

The decision comes after Foster conceded five goals in a 5-5 blockbuster against Swindon Town. Telling manager Phil Parkinson, it was time to leave the game.

Statement

According to wrexhamafc.co.uk, Foster said: "The honest truth is that my performances this season haven't reached the level I demand of myself, and I feel that now is the right time to retire."

'Special place in my heart'

"Making the decision now gives the club every opportunity to assess their options before the window closes. Wrexham will always have a special place in my heart."

'Welcome to Wrexham'

The Disney hit show 'Welcome to Wrexham' has helped the former goalkeeper grow his online personality exponentially, having over 600,000 followers on Instagram alone.

Playing in the Premier League

Before his substantial growth in Hollywood, Ben Foster enjoyed a career at England's elite level, playing in the Premier League for Manchester United, Birmingham City, Watford, and West Brom.

England

Foster played eight games for England and was selected for the 2014 World Cup squad, where he played one game in the final group match against Costa Rica.

Struggling

However, since arriving for the new season, Foster has struggled to recapture his elite goalkeeping abilities, conceding 13 goals in the league.

Others to blame

Poor defending and giving the ball away in dangerous areas have also been contributing factors to the 13 goals conceded, meaning Foster isn't the sole person to blame.

Phil Parkinson

Despite the poor run of form in goal for Wrexham, manager Phil Parkinson expressed gratitude for what he had done for the club.

'Magnificent penalty save'

According to wrexhamafc.co.uk, Parkinson said: "I am sure I speak for everyone when thanking him for his contribution that went far and beyond that one magnificent penalty save against Notts County to help us gain promotion last season."

Retirement part 2

Foster will now step away from the game again, having previously finished in September 2022, leaving Watford and rejecting a contract from Newcastle United.

Social media career

The former England keeper can now focus on his growing social media career, having two YouTube accounts with over 1.5 million subscribers combined.

More for you