Wrexham will never be far out of the spotlight it seems. This time though they are at the centre of a social media spat by another team owner, something that maybe even the best Hollywood scriptwriters couldn’t make up.
Aside from the well-known owners of the Red Dragons, perhaps the most vocal one in League Two is Accrington Stanley’s Andy Holt. His posts on X – formerly Twitter – are often cause for discussion, and his opinion is held in good regard.
Recently though his outbursts have been more erratic and in the build-up of his team’s game against Wrexham he took to the popular site sending a critical message to fellow owner Ryan Reynolds. This was over a ticket price increase, instead of as you would think Mr. Holt celebrating a 2-0 win over the Welsh team.
https://twitter.com/AndyhHolt/status/1725925188066246747
The Stanley owner had tried to justify a price hike of £5 on ticket prices, saying it was down to high demand and extra costs in security. To which Wrexham responded by saying the return match, prices would be cut by the same amount.
Holt’s comments came amid a back-and-forth over ticket prices. Accrington Stanley upped its rate by £5 before the match, blaming higher demand that forced them to hire extra security personnel.
https://twitter.com/Wrexham_AFC/status/1725831221354054087
On the pitch, Stanley got the better of a Wrexham team that had not lost in over two months, two second-half goals meaning Phil Parkinson’s men slipped to fourth in a congested top half of League Two.
The Mirror picked up on the manager’s comments after the game. “Obviously disappointed, we’ve had a terrific unbeaten run. I thought first half in patches we did OK. Had probably the best chance, didn’t take it. But the game became very scrappy with the conditions, the referee, etcetera.
“Obviously they got that first goal, and to be fair to them, they played well after that…We know we can be better. We have to be honest enough to admit that.”
Worse news was that Wrexham could face action after police are reportedly looking into an incident that saw objects thrown at Accrington goalkeeper Jon McCracken. The police issued a short statement that read: “A football match should be a family-friendly event and this type of incident, where items have been thrown at a player, is utterly unacceptable.”
Writer’s View
So far Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have conducted themselves well under pressure. Yes, their ownership of Wrexham has come with criticism, but largely it would seem this is out of jealousy that they have had huge success since coming into the world of football.
With other owners piling in it doesn’t make sense and is not a good look, for that individual. Even if it is just friendly banter. Coupled with his tirade a couple of weeks ago, the once-respected Andy Holt is tarnishing his reputation.
