Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have seized on Southampton's training-ground spying scandal with a tongue-in-cheek social media video ahead of their Championship encounter this weekend. The pair released a promotional clip that playfully mocked the Saints' disciplinary troubles, continuing a pattern of humorous digs that has defined the build-up to Saturday's fixture.
Southampton travel to the Racecourse Ground on Saturday, 19 September 2026 at 14:00 UTC for a match between two sides separated by just three points in the table. The fixture is scheduled for the Racecourse Ground, where Southampton won 5-1 during their most recent visit in April as they climbed above Wrexham and secured a play-off berth. Wrexham currently sit 19th in the Championship with seven points from seven games, while Southampton occupy ninth place with 10 points.
What was the Spygate scandal?
Southampton's troubles stem from an incident during the previous season's play-offs. The club was charged by the EFL over alleged spying on Middlesbrough's training before the play-off semi-final, with regulations banning observation of another club's training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match. An intern was discovered watching Middlesbrough prepare for their semi-final encounter, and subsequent investigations uncovered similar breaches at Oxford United and Ipswich Town earlier in the campaign. The disciplinary case resulted in Southampton's expulsion from the play-offs and a four-point deduction for the current Championship season.
How have Wrexham mocked the scandal?
Reynolds and Mac appeared in a 59-second video posted on Wrexham's X account, which opened with Reynolds emerging from behind a tree. Nominally promoting shirt sponsor Firefox, the Deadpool star declared:
Today, for no particular reason, we want to talk about the importance of privacy.Mac, creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, added:
Specifically, how to prevent spies from seeing what you're doing.
The pair discussed internet safety, with Reynolds joking about searching for "how to run a football club" before both emphasised that privacy is
important to people everywhere, specifically name-checking Middlesbrough, Oxford and Ipswich. Reynolds concluded by saying:
Refreshing, huh? An organisation that actually respects your privacy.The clip ended with the pair examining a mobile phone purportedly displaying a Southampton pickleball team in practice.
This marks the second occasion Wrexham have taken a playful swipe at Southampton over the scandal. When the club announced their league fixtures in June, they included a note on their 17 September date—two days before facing Southampton—that read "check training ground" with an asterisk clarifying "for unauthorised visitors".
The mockery has continued beyond the current season. When the 2026-27 Championship fixtures were released, Wrexham again mocked Southampton with a graphic that read "taking us into the international break" and included spy-themed imagery.
What is Wrexham's perspective on the incident?
Wrexham were directly affected by the scandal, having finished seventh in the previous season before Southampton's four-point deduction allowed the Saints to overtake them and secure a play-off spot. The Welsh club maintained contact with the English Football League following the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular season regarding the matter.
However, manager Gary Parkinson has indicated that the focus now lies entirely on the present.
We're the team which obviously were affected because we were seventh, but we accepted the EFL decision on that,Parkinson said.
Southampton got punished for it and they've had to accept their punishment and move on. That's all I can say on it really, it's gone. We're concentrating on what we've got to do and likewise they're the same.
What form are both teams in?
Wrexham suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat to West Ham United in their most recent outing, a result that Parkinson will be keen to put behind his side. Southampton, meanwhile, have been climbing the table and currently occupy a play-off position, three points ahead of Wrexham with a game in hand.
The aggregate scoreline across both Championship fixtures between the sides in the 2025-26 season favoured Southampton heavily, with the Saints winning both matches by a combined 7-2 margin. That record gives Southampton confidence heading into Saturday's encounter, though Wrexham will be determined to deliver a stronger performance and close the gap in the standings.
What happens next?
Wrexham and Southampton meet on Saturday, 19 September 2026 at the Racecourse Ground. The fixture represents an opportunity for Wrexham to bounce back from their West Ham defeat and narrow the three-point gap to ninth place, while Southampton will seek to maintain their upward trajectory and consolidate their position in the promotion picture.
