Former Wrexham striker Steven Fletcher has made a surprising confession about ignoring phone calls from the club's Hollywood owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, following his unexpected release earlier this year.
The Emotional Departure
The 38-year-old former Premier League striker was let go by manager Phil Parkinson in May, just weeks after helping the Welsh club secure promotion from League One. This came after Fletcher had been instrumental in Wrexham's League Two promotion the previous campaign, having signed in September 2023.
The decision left Fletcher furious, as he had been expecting a new contract offer from the club. Despite attracting interest from several clubs in England and his native Scotland, the experienced forward ultimately chose to retire from professional football.
The Phone Call Snub
Fletcher has now disclosed how he deliberately avoided multiple calls from Wrexham's celebrity owners immediately after being axed. Speaking to former Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster on the Fozcast podcast, he explained his reasoning.
"I'm quite a chilled guy, but I blanked a few phone calls for a while," Fletcher revealed. "Obviously, people from the club tried to call me after they found out and I was like, 'I am not ready to talk to you.' Rob and Ryan both called me after, but I did blank a few calls to start with."
The striker admitted he didn't want the owners to "get the brunt of my anger" during those initial emotional weeks following his release. He described needing time to process the decision before being ready to speak with them properly.
Reconciliation and Understanding
The situation eventually resolved itself through patience and understanding from both parties. McElhenney sent Fletcher a text saying, "Let me know when you want to speak," which the former striker appreciated.
Fletcher eventually met Reynolds in person, where the Hollywood star asked if he had been deliberately avoiding his calls. Fletcher reassured him this wasn't the case, explaining they had simply been missing each other's calls back and forth.
The former Scotland international emphasized that he maintained a good relationship with both owners throughout the process, noting that he had played golf with McElhenney several times and valued their connection.
Fletcher netted 16 times during his two seasons with Wrexham, including several crucial late winners from the bench. When his exit was confirmed in May, he posted an emotional social media message revealing he was departing "with a heavy heart" and "not by choice."
Reynolds later expressed on social media how much he would miss Fletcher's "leadership and wit," while McElhenney described the difficulty of saying goodbye on his podcast, reflecting on how quickly football realities can change.
