The Red Dragons legend has left to join Wigan Athletic on loan, all but signalling the end of his time in North Wales
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The Wrexham fairy tale still has plenty of chapters left to write, but it will have to continue without one of its leading protagonists to this point. Legendary striker Paul Mullin has left on an initial loan to Wigan Athletic, and though that departure is officially only temporary, it almost certainly spells the end for him at the Racecourse Ground.
At 30 years of age and coming off the back of his worst scoring season post-pandemic, Mullin has effectively been consigned to Red Dragons history. He is of a rare breed, becoming a worldwide sensation and Hollywood star despite never playing at a level higher than the third tier of English football. All parties, from co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to the man himself, are at least in agreement that it's a shame to have come to this conclusion.
So why is Mullin leaving Wrexham? Why has this tale of wonder ended in woe? GOAL digs into the goings on in North Wales…
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFP'Who's this guy?'
Stumping up the money to acquire Mullin was arguably one of the most important 'canon events' of the modern Wrexham timeline. After firing Cambridge United to promotion into League One, scoring 32 goals in 46 appearances in 2020-21, he was offered a new contract to stay at Abbey Stadium. However, the Red Dragons, under the relatively new ownership of Reynolds and McElhenney, wanted to flex their ambition as they sought to get out of non-league and into the professional game.
Addressing Mullin's departure this week, McElhenney revealed a text exchange with executive director Humphrey Ker asking about rumours linking the club to the striker back in 2021. "Who's this guy?" the actor wrote. "And are we able to get players of this calibre?"
Three weeks later, Mullin was a Wrexham player, and he admitted that McElhenney did extremely well to sell him the project and make him feel better about dropping down a division: "Rob McElhenney gave me a call a couple of nights ago – at that time, I wasn't too sure about making the move. But once he outlined the plans for the club, and the plans for me in the future, it was something I really wanted to be a part of and something that just excited me that much that I had to come. He really sold the club to me. What they have planned for the club is magnificent and something I want to be a part of."
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The Wrexham revolution truly began in 2021-22, which saw Mullin score on his debut with a 2-2 draw against Solihull Moors. That was the first in a run of seven goals across his first 10 appearances, breaking the club's record since returning to non-league in 2008 for most strikes in such a timespan.
Everything about Mullin, for better or worse, felt like he was the main character in this story. When Reynolds and McElhenney were finally able to attend their first Wrexham game, a 3-2 defeat at Maidenhead United, Mullin scored after escaping a red card in a rare case of mistaken identity. When they were 5-2 down at Dover a few months later, he popped up with the final goal in a remarkable 6-5 victory. When Stockport County were the opponents in the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, he bagged a stoppage-time brace of lobs to send the Red Dragons to the final.
Mullin ended his first campaign with Wrexham as the National League's Golden Boot winner and Player of the Season, but the team fell short as losing finalists in both the play-offs and FA Trophy. They would, however, be back with a vengeance.
Getty Images SportWorldwide fame
Wrexham were pushed to the brink the following campaign by an extremely dogged and determined Notts County in their successful fight for the only automatic promotion spot to League Two, which season two of FX's 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary made all the more compelling. Mullin's exploits, scoring a staggering 47 goals across all competitions, along with the club's newfound fame all over the globe made him arguably sport's most famous superstar not playing league football.
Though there was a small slice of Hollywood in North Wales, it was beginning to penetrate the English game and change football. When Wrexham drew 3-3 with Championship side Sheffield United in round four of the FA Cup, it was one of the most watched matches in the United States, with the encounter streamed on . Mullin, of course, was on the scoresheet, and would receive the competition's Golden Boot for tallying nine at the final between Manchester City and Manchester United.
Though that cup run was eventually ended by the Blades in a replay, Wrexham went on to secure the National League title with a record points haul of 111.
AFPFearing death
Wrexham's pull managed to convince Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester United into playing friendlies during their respective tours of the U.S. in 2023, and it was against the Red Devils where Mullin had to battle back from adversity for the first time for the club, suffering broken ribs and a punctured lung after colliding with goalkeeper Nathan Bishop. The injury was so severe that he had to remain Stateside while the rest of the squad returned home to allow it ample time to heal.
"I was trying to breathe in but nothing was happening," Mullin said in the aftermath of the incident. "I couldn't get air into my lungs. That's when I knew it was bad. In that struggle for breath, with my lips turning blue, I accepted that this could be it for me. That's how it felt. I couldn't breathe properly for a few minutes. I was thinking about my little boy, Albi. I hate being away from him and my partner Mollie for too long, but I had told myself it was only two weeks and that I'd be back home soon. It ended up being much longer, but I'm so thankful it wasn't worse."
Reynolds and McElhenney's undying love for Mullin saw them go the extra mile for the striker, helping him in his hour of need. He further revealed: "Ryan offered to fly my entire family out and Rob said I could stay with him in his Los Angeles home. I'm sure he has the room, but I was happy to stay out of the way. So they sorted an apartment for us instead. Rob visited me there before heading to Wales for our opening game of the season against MK Dons. I would have loved to be getting on that plane with him, but I had to stay there and rest. I haven't been able to walk for too long and every time I move it hurts."
Mullin sat out the rest of pre-season before making his return from the bench in September, but it took him a while to get back up to speed, scoring in only four League Two matches before the end of the calendar year. Wrexham went into 2024 sitting just outside the top three, which would secure automatic promotion for a second season running, and Mullin had yet to hit full stride by his own high standards. A slump in form saw him go seven games without a goal from January to the end of February, but when it mattered most, he stepped up.
With 14 goals across the final 13 games of the season, Wrexham raced into second place and were promoted to League One, Mullin their hero once more. He was about to add a 'super' prefix to that description, too.