Wrexham and Birmingham City battled to a 1-1 draw in a potentially crucial match in the League One promotion battle.
Ollie Rathbone gave Wrexham the lead inside nine minutes, only for Lyndon Dykes to scramble Birmingham level nine minutes later.
The Athletic’s Richard Sutcliffe and Rob Tanner assess the key talking points…
No repeat of September’s celeb-fest
There was no David Beckham this time around. Nor did all-time NFL great – and Birmingham minority shareholder – Tom Brady put in an appearance, while the closest Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds or Rob McElhenney came to the action was the latter watching the game on Cosm’s giant screen at their immersive entertainment centre in Los Angeles.
The Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator had only returned to his LA home on Wednesday after the deadly wildfires that had forced the family to evacuate, so it will no doubt have come as a welcome respite to watch Ollie Rathbone give Wrexham the lead inside nine minutes.
It was a stunning curled strike that felt entirely in keeping with a night where, unlike the first meeting between Birmingham and Wrexham at St Andrews in September, the true stars could be found on the pitch rather than off it.
Not even the spectacular lightshow that preceded kick-off — a first for the world’s oldest international football stadium — could take the spotlight away from two teams who, on this showing, certainly look like going the distance in the race for automatic promotion along with Wycombe Wanderers and Huddersfield Town.
Whether Wrexham can prevail in the hunt for a top two place remains to be seen. But there’s one EFL table that the Welsh club is proving difficult to dislodge right now, namely as the competition’s darlings of U.S. TV with Thursday’s home clash against Birmingham being their 27th league game to be shown live on the other side of the Atlantic.
Birmingham quickly pegged Wrexham back (Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
This makes Wrexham the only EFL club with a 100 per cent appearance record on CBS’ various channels. Championship heavyweights Leeds United come closest with 27 of their 28 fixtures having been shown live in the States, followed by Burnley and West Bromwich Albion with 25 from 28 apiece.
Considering CBS’ new-four year EFL deal is heavily skewed towards the Championship with a minimum 155 games from the second tier to be shown live compared to 38 across the League’s lower two divisions, Wrexham’s constant presence on screen is remarkable.
The run will continue, too, with all their next five fixtures up to and including the February 23 trip to Mansfield Town having already been selected for live transmission.
To put this figure of 32 live games into context, Birmingham will boast League One’s next highest tally with nine screen appearances by the end of next month, followed by Exeter City and Barnsley on five apiece.
CBS do not release viewing figures, but Wrexham’s constant on-screen presence this season suggests America’s love affair with the club, fuelled by the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, shows no sign of easing up.
Birmingham owner samples fan experience
Wrexham’s famous owners may not have been in attendance but Birmingham’s American owner Tom Wagner was certainly making his presence felt.
As his Birmingham side equalised from a corner he was caught on camera turning away from the pitch to celebrate with gusto in the away end among the 1,000 plus travelling Blue Noses.
It isn’t often you see an owner decked out in full colours, scarf, wooly hat and club jacket in with the hoi polloi, especially when his wing man was newly appointed interim chief executive officer Jeremy Dale.
(Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Instead of the Wrexham boardroom and executive boxes, where most owners would mingle, Wagner embraced the football culture of Birmingham City, and seemingly revelled in the fan experience.
It is in stark contrast to the previous owners, who were virtually anonymous and never seen at St Andrew’s.
But just a word of warning, Tom, as Birmingham progress and things will inevitably get a little tougher, the hospitality of fans may cool slightly.
In fact, some previous owners have had to don tin hats and take cover when things have gone array, and previous Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley was even spotted in the away end with the Toon Army before he became public enemy number one among his now-former club’s fans.
But for now it is certainly refreshing to see a Birmingham owner throwing himself into the role, even if it is in an unconventional way.
Rob Tanner
Just 35 or so hours earlier, James McClean had been involved in a car crash that left the Irishman with a bandaged right arm and his Audi in a terrible state.
But there was to be no special treatment from Birmingham City, as was made clear in the early exchanges when Lyndon Dykes barged him into touch when the pair contested an aerial duel.
Another thumping challenge followed from the Scotland international just after the half-hour that was rightly penalised with a free-kick by referee Will Finnie. Judging by the smile on McClean’s face when getting back to his feet, he wouldn’t have had it any other way as the Irishman produced a stellar performance that on another night could have brought three points.
Not only did he go close with a near post header from a corner that Ryan Allsop did brilliantly to claw to safety. But the 35-year-old also produced a stunning cross in the 90th minute that but for Ben Davies getting a vital touch would surely have set up Steven Fletcher for the winner.
Richard Sutcliffe
What does this mean for the promotion battle?
The mission in north Wales for Birmingham City was to claim victory and open up a very handsome eight point gap on Wrexham, and with two games in hand it could have been a formidable advantage.
However, the most important objective was simply not to lose and allow one of their closest rivals to close the gap and apply undue pressure.
The way things panned out, Birmingham were certainly put under plenty of pressure at Wrexham in the second half but were able to weather that storm.
It may be just a solitary point but it is another vital point closer to the objective.
Birmingham and Wrexham may have met on a journey from very different directions – Wrexham rising from the National League and Birmingham falling from greater heights – but they both share a common goal.
A point for both isn’t a bad result for either team. It is an even better one for Wycombe Wanderers.
Wycombe (54 points) remain in second place, between first-place Birmingham (57) and Wrexham (52) in third.
Rob Tanner
What next for Wrexham?
Tuesday, January 28: Stevenage (home), League One, 7.45pm UK, 2.45pm ET
What next for Birmingham?
Tuesday, January 28: Huddersfield Town (home), League One, 8pm UK, 3pm ET
Recommended reading
(Top photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
