Sometimes, the football world moves so fast that even pulling forward the broadcast date of Welcome to Wrexham from autumn to spring is not enough to keep pace.
Take Ben Foster, the former England international. Having saved that penalty against Notts County to help the Welsh club prevail in the National League title race that was featured in series two of the documentary, he duly signed a new contract last summer to stick around for another year.
This was good news for the producers of the show, as Foster is a larger-than-life character who can bring even the most humdrum scene to life. He also clearly gets on well with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, which again can help create good TV.
In the opening episode of series three — which is due to premiere in the United States tonight on FX and in the UK tomorrow on Disney+ — this camaraderie between the fortysomethings translates into an amusing segment during the ‘will he/won’t he sign a contract?’ saga of summer 2023, featuring the two owners trying to contact the goalkeeper.
Foster’s lively persona in the dressing room brings another memorable contribution in episode two, as emotions run high during the half-time interval at home to Swindon Town with Wrexham trailing 4-1.
“Don’t c*** anyone off,” says the former Manchester United goalkeeper to his team-mates, as attention turns to how the hosts might rescue a dire situation in the second 45 minutes.
Wrexham, of course, did turn things around that afternoon, James Jones and Elliot Lee netting in stoppage time to earn a point from a thrilling 5-5 draw. It served as a decent guide as to how the season would unfold, as Phil Parkinson’s side overcame early season difficulties to go on to clinch promotion.
For Foster, however, that fourth game of the League Two season against Swindon proved to be the last of his professional career. His shock retirement was announced on the following Monday. The reason? A realisation that he was no longer able to match his own high standards.
Later, the 40-year-old provided further clarification as to how one particular goal by Swindon that August afternoon had made his mind up.
“The guy got it out of his feet and he took a shot from about 22 yards and he bent it round into the corner,” he told his own Fozcast YouTube channel. “As he got the ball out of his feet, normally what happens is I know he’s putting it in the corner to my right-hand side.
“I know it, I can read it like a book. I knew he was putting it in the corner but I didn’t get the little steps in to make sure I knew I could save it.”
Foster’s retirement, abrupt as it was, came with 10 days of the summer transfer window remaining. That meant Wrexham had sufficient time to move for Arsenal’s Arthur Okonkwo. A season-long loan deal was finally agreed on deadline day.
Okonkwo is a much more reserved individual around the club than Foster. The 22-year-old isn’t one for the limelight. He had to be physically pushed forward by captain Ben Tozer to accept the acclaim of the fans in the Tech End after promotion had been clinched with last month’s 6-0 win at home to Forest Green Rovers.
Nevertheless, he stamped his mark on the 2023-24 campaign with a string of impressive displays and 14 clean sheets. According to FootyStats, Okonkwo saved 108 of the 137 shots he faced in League Two, giving the loanee a hugely impressive save percentage of 78.3.
There may have been the odd hearts-in-mouths moment with the ball at his feet, but there was little argument that the Londoner deserved his place in the EFL League Two Team of the Year, joining Elliot Lee in the final XI.
Just what happens next with the former England Under-18 international remains to be seen. As it stands, he’s out of contract at the Emirates Stadium and there is understood to be serious interest already from the Championship.
If his stay in north Wales is to prove just a one-year affair, a first career promotion means he will leave with everyone’s gratitude. Not least the producers of Welcome to Wrexham, who thanks to Okonkwo’s presence between the posts got the happy ending they craved for the eighth and final episode of the new series when it is broadcast in mid-June.
(Top photo: Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)