In a career spanning more than two decades that reached the heights of appearing at a World Cup, Ben Foster’s time at Wrexham should, by rights, be little more than a footnote.
Just 29 of his 462 league appearances were made in the Welsh club’s colours, and yet, even now, two-and-a-half years after hanging up his gloves for the final time at the age of 40, the second of two stints at The Racecourse Ground still resonates.
“I played for England, I played for Man United, I played nearly 400-odd Premier League games,” says the former goalkeeper. “But, any time anyone sees me — it could be on holiday or just in the shop buying groceries or whatever — the only thing they mention is ‘that’ penalty save.”
We are talking, of course, about Easter Monday, 2023. Notts County were the visitors, and Wrexham led 3-2 six minutes into stoppage time of an epic clash. It had been every bit as hard-fought as a National League title race that remains a standard bearer for life outside the EFL.
Eoghan O’Connell’s handball inside the penalty area meant league leaders Notts County had a lifeline. Cedwyn Scott stepped up and saw his spotkick saved by Foster. Cue bedlam as the momentum swung decisively Wrexham’s way in a title race that had seen both teams already reach 100 points.
“It is up there with my Birmingham City League Cup (final) win over Arsenal,” adds Foster.
“There’s the adrenaline rush of running down the pitch (at Wembley in 2011 with Birmingham), making my England debut, and that penalty save. There’s the footage of me making the penalty save, and then the camera pans to the Notts County fan who puts his head in his hands. I’m getting goosebumps just talking about it now.”
As, no doubt, will Wrexham fans reading those words. No matter how high the club goes — and, certainly, the Premier League now seems a much more attainable goal than it did when owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac first spoke of their lofty ambitions — it’s hard to believe anything will top the emotion of Wrexham ending 15 years in the non-League wilderness.
Foster may have been a late addition to the roll-call of heroes who went on to deliver the first of three consecutive promotions under Hollywood ownership, having only come out of retirement in March 2023 to solve a goalkeeping crisis. But his place in Wrexham folklore alongside Paul Mullin, Ben Tozer et al is assured.
Happily, he’s still involved with a club that played an unwitting role in his first big break. Sir Alex Ferguson watched son Darren captain Wrexham in the 2005 Football League Trophy final and was sufficiently impressed by the goalkeeper, on loan from Stoke City, that he subsequently signed him for Manchester United.
Foster joined last summer’s Down Under tour as an ambassador, a role the former England international also fulfils with the Wrexham Foundation, and also hosts the hugely entertaining That Wrexham Podcast in conjunction with the club.
“The first few seasons of the (Welcome to Wrexham) documentary were such a big hit that everyone remembers those original characters,” he says, speaking ahead of the release of new content from his CGK Studios. “I was lucky enough to be one of those, along with the likes of Tozer, Ollie Palmer, (Paul) Mullin, all those boys.
“They will all have a part to play with the club going forward. We understand what it was like to be there when Wrexham were just starting. I know it’s big and shiny now, and on the cusp of getting to the Premier League. That’s ridiculous, really.
“To see what it was like back then and the progress since, you’re very proud to be part of those beginnings.”
Ben Foster (centre) now runs The Fozcast (CGK Studios)
Only Max Cleworth and Ryan Barnett remain in the current Wrexham squad from the one Foster left behind when he called a halt to his second stint at The Racecourse in August 2023.
Despite this, he sees the same qualities, not least in terms of character, that helped settle the epic 2022-23 National League title race in the Welsh club’s favour. And he puts this down to one man.
“The manager,” says the 42-year-old, who won eight England caps — including a start at the 2014 World Cup. “Wrexham’s owners put so much faith and trust in him. Probably more than any other manager in world football. I genuinely mean that. No manager gets free rein on everything. But, he is the one who decides on every single transfer, tactics, the team, every single thing is left to Phil Parkinson and (assistant) Steve Parkin.
“Without doubt, there is a ‘no d**kheads’ rule. A really good rule to have, really important. You get one d**khead and that dickhead makes it two. They are like bacteria, spreading through football clubs.
“I’ve seen that with my own eyes. If you stop even one getting through the door, you’ve a massive fighting chance. You can win so many more games, and you can be in such a better position just by having no d**kheads around the place.”
Seventy-six signings have been made on Parkinson’s watch. Throughout Parkinson’s managerial career, he has always insisted on meeting any prospective signing, preferably in person, so, as one former chairman puts it, “Phil can see the whites of their eyes”.
Transfers have been cancelled if, as Foster says, a player’s character is judged not to be a good fit. And no one is exempt, not even former England internationals.
“I remember Phil asking me halfway through, ‘Do you want this? Are you sure you want this?’,” says Foster about his own first meeting, which was conducted over Zoom due to a lack of time.
“It took me aback, I’ll be honest. Remember, I’d been retired for seven, eight months. I was having a nice time as well, really happy doing all the media stuff. So, Phil wanted to know if I really wanted it.
“It told me he wasn’t messing around. I wasn’t going to be afforded any graces. If I was going to Wrexham, I was going to do this properly. And that’s what I did.”
Foster had been busy in those months following his first retirement in September 2022. He had a burgeoning social-media career, including the popular The Cycling GK YouTube channel and matchday videos.
Joining Wrexham meant those twin passions of playing and tech could combine further. He’d started putting a GoPro camera in the back of his goal towards the end of his time at Watford.
Fans quickly started lapping up the footage, the nine videos he filmed at Wrexham racking up an average of 1.2 million views within the first month. The GoPro video for the now-famous Notts County game eventually reached 5.5 million views.
“Wrexham had to be happy,” adds Foster, whose Fozcast and Cycling GK output boast a combined 1.7 million subscribers and 170 million views. “They were used to having (the documentary) cameras around the place.
Foster celebrates his penalty save against Notts County (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
“Even then, though, you have to be sensible. I was 40 at the time, so knew what could be shown and what shouldn’t be. There’s still a worry in that, if we lost the game, it (GoPro) would be seen by others as a problem and a hindrance.
“My mind was on the camera, that’s what people would say. But, if we win, people were, like, ‘Gosh, I can’t wait for the video’. Thankfully, I was joining a team who were so good and so much better than anyone else.”
Not everything ran to plan. Foster recalls with a shudder the 3-1 defeat at FC Halifax Town during the National League run-in that threatened to derail their title push.
It was a bad day, though one that proved to be a watershed for Wrexham’s season, as just three days later they beat Notts County 3-2 in the most dramatic of fashions to leave the club’s experienced goalkeeper in no doubt as to the strength of the dressing room that Parkinson had built.
“I remember Halifax like it was yesterday,” he recalls. “It was Good Friday and we were awful. But, funnily enough, losing to Halifax might have been the best thing that happened because Ben Tozer stood up in the dressing room and gave it to everyone.
“He was saying, ‘This doesn’t happen again, this is the rocket we needed to raise our standards’. Even the manager stopped and listened. Same with the coaches. And that’s exactly what we did against Notts County on the Monday.”