Wrexham co-owners Reynolds, McElhenney spoof Southampton 'Spygate' ahead of Championship clash

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, co-owners of Wrexham Football Club, have cleverly incorporated a football and showbusiness twist into their latest advertisement for internet browser Firefox. The 59-second video, released on Thursday, playfully references Southampton's alleged "Spygate" scandal ahead of the upcoming Championship match between the two clubs.

In the video, Reynolds, the renowned Canadian-American actor famous for his role as Deadpool, and McElhenney, known for his work in the television comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, emerge from behind a tree. Reynolds begins by mentioning, "Today, for no particular reason, we want to talk about the importance of privacy," followed by McElhenney's addition about preventing "spies from seeing what you're doing on the internet."

The duo then humorously references several clubs whose training sessions were allegedly observed by Southampton last season, including Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough. As they proceed, Reynolds emphasizes the significance of privacy, stating, "Privacy - that's important to people everywhere," while highlighting Firefox's privacy features. He concludes by remarking, "Refreshing, huh? An organization that actually respects your privacy."

The joke is a clever allusion to Southampton's "Spygate" controversy, which arose in May when Middlesbrough accused the team of unauthorized filming at their training ground. The English Football League charged Southampton, subsequently expelling them from the Championship playoffs after admitting to observing opponents' training sessions within 72 hours of matches.

Middlesbrough, who lost the playoff semi-final to Southampton, were later reinstated in the final, with Hull City ultimately clinching promotion to the Premier League.

The Football Association subsequently launched an investigation, alleging that Southampton had spied on opponents multiple times between December 2025 and May 2026. Reynolds and McElhenney acquired Wrexham Football Club in 2021, currently sitting 19th in the 24-team Championship table, while Southampton are ninth after seven matches.