By Gareth James
Wrexham have been heavily criticised on social media for their decision to ban the boots of striker Paul Mullin.
Mullin will not wear his controversial new boots which featured an X-rated message for the Conservatives.
The 11-goal forward had posted an image on Instagram of the boots, with ‘f*** the Tories’ printed on the side of them.
But the National League promotion chasers, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, moved swiftly to ban the boots.
That decision, however, has come under fire on Twitter with one fan claiming it had brought “shame” on the club and another suggesting it revealed Reynolds and McElhenney as Tory sympathisers.
have now forgiven paul mullin for diving to win a penalty and scoring with his hand in the playoff semi-final last season for exposing @VancityReynolds, @RMcElhenney & @Wrexham_AFC as enormous tory sympathisers through the medium of customised football boots https://t.co/3SmuTajFwe pic.twitter.com/7GOzupREEG
— chris j (@cj11tt) October 25, 2022
Dave Bishop tweeted: “Respect to you Paul Mullin. Shame on you @Wrexham_AFC for stopping wearing the boots in games.”
Another tweeted: “Have now forgiven paul mullin for diving to win a penalty and scoring with his hand in the playoff semi-final last season for exposing @VancityReynold and @RMcElhenney and @Wrexham_AFC as enormous tory sympathisers through the medium of customised football boots.”
Earlier, the Wrexham statement read: “The club can confirm that the boots revealed by Paul Mullin on social media will not be worn tonight, or in any other Wrexham AFC fixture and that the photographs taken at the Racecourse Ground were done so without our knowledge or approval.
Respect to you Paul Mullin. Shame on you @Wrexham_AFC for stopping him from wearing the boots in games. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/6T22eBDxmF
— Dave Bishop (@woodstockcatman) October 25, 2022
“For the record, the pictures wouldn’t have been permitted to be taken, had we known, and the issue will be dealt with privately by the club.
“The club has adopted a neutral position on many matters with a political dimension and intends to continue to do so going forward.
“The club also acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, whether that be employees or supporters but would also highlight that an individual view cannot be fairly attributed, as the view of everyone or the club itself.
Paul Mullin is entitled to that opinion. I don’t like the bloke, but it’s called an opinion.
Here comes the ‘keep politics out of football’ brigade.
— Alex Ramsden (@TheCloneOfAlex) October 25, 2022
“There is no more prominent example of this than the fact that the MP for the constituency within which the club is found, is a Conservative seat.
“After this unwelcome distraction, the club hopes the focus remains on our objectives of gaining promotion on the field and creating community benefit off it, in which Paul Mullin will continue to play a significant part.”
