Southampton vs Wrexham LIVE: Ryan Reynolds and Co kick off Championship campaign against former Premier League side

1 month ago 31

By DAN DAVIS, SPORTS REPORTER and JAMES SHARPE

Updated: 12:35 BST, 9 August 2025

Follow Mail Sport's live blog of Southampton versus Wrexham as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side make their bow in the Championship against the Saints.

Teams are out!

It's game time, folks. Here come the players.

St Mary's is absolutely rocking.

It felt like I blinked and the summer break was over.

Not that I'm complaining.

'As special as you'd expect'

The atmosphere among the Wrexham fans is as special as you'd expect. Just spoken to one supporter who described her 2.30am alarm call as like waking up on Christmas morning. The supporter coaches at off from Wrexham's ground at 5am. But they're here in full voice, ready for the latest adventure…will it be four in a row?

'The very best version of Wrexham'

By Dan Davis

Southampton boss Will Still, speaking pre-match:

We're expecting a lot of intensity, a lot of 50-50s, challenges and quite a high-intensity game, because that's the way they play and that's the way we want to play.

They've obviously got this momentum going through the team and through the club, so we expect the very best version of Wrexham.

We will have to be at our very best as well.

'We're running out at Southampton'

By Dan Davis

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson, speaking pre-match:

It's amazing that we'll be running out at Southampton in front of a packed house, against a team that has spent a lot of time in the Premier League over the last few years.

When I look at my first game here, Solihull away in front of a couple of thousand people, and four years later we're running out at Southampton.

Wrexham team news

By Dan Davis

There are no less than SIX new signings in that starting XI.

Danny Ward, Conor Coady, Kieffer Moore, Liberato Cacace (what a name), Lewis O'Brien and Josh Windass are all in from the off.

Fellow recent arrival Ryan Hardie is on the bench.

Southampton team news

By Dan Davis

Will Still has sprung a couple of surprise selections.

He's stuck with the back five formation which worked pretty well against Brighton in pre-season.

Matheus Fernandes is on the bench while Flynn Downes starts.

Adam Armstrong is the No 9 and Ryan Fraser and Jay Robinson will look to feed him as much as they can from both flanks.

A blockbuster day

By Dan Davis

Welcome, welcome.

I really missed this, y'know. The Championship is finally back in full swing and we've got a jam-packed day of action to bring you.

We're starting off down on the south coast - not too far away from my old manor, actually - to watch Southampton take on Wrexham.

Don't go anywhere.

Steven Paston/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.