Rob McElhenney forced to correct interviewer for asking 'illegal' Tom Brady question ahead of Birmingham vs Wrexham

09/16/2024 09:25 AM

Rob McElhenney had to remind an interviewer of the rules ahead of Wrexham and Birmingham’s blockbuster clash.

The American actor’s side, who he co-owns with fellow Hollywood icon Ryan Reynolds, will face off against the Blues, where NFL legend Tom Brady is a minority shareholder.

Despite being a League One fixture, the match has drawn plenty of attention across the globe due to the high-profile names attached to both clubs, and McElhenney was quizzed on it whilst at the Emmys in Los Angeles on Sunday.

With the eagerly-anticipated clash kicking off on Monday night, the movie star was asked if he and Brady had "a little side bet going on," by an excited interviewer.

However, McElhenney was quick to remind the journalist of the strict rules in place, which prohibit anyone involved in football placing bets on the outcome of any match.

He replied: "We're not legally allowed to bet on the games.”

Despite this, the Red Dragons’ co-owner revealed that he would be joining his rival counterpart for the encounter at St Andrews, with another huge name also in attendance.

He continued: "We have fun via social media and what not, but I'll be joining him and I believe Mr David Beckham will be there as well.

“We're just going to have a good time."

Beckham appears to have struck up a friendship with Brady, with the pair previously spotted together at a match between Inter Miami, who the football icon owns, and Cincinnati in August.

The Manchester United and England legend is the latest sports star to be drawn into the third-tier clash, with Brady’s NFL rival Eli Manning also joining in on the pre-match jibes.

Last week, Wrexham‘s social media accounts shared a picture of Manning donning the club’s red shirt in a bid to rile the Blues’ minority owner.

In response, Brady took to X and Instagram with a video featuring one of his six Super Bowl trophies.

At the end of the clip, the legendary former quarterback appeals to McElhenney, asking him to "educate the Wrexham fans just a little bit on the history of the NFL."

The clash will mark a quick turnaround for McElhenney, who revealed in the same interview that he would be flying directly to the match from the awards ceremony, which took place at 1:00am UK time.

He said: "After the Emmys I'm hopping off on a plane and going out to Birmingham, England to watch Wrexham play Tom Brady's team, Birmingham City."

A huge audience is expected for the fixture both in England and the US, with the Welsh side’s rise since their takeover by McElhenney and Reynolds earning them a large following.

Since their 2020 purchase of the club, the Robins have enjoyed an incredible rise, achieving back-to-back promotions to take them from the National League to League One in two seasons.

With ambitions to eventually reach the Premier League, they have certainly started the season in the right manner, sitting top of the table after five games.

Meanwhile, Birmingham currently occupy sixth place, three points behind their rivals having played a game less.