Ex Birmingham star Brady and Birmingham City win the celebrity derby against Wrexham, giving them the right to gloat.

17/09/2024 dominic SOCCER 0

Brady and Beckham were in attendance when Birmingham City defeated Wrexham.

Legendary quarterback Tom Brady, accustomed to a different kind of “Monday Night Football,” was one of several superstars at St Andrew’s as his Birmingham City team defeated Wrexham 3-1, ending their unbeaten start in League One. Dubbed the “Hollywood Derby,” the match saw Brady, Rob McElhenney, and David Beckham in attendance, though Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham’s co-owner, watched via FaceTime.

Brady, who holds a 3.3% stake in Birmingham City, expressed his excitement before the match, telling Sky Sports, “You can feel the energy in the stadium. If you love football, you should be watching tonight.” The NFL star was seen on the pitch throwing an American football with Birmingham players and later presented McElhenney with a Birmingham shirt before receiving a warm, if mixed, reception from Wrexham fans.

McElhenney, fresh from attending the Emmys, had former quarterback Eli Manning as a Wrexham fan for the day, reigniting their past rivalry, with Manning having defeated Brady’s Patriots in two Super Bowls. Fans pointed to Brady’s vast achievements in response, with actor Hugh Jackman joining the banter on social media.

Despite the off-field star power, the match itself featured two unbeaten League One teams vying for promotion. Birmingham, having spent nearly £30 million this summer, were looking to return to the Championship after relegation, while Wrexham aimed for a third straight promotion under the ownership of Reynolds and McElhenney.

The visitors took an early lead when Jack Marriott scored just two minutes in, but Birmingham equalized through Jay Stansfield after a fumble by Wrexham’s Arthur Okonkwo. Stansfield then put Birmingham ahead in the 52nd minute, heading home from an Alex Cochrane cross. Tomoki Iwata added a stunning third goal from 25 yards out, securing the win despite Birmingham captain Krystian Bielik being sent off late in the game.

The match, filled with drama and a mass brawl late on, gave Brady the bragging rights in the first “Hollywood Derby.”