Hollywood-owned Wrexham have banned their star striker from wearing a pair of custom-made ‘F*** the Tories’ football boots and told him to delete pictures of them taken at their stadium this week.
English forward Paul Mullin, 27, caused a stir on social media when he posted photos of his new boots, which include the expletive anti-Conservative party message along with ‘Mullin 10’, a tribute to singer Jamie Webster and a silhouette of the skyline in his hometown of Liverpool.
Mullin posted a picture of his new boots on the same day that Rishi Sunak became the new leader of the Conservative party.
Wrexham became a Conservative seat for the first time ever back in 2019, when MP Sarah Atherton ended close to 90 years of Labour reign in the city.
The original images were captured at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham’s home stadium, before being deleted and retaken in a plain setting.
And Sportsmail understands Wrexham – the National League club owned by star acting duo Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds – were not best pleased that the pictures were taken at their ground and asked Mullin to remove them in talks on Monday.
Wrexham striker Paul Mullin, 27, revealed his controversial new football boots this week
Mullin shared photos of his custom-made design which includes ‘F*** the Tories’ stitching
The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds (L) and Rob McElhenney (R), were not pleased that the pictures were taken at their ground and asked Mullin to delete them
Boot designers CustomsZebra were then asked by the player to delete their post of the original shots before later reposting with a new, plain background.
Mullin uploaded his new photos of the boots on Instagram, and the post even earned a like from Red Dragons chief Reynolds.
However, Sportsmail reached out to Wrexham for comment on Tuesday and the club insisted Mullin would not be wearing them in matches moving forward.
A club statement read: ‘The Club can confirm that the boots revealed by Paul Mullin on social media will not be worn tonight [against Halifax], or in any other Wrexham AFC fixture and that the photographs taken at the Racecourse Ground were done so without our knowledge or approval.
‘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.
Wrexham did not approve of the images being captured at their 10,771-capacity stadium
But in Mullin’s reuploaded post on TikTok, club chief Reynolds liked the pictures of his boots
‘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.
‘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.’
Mullin has become a cult hero at Wrexham after scoring 43 goals in 57 games for the Welsh side while striking up an unlikely bond with Reynolds and McElhenney off the pitch.
Reynolds and McElhenney have been frequently spotted with the former Cambridge United striker on social media of late, but that didn’t spare him of a dressing down from club officials over his new boots.
Mullin posted his new boots on the same day that Rishi Sunak became the new leader of the Conservative party
Mr Sunak will be appointed as the country’s next prime minister by the King on Tuesday.
He took up the reins as leader of the Conservative Party without a vote after rivals Penny Mordaunt and Boris Johnson dropped out of the race for No 10, and will replace Liz Truss in the top job.
Ms Truss has held her final Cabinet meeting and gave a farewell speech in Downing Street before formally tendering her resignation to Charles at Buckingham Palace.
Once she has left, it will be Mr Sunak’s turn to see the King, who will ask him to form an administration.
The new Tory leader is expected to address the nation just before noon, before entering No 10 as the UK’s first Hindu prime minister, the first of Asian heritage, and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42.