Ben Foster comes OUT of retirement to sign for Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham

Ben Foster has come out of retirement to sign for Wrexham until the end of the season in a stunning swoop for the National League leaders.

His move comes just a month after Tottenham failed to lure Foster to north London as cover for injured goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

The former Premier League star, who carved out fruitful spells at Manchester United, Birmingham, West Brom and Watford, will return to the Welsh side for the first time in 18 years, having previously played there on loan in 2005.

Since his initial retirement, the 39-year-old star has hosted ‘Fozcast – The Ben Foster Podcast’, which boasts 175,000 YouTube subscribers, and will now team up with Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at The Racecourse Ground.

Upon signing for the club, Foster said: ‘I’m over the moon. I’ve been at the Club an hour this morning and it seems a really nice place. Everyone is down to earth and the manager’s top class. 

Goalkeeper Ben Foster has come out of retirement to sign for National League side Wrexham

Goalkeeper Ben Foster has come out of retirement to sign for National League side Wrexham

He will now team up with Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds (left) and Rob McElhenney (right)

He will now team up with Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds (left) and Rob McElhenney (right)

‘It’s changed a lot since I was last here, but it’s nice to be back and it’s nice to be back as a player too. It will be interesting to see how my body feels after training today! I’m looking forward to getting started. 

‘The first time I was here, it was genuinely the springboard to the rest of my career – on the back of the loan move, playing in the LDV Vans Trophy Final at the Millennium Stadium, I got my move to Manchester United at the start of the next season. It was absolutely bonkers! 

‘If you’d told me 18 years ago that I’d have gone on to have the career that I have had, I probably wouldn’t have believed you to be honest so I do owe a lot to Wrexham.’ 

The club added in a statement on their website: ‘Wrexham AFC are delighted to confirm the signing of goalkeeper Ben Foster until the end of the season.

‘The experienced keeper, 39, returns to the Racecourse Ground 18 years after he last played for the Club, on a loan spell which included a starring role in the LDV Vans Trophy Final success at the Millennium Stadium.’

Foster’s impressive performance during the 2005 final riveted the gaze of ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, whose son Darren was playing during Wrexham’s 2-0 triumph over Southend.

The Red Devils signed Foster from his parent club Stoke City that summer, following his fruitful loan spell in Wales.

He hosts 'Fozcast - The Ben Foster Podcast', which now boasts 175,000 YouTube subscribers

He hosts ‘Fozcast – The Ben Foster Podcast’, which now boasts 175,000 YouTube subscribers

The former Premier League star has been without a club since the end of last season, when he left Watford following the Hornets’ relegation from the top flight.  

The goalkeeper quickly attracted interest from Carabao Cup finallists Newcastle but decided against the move in an effort to stay close to his family.

On his podcast The Fozcast, Foster disclosed how he was contacted by agent Richard Lee last summer – who told him that the Magpies were keen to sign him ‘ASAP’ and that they had offered a contract with ‘everything you wanted’.

‘If I go up there [to Newcastle], I might still be able to put a bit of a face on and show, but I won’t be me,’ he revealed last September. ‘I’ve got to be happy, I’ve got to be comfortable and I won’t be able to do that if I’m that far away from my family.’ 

The former England international has been without a club since his departure from Watford, who were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last campaign with just 23 points

The former England international has been without a club since his departure from Watford, who were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last campaign with just 23 points

Foster earned eight England caps and made one appearance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Foster earned eight England caps and made one appearance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Foster was offered a deal by Newcastle to play understudy to first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope this season. 

Had he accepted, the veteran would likely have starred in last month’s Carabao Cup final between Newcastle and his former side Manchester United, who triumphed 2-0 after injuries to Pope and Martin Dubravka forced Eddie Howe to call on Loris Karius between the sticks.

Spurs’ attempt to coax Foster out of retirement last month was blocked by the Premier League under their current rules.

In certain circumstances, clubs are able to register players outside of the transfer window – and require special dispensation to do so. 

source: dailymail.co.uk