EFL

PAUL MULLIN has recounted the chilling moment in which he “thought he might die” after puncturing his lung against Manchester United.The Wrexham striker was in pre-season action last month as his side took on a youthful Red Devils squad in San Diego.
Paul Mullin was involved in a horrifying clash with Nathan BishopCredit: Getty
The forward required oxygen as he left the pitchCredit: Getty
Early on in the match, Mullin was inadvertently clattered by United stopper Nathan Bishop.
He had to take oxygen as he left the pitch, and was subsequently unable to fly home with his team-mates as he required more care in hospital.
In a first person piece for The Athletic, the 28-year-old has lifted the lid on his awful ordeal.
He wrote: “I was trying to breathe in but nothing was happening. I couldn’t get air into my lungs.
Read More Football Stories
“That’s when I knew it was bad. In that struggle for breath, with my lips turning blue, I accepted that this could be it for me. That’s how it felt. I couldn’t breathe properly for a few minutes.
“I was thinking about my little boy, Albi. I hate being away from him and my partner Mollie for too long but I had told myself it was only two weeks and that I’d be back home soon. It ended up being much longer, but I’m so thankful it wasn’t worse.
“I remember, a few seconds earlier, getting my head to the ball and then going down.
“For someone like me who will do that kind of thing again and again, being winded is something I’m used to. It usually lasts around 10 seconds and is never nice. Only this time I couldn’t shake it.”
Most read in EFL
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Mullin revealed that in addition to puncturing his lung, he also fractured four ribs.
Following his side’s 3-1 win, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson was furious at Bishop’s role in the incident.
Mullin spent 13 hours on oxygen before being discharged from hospital, and subsequently had to remain in the States until being deemed fit to travel.
On the care he received from Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, he continued: “Rob, Ryan and everyone at the club have looked after me amazingly. The owners even sent a PlayStation to the Long Beach apartment where we were staying. It helped pass the time.
“Ryan offered to fly my entire family out and Rob said I could stay with him in his Los Angeles home. I’m sure he has the room, but I was happy to stay out of the way.
“So they sorted an apartment for us instead. Rob visited me there before heading to Wales for our opening game of the season against MK Dons.”
Mullin remained in California as Wrexham fell to a 5-3 opening day defeat to MK Dons.
But he has now finally been able to fly home.
Bishop, meanwhile, has since left Man United.
Read More on The Sun
The 23-year-old penned a three-year deal with Sunderland earlier this month.
He has been left on the bench for the Black Cats’ first two Championship matches of the campaign, but started their League Cup first round clash against Crewe.
Mullin had to be rushed to hospital after the incidentCredit: paulmullin12/Instagram
Rob McElhenney looked out for his team’s star strikerCredit: Instagram @robmcelhenney More

RYAN REYNOLDS and Rob McElhenney stroll around the pitch perimeter before kick-off signing autographs, posing for selfies and chatting to fans.They are with Hollywood buddy Hugh Jackman — the latest celebrity to take in a game at the Racecourse Ground.
Hugh Jackman was guest of honour as Wrexham lost 5-3 to MK Dons in their season openerCredit: Getty
MK Dons triumphed in an entertaining away win at the Racecourse GroundCredit: Rex
Inevitably, they are followed around by a Disney crew filming the latest instalment of Welcome To Wrexham as the circus that surrounds this club continues unabated.
That is ironic seeing as one of Jackman’s most famous films The Greatest Showman told the story of a circus.
Saturday’s match was historic for the world’s third oldest professional football club as they made their long-awaited return to the EFL after 15 years.
And you can bet your bottom dollar those TV execs in California were hoping their latest offering was going to have that American Dream ending.
READ MORE WREXHAM NEWS
But we British do more gritty reality in our movies and Graham Alexander and his MK Dons were more than happy to play the villains
They silenced the star-struck Wrexham faithful by racing into a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes thanks to an own goal from Eoghan O’Connell and a Mo Eisa strike.
And although Jacob Mendy pulled one back before the break, Jonathan Leko’s second-half double put the Dons in control.
Home-grown Jordan Davies pulled one back before Daniel Harvie scored Dons’ fifth with a late injury-time Anthony Forde strike only consolation for Wrexham.
Most read in Football

DREAM TEAM IS LIVE – JOIN NOW TO BATTLE FOR THE £50k TOP PRIZE
But the football reality was that the hosts looked jaded and flat against a team which were sharper, more clinical and quite frankly better prepared.
Wrexham, to please their Hollywood owners and their new American fanbase, had to fly out for what I thought was a ridiculously scheduled and sometimes self-indulgent two-week pre-season US tour.
MK Dons, during their build-up, took on local teams Wealdstone, Barnet, Coventry and Northampton on these shores and went on a short training camp to Germany including a friendly against Bundesliga 2 club VfL Osnabruck.
But Reynolds and McElhenney flew their team across the pond for a breathless two weeks, which included friendlies against Chelsea, LA Galaxy 2nd XI, Manchester United’s kids and a second string Philadelphia team.
On that tour they were in North Carolina on the East Coast which saw them face a strong Chelsea side and got thumped 5-0.
Then they flew to the West Coast to LA via Denver to take on LA Galaxy 2nd XI, winning 4-0, before beating a United youth side 3-1 in San Diego.
And following that they were back over to the East side to visit McElhenney’s home city where they drew 1-1 against Philadelphia Union’s second string.
A huge thunderstorm saw that game delayed for more than two hours at half-time.
McElhenney of course stars in the famous US sitcom It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
The players finally arrived home less than a week before their EFL curtain raiser — and were weary and jet-lagged for a few days, which did not lend itself well to doing proper preparation ahead of facing MK Dons.
So it was no wonder they did not look up to speed against a team that were completely on the money from  kick-off.
I questioned manager Phil Parkinson after his press conference about the scheduling of the US tour and the lack of matches against local opponents.
And he told me it was because the commercial opportunities of going to the States were too great to pass up.
So therein lies the problem for a League Two club that have more social media followers than several Premier League sides. They are committed to promoting their global brand.
That means there is always going to be a trade off between what is right football-wise and what is right commercially.
The Hollywood pair bought the club for £2million and the Disney series alone has made them around £7m. Each episode rakes in around £430,000 profit.
After a decade and a half outside the EFL, there is now a real feel-good factor at the club.
Tickets for Saturday’s game sold out 12 hours after they were put on sale, such is the excitement in the town.
Wrexham are building a new 5,500 seater stand, replacing the old Kop, which will increase the capacity close to 16,000.
And the Welsh national team will be playing their first international at the Racecourse for four years when they take on Gibraltar in October.
There is no doubt all the Hollywood stardust sprinkled on this club will make them sometimes unpopular among the League Two community.
But that is mostly down to jealousy. 
Most clubs at this level would give their right arm to have what is going on here in North Wales.
Despite all the razzmatazz of Reynolds and his movie star pals, Wrexham are still a lower-league club that will always be loved and cherished in their community long after the circus eventually leaves town.
The Dragons got a record 111 points to clinch last season’s National League title after an incredible ding-dong with Notts County, who got 107.
Yet the Magpies also shipped five in their opening-day defeat at Sutton.
Read More on The Sun
And that led one Wrexham fan to wryly remark: “It’s going to be some relegation battle.”
Now that really would make for true compelling British drama. More

THE son of Manchester United legend Andy Cole bagged a stunning hat-trick on the opening day of the season.Barnsley kickstarted their League One campaign in style with an emphatic 7-0 win over Port Vale at Oakwell.
Devante Cole bagged an impressive hat-trickCredit: News images
As Barnsley put last season’s heartache behind them in a 7-0 winCredit: Zuma Press
But it was Devante Cole who stole the show with a brilliant treble.
Cole, 28, spent his youth career at Manchester City, after his United legend dad Andy’s brief stint at the Etihad.
But he never made a first team appearance for the Sky Blues instead shining in a brief loan spell with Barnsley, before permanent moves to fellow third-tier sides Bradford, Fleetwood, Wigan and Doncaster.
After a fruitful spell in Scotland with Motherwell, Cole rejoined the Tykes in 2021, and has now scored 19 goals in 70 league games.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
And he’ll look to improve that record this season after making the best possible start.
Cole opened the scoring on Saturday as he slotted home after a brilliant low ball in behind by debutant Corey O’Keefe.
And he proved to be far from finished as he blasted home two more in the space of five minutes during the second-half.
Cole will be thanking team-mate Nicky Cadden for not stealing his hat-trick goal which just about trickled over the line.
Most read in Football

DREAM TEAM IS LIVE – JOIN NOW TO BATTLE FOR THE £50k TOP PRIZE
Manager Neill Collins told the BBC: “Devante Cole has impressed me. He scored goals at really important times. He took his goals fantastically well”.
Devante chose to leave Man City permanently for Bradford in 2015 after what he considered unfair treatment towards the club’s English players.
He stated: “They’d brought through players like Micah Richards and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
“Then they got their money and everything changed straight away. They started buying foreign boys for the academy and all the English lads got pushed to one side.
“Some players were picked regardless of form because they’d had millions of pounds spent on them. It wasn’t fair on the ones who’d come through the ranks”.
But he seems to have put the past behind him as he looks to help the Reds secure that all important promotion this season.
Liam Kitching, Jon Russell and Andrew Dallas were on also on target while Dan Jones netted an own goal as new boss Collins got a dream start with last season’s play-off finalists.
It was the biggest win on the opening weekend of a Football League season since Wolves beat Manchester City 8-1 in 1962-1963.
Devante father is Manchester United legend striker Andy ColeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

IT’S not always sunny in Philadelphia, as Wrexham found out last night.The League Two side, co-owned by Always Sunny star Rob McElhenney, concluded their US tour with a trip to Philly to face the Union’s second team at Subaru Stadium.
Lightning struck as Wrexham’s pre-season friendly was delayedCredit: Getty
The match resumed in brutal conditionsCredit: Alamy
A fan waves a flag despite being urged to retreat to the concourseCredit: Getty
The match kicked off in uncomfortably hot, sticky conditions.
And when a storm rolled into Philadelphia, fans were urged to take shelter in the concourses and avoid their exposed seats due to threat of lightning strikes.
Rather than abandon the match, players and staff were made to be patient, waiting for the storm to pass.
After a two hour delay , players finally returned to the pitch -undergoing a short warm-up before getting back to action.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
The second half finally kicked off at around 11pm local time.
During the break, Wrexham fans still found a way to have a good time in the concourse.
While taking shelter, supporters sang songs and made use of the refreshment stalls in order to stay entertained.
The match had been level at 1-1 as the players made their way in after the opening 45 minutes.
Most read in EFL
DREAM TEAM IS LIVE – JOIN NOW TO BATTLE FOR THE £50k TOP PRIZE

Tom O’Connor gave the League Two new-boys the lead on 42 minutes, pouncing on a loose ball following a set-piece.
Phil Parkinson’s side weren’t in front for long, with Jeremy Rafanello deflecting a free-kick beyond a wrong-footed Ben Foster.
After the extended half-time break, Parkinson made 11 changes to his side – with the match going on to finish 1-1.
Ahead of the match, Philadelphia-born McElhenney described his excitement at seeing Wrexham play in his hometown.
He tweeted: “A dream comes true for me tomorrow.
“Thank you @Wrexham_AFC @PhilaUnion and the entire city of Brotherly Love!!! Wow.”
Parkinson, meanwhile, was just happy not see a repeat of the incident that saw star striker Paul Mullin puncture a lung against Manchester United.
On his side’s US tour, he said: “It was a great experience for our guys to play four different teams this summer and face new things.
“We wanted to get through tonight with no injuries and we did that.”
Read More on The Sun
In addition to beating a young Man United side 3-1 and drawing last night – Wrexham triumphed 4-0 over LA Galaxy’s second team but lost 5-0 to Chelsea.
They are set to kick-off their first League Two campaign since 2007-08 by hosting MK Dons at the Racecourse Ground next Saturday.
Wrexham fans did their best to enjoy themselves in the concourseCredit: TWITTER @GSingcuenco
A thunderstorm struck on a hot, sticky evening in PennsylvaniaCredit: Getty More