Brady, Beckham and Deadpool - but fans and football the stars

American tv royalty, an NFL fable and a world shot icon.

And yet, by nan end, Rob McElhenney, Tom Brady and David Beckham were only nan cameos to nan apical billing astatine St Andrew’s.

Because, arsenic Birmingham City and Wrexham reminded america successful Blues’ 3-1 victory, no-one comes to a crippled to look astatine nan stands.

Yes, location was nan fascination of nan surreal quality of it all, nan high-profile director’s container dissimilar thing League One had seen before.

And fewer would contradict nan value of nan financial and eager thrust of nan owners to their respective clubs - and successful someway making a third-tier crippled a must-watch to audiences beyond nan EFL regulars.

But, arsenic ever pinch football, it is what happens connected nan transportation that will ever create nan champion play and nan champion headlines.

And it is really nan support reacts that sucks everyone in, whether connected nan A-list aliases pinch nan cheapest ticket, it is nan aforesaid operation of ambiance and adrenaline. The addictive hope, nan crushing rustle of a comeback, nan unreserved of getting carried distant pinch what could beryllium next.

It was each location astatine St Andrew's. For Wrexham fans wondering if they tin proceed their unthinkable emergence only to beryllium reminded of nan size of nan challenge. For Birmingham fans loudly believing they tin spell connected to bigger and amended things.

Football has that wont of being nan awesome unifier. A-list aliases inexpensive seats, nan sound and nan unscripted play gets to all.

Perhaps moreover much truthful astatine this level. The headliners whitethorn beryllium utilized to nan elite, but present successful nan 3rd tier, it is each a small much earthy and much raucous, a small much hopeless and dreamy.

It is why Blues number shareholder Brady, of unparalleled occurrence successful his ain sport, was nan aforesaid arsenic scores of different location fans arsenic they celebrated what already felt for illustration a important capacity and result.

It is why Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds – only coming courtesy of a video telephone from chap president McElhenney – had to return nan mocking songs successful bully humour.

And it is why, by nan extremity of it, nan talk was much of Jay Stansfield’s goals, of tempers boiling over, and of waiting until nan ‘Hollywood’ rematch astatine nan Racecourse successful January.

Of course, this is thing caller for Wrexham.

Headlines and movie crews person followed their occurrence for immoderate time.

Birmingham leader Chris Davies said afterwards he had not been distracted by nan profile, but admitted he was pleased his players had managed to support attraction and show why their costly squad are rightly tipped to caput consecutive backmost up.

They had known Brady was successful town, arriving pinch a beige overgarment and gleaming smile, much westbound seashore of America than West Midlands.

Pre-game interviews included a mates of throws of nan land shot arsenic nan squad completed a pre-match stroll.

Beckham, though, was somewhat of a astonishment arsenic he returned nan favour to Brady who precocious attended a lucifer astatine nan erstwhile England captain’s MLS broadside Inter Miami.

Director Guy Ritchie was besides owed to attend, but sent his apologies connected nan greeting of nan match.

It is difficult to opportunity it did not adhd to nan anticipation, particularly pinch nan societal media rivalry betwixt nan owners - although, unsurprisingly, that turned retired to beryllium thing of a ruse.

“I’ve been friends pinch Ryan and Rob for rather a while,” Brady said earlier nan crippled having presented McElhenny pinch a personalised Birmingham shirt.

“I’ve seen everything they’ve done pinch Wrexham, and I’ve been very impressed by their commitment.

"They’re doing a batch of things nan correct way, they’re 2 humble guys, hard-working and it’s thing for america each to emulate. Everyone should study from that experience.”

Brady is not wrong, fixed it was only 3 years agone Phil Parkinson was taking complaint of his first lucifer arsenic Wrexham manager, 7 miles down nan roadworthy astatine Solihull wherever nan ground’s capacity was little than nan 2,200 fans who made nan travel from northbound Wales for this game.

It should not beryllium forgotten Wrexham – and much than half of nan starting broadside astatine St Andrew’s - were still playing 5th tier shot 16 months ago.

They person much than earned nan correct to beryllium astatine this level, nan nine having been distant from League One for nigh-on 2 decades.

That they person hardly put a ft incorrect since nan measurement up is testament to Parkinson’s team.

Unbeaten and bully for it, it had been a dream commencement – but this was thing of a reality check.

Even successful nan first 10 minutes, erstwhile a front-foot Wrexham rattled nan hosts pinch their property and Jack Marriott’s opening goal, it had that consciousness of a cup necktie pinch nan early adrenaline.

After that, Birmingham conscionable looked a trim above. Be it nan moments of quality, forcing nan errors, aliases taking distant Wrexham hope, it was an illustration of what it will return to beryllium astatine nan very apical of this division.

Not galore will lucifer Blues connected this form, fto unsocial a recently promoted broadside who for nan first clip recovered nan jump a small excessively big. The crippled and nan consequence said much astir Blues than it did astir Wrexham, moreover if Parkinson said his broadside could person responded amended erstwhile behind. Dare you opportunity it, Birmingham looked a Championship broadside successful each but name.

If they are to travel bully connected specified promise, Jay Stansfield is apt to person a large say.

His deadline time signing was not truthful overmuch a connection from Birmingham but an exclamation mark.

His £10m-plus presence is an unprecedented interest for this level, and pinch it mightiness person travel unprecedented unit to deliver. Price tags person weighed down moreover nan very champion of players.

Yet, connected his first convention engagement since his eye-catching woody for an eye-watering amount, nan erstwhile indebtedness prima simply looked lifted by it.

Whichever measurement you look astatine it, it is an costly outlay for a third-tier club, American money aliases not. But if financiers make their estimation by knowing erstwhile to speculate, Blues mostly proprietor Tom Wagner watching connected will person been happy capable if this is simply a motion of nan imaginable return.

Manager Davies was convinced that he could person a double-threat pinch nan erstwhile Fulham man and Charlton enlistee Alfie May, and he was vindicated erstwhile Stansfield pounced aft May’s changeable was parried for nan leveller.

And past nan activity and guidance for nan 2nd was a subordinate emotion astatine location successful beforehand of nan fans already enamoured pinch his talent aft his 13-goal spell present past season.

Of course, nan on-watching Beckham would person nodded approvingly astatine Alex Cochrane’s delicious transverse for nan second.

But Stansfield did not look backmost arsenic he raced to celebrate. Provided pinch this benignant of service, you will wonderment if he will look backmost astatine all.

As for Wrexham, they will look backmost connected nan nighttime arsenic a people of wherever they request to get to, and will proceed to move guardant pinch stars successful nan stands and a fewer successful their eyes.