Dragonheart136 | Wrexham AFC – The Movie!

Chay Long and Mark Griffiths discuss the Christmas fixtures, preview the Shrewsbury game, talk about Elliot Lee and Paul Mullin’s contract extensions and confirm the cast for “Wrexham AFC – The Movie”

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[Applause] I’m gin and this is Dragon heart hello and welcome to the first Dragon heart of 2024 I am joined by just Mark griffi today because thankfully we’re both off and I’d like to say first before anything congratulations to both Bill and Joe on their newborn B baby

Born I can’t get it out the newborn baby Kobe I am a very proud uncle and everyone at Dragon hat and Rex AFC wishes them all the best don’t we Mark oh absolutely wonderful news congratulations as I said to them on social media I don’t understand why they didn’t name him Arthur

Ben Aron Anthony James Luke etc etc but you know so we all make bad chases choices as parents occasionally fair play and that’s the official word of just Mark griffi Jay just Mark griffi well exactly and we got a lot to talk about today we’ve got the two games

To talk about two very opposite games lot to break down there we’ve got the Paul Mullen and Elliot Lee contract signing which we’re going to be talking about which every Rex AFC fan so over the moon about we got Shrewsbury and we’ve got a little segment at the end a

Little surprise segment at the end that Mark’s got planned so let’s not waste any time this is dragonart I’m M Roberts and this is dragon well four games nine points over the Christmas period mark against some really really stiff competition uh you’ve got to say you’ve got to be

Really happy with that such a hectic period and you know we’ve had sickness red cards suspensions all sorts we gotta be really happy with that oh absolutely I mean the strength and depth has really come through hasn’t it not by rotation but just by having cover to cover

Different areas and yeah 9 points out of 12 yeah I mean I’d rather have 12 obviously but N9 out of 12 75% of your points feels like promotion form to me the the blep is the wall Soul game but you know you agree wouldn’t you CH I

Think after the match what everyone kept talking about was how how well Walo played more than any deficiencies of ours I mean we didn’t combat them as well as we could have done but more so were fabulous and the fact that what four days later they went to Grimsby and

And scored good sex I think illustrates that we’ve been a bit unfortunate to hit them when they’ve got on to a nice run of form yeah exactly and I think if you look if you look back at that game as well if that toes of clearance off the

Line if we would have scored that and we just scored just before halftime I think we would have been looking at a really you know a bit of a different game in all fairness so let’s talk about the Warsaw game a little bit more because we’ve had a lot of criticism with our

Away form this season I think it maybe a little bit unfair but it was a tough game wasn’t it Mark bsel set out really well played some lovely football are you concerned about oura format all or is it is it just is it so hard to compare it against such amazing home

Form I think a bit of both if I’m totally honest I think I mean our home form is so ludicrous isn’t it that yeah it’s difficult to compare anything to that really but having said that I I do have a a little bit of concern about our

Way form I mean it’s not it’s certainly not horrific I’m just looking now gosh you know what um you one four drawn five lost three is not horrific but having said that we played 12 games away from home and scored 11 goals and that that’s really weird especially when you

Consider we played 13 games at home and scored 41 goals and there is something going on there that the most we’ve scored this season is two away from home and we’ve only done that twice so there is something there to address but I can’t help wondering if

Part of it is just a the terrific quality that we’ve got at home making everything look poor by comparison but I’m just looking down the table now I mean let’s see we scored 11 how many teams have scored fewer than us away from home Gillingham have only scored

Eight and O Doncaster scored 11 suer scored 11 forest green has scored 10 so bizarrely we’re miles and away top scorers at home with third lowest scorers away from home our defense away from home is excellent we’ve let in 13 and if you look down the table again

That is the second best away defense in the whole league after wimbl wow so it’s it’s it is peculiar it is quite hard to put your finger on what’s actually going wrong isn’t it really yeah yeah I agree in my opinion I I I can’t think of anything because I watched the Swindon

Game and in my opinion if it wasn’t for their goalkeeper who made some excellent saves I think we would have been threee four up yeah do you think it’s it’s a lock thing or do you think I think well I’ll just say quickly I just quickly did the count as well at

Home as well I mean it just so different we’ve got the fifth worst Away Home Defense in the division now I can explain that because at the start of the Season we weren’t quite settled R be letting five goalss to Milton Kings let five goals to Swindon we’re letting

Three to crew I don’t think that now that we’ve settled we would have those results but but only the only teams who have conceded more at home are in the bottom five that’s really bizarre isn’t it when you think about it sudden of letting less goals at home than we have

Um I don’t know I mean I think part of it is just we have such a remarkable relationship with the crowd at home that I really think and I think the Barrow game sort of showed it that even when it’s not in our way we still think we’re

Going to win because the team believe in themselves the fans believe in them and there’s something magical in that relationship which which does get results um but as for our failure to take chances away from home I don’t know Mullen has been missing for a good chunk

Of the season and is still doing beautiful glorious stuff but some of that maybe Penalty Box sharpness is not quite there with him although that’s being hypocritical um because he is playing extremely well and he is scoring goals he’s into double figures already um you know if he’s continue to score at

This rate he’ll be in the mid 20s at least this season which I think we should remember um but it is I think I think teams are bolder against us and I think that parking the bus or or going defensive is a mistake against us I think going on

The front foot and trying to get at us ask us questions and there have been games where teams and Arrington and wall think are definite examples of this where they’ve got on the front of FO they’ve pressed us really hard and under that pressure the players maybe haven’t

Quite backed themselves as much as they ought to to pass their way through it and open them up and wal they have themselves so open at times leaving Mullen marked by one with the two wide center backs both going up together I mean wow that’s that’s bold but well we

Can see that they’ve that technique has worked against the best teams in this division because they got great results against them so you know maybe we’ve not quite you know they’ve sort of called our Bluff a bit and said okay we’re going at you if you’re good enough to

Pass it through a really good press then okay you’ll open us up and thrash us but if you can’t we’re going to be on you and I think that’s what it is it’s I mean I know it’s a DA comparison in a way but it’s a bit like you know Villa

Beating Liverpool 71 you know Liverpool the the the ultimate sort of All or Nothing team who press so well and really take risks and get away with them because they dominant and they got quality but there is always the occasional time when a team that plays

Like that it just won’t work it cracks and it goes the other way um but there was a game Real Madrid beat Rio bakano when they had Paco Hames on the as their manager Paco HTH is on the back of this laptop a sticker of him he’s a heroic

Manager really all on nothing plays an extreme version of pressing with Ry bakano in that team it’s about six years ago and they went to the bernabo and they lost I think it was 10 nil it was at least seven it was a proper thrashing and yet you felt that

Rio no no no no I’m wrong it was something like 104 it was lunic I thought it was 74 that game yeah something like that you always felt they were in with the shots even though they were conceding goals because they were taking such risks because the risks were also making them dangerous

And it was you know we I think walls did a tones down version of us on it us and it worked I can’t help yeah and I think as you said I think if you look back at the walaw game which probably has the most talking points out of the game all

The games of the Christmas period really I look at walaw the last few results they could really string if they carry on playing that they could be in the playoffs quite quite easily if they carry on playing with that form they were the best side I think I’ve seen Rex

And play this season in all fairness and we’ve just caught them at the right wrong time I think yeah if we would have played him a month or two before away from home I think yeah exactly wow yeah which says a lot doesn’t it yeah yeah exactly and our

Opponents before that Swindon for me are the opposite they’re only six points off the playoffs Windon but you know we were saying at the time that they they can defend no sorry sorry they can’t defend but at least they have Kemp and young up front with Charlie Austin and that’s a

Potent Trio well they’ve just lost K Kemp and young because they’ve both been pulled back by their parent teams because they were on loan so they’ve lost young who’s scoring low to goal Kemp who has a case as the most creative player in the division a case which I

Feel he should seed to Elliot Lee but never mind and they should be grateful they’ve got managed to get 15 points to them and sudden I think because with a defense that doesn’t keep goals out and an attack which now has lost its two key components

I think they were in a lot of trouble andless they’re able to make some good business in January so we played them at the wrong time but we still beat them comfortably I would say yeah exactly yeah we were the much better side I thought one nil flat of them really

Their keeper made two really good saves didn’t didn’t he um but they just they just didn’t seem to threaten at all even when we went down to 10 men Rex and defended really really well and that I think was it they I thought they had threats with against 10 men but you say

We did defend well a cono did well too yeah did they really but they were missing simple CH chances though weren’t they they did for me it didn’t look like they were gonna equalize that was me from me watching it from The Tell as well well I agree I thought they were

Unconvincing in the box but they did get into good positions yeah after the sending off which I thought was a fair decision right away and on hindsight now if you think about it Mark with winning like that you know we had illnesses we had no Paul

Mull on the pitch we had to play um mlan up front yeah winning one nil Scrappy and hard red red card as well for a good significant part of the game yeah that’s what promotion sides do don’t me absolutely look at it we’ve recently had four we had four red cards this season

And we’ve won three of those games I think right saying and we’ve often well we were losing when we had the red card against crew so yeah we to terrific resilience don’t we I mean this team certainly maybe that’s the point you know why don’t know no I’m going to back

I was going to say something and then I’m going to back down I was going to say again it’s that Home Advantage belief that pulls you through and makes you so resilient but then the James Jones red card is away from home and then you look at games like Mansfield uh

Both Mansfield games but particularly in the league where we defend brilliantly away from home um so I I yeah I I just can’t quite explain except that you know mullin’s maybe not quite be himself which is no criticism of him of course there very obvious circumstance he had a very serious

Injury um I just hope jumping forwards to Barrow that uh that performance by Fletcher as a sign of things to come because if he’s able to stay fit and put in full 90s and and he’s playing like that and what how he played was commen what he’s looked like as a

Sub we’ve got you know of a player on our R there we we spent the last five minutes talking about the festive period And we haven’t mentioned the barrel game yet which is easily the best result out the whole lot Mark I you’ve got to say

That was a it was a quite pecul a game wasn’t it in some regard you know first 45 minutes I thought bar looked the better side they defended really really well you know you could tell I thought you could tell why they are where they are in the the table

From watching that look very organized yeah and every time they went forward they looked reasonably threatening but Mark that 10 minutes added time was crazy wasn’t it it was mental it was something else was that goodness me I mean I I just think okay how do we do

That because you’re right I thought the game was going according to how Barrow wanted they get the early goal they’ve got a phenomenal back five and even though they lose one of them through injury that means they bring on a player who’s M more defensive minded perhaps because warl is

A really dangerous player on the flanks and you know they just looked so good as a defensive unit but that’s what I said isn’t it that if you sit back against us even if you’re so good at defending just like Barrow are you normally would expect us to find a way whereas that’s

What wo did well they kept coming at us and at us and at us didn’t allow us to dominate them in their half and work away opportunities and we got to play of fetch’s quality and I’m hoping that’s what makes the difference in the away

Games as well frankly you know he gets a chance to hit it from the edge of the Box he’s putting in the bottom corner he gets a free head or six yards out okay that I would hope we’d normally score from but there’s no doubt he scores from

It in that you know what I mean that level of finishing that level of Quality Ford puts quality into the box with the third goal you can expect that if he puts something in for him to fight for it’s a good chance it’s going to be a

Goal so it you know he was that step up in finishing for us and yeah Barrow just I just finished read article for the leader and I said the worst thing Barrow did was play against Palmer sorry play against Fletcher and Mullen yeah that was the big mistake they made having to

Play against them for me though it’s that all about that first goal a touch on the outside you know it was an awkward touch for Fletcher he brought it down and how he managed to get a shot off with all those Barrow players in front of and Nest it perfectly into the

Bottom corner he is a player that shouldn’t be playing at this level yes he is a bit he is older I I I I appreciate that if we can keep him fit and keep him fit for 70 80 minutes every game him and Mullen when they’re both

Firing together it’s going to be it’s going to be terrifying and you know I just look at the the league two table Mark and yes of course we do want to win the league but for me the most important thing about beating Barrow was having that bit of points Advantage between

Third and fourth so if the top three as Mansfield stock button just fly up fly up keep on Gathering points that’s all that matters because promotion is the key thing this season isn’t it absolutely I I agree even though we’ve not gone up in the table the table looks

Much nicer because of course Stockport lost ad mly to Mansfield but that means that we’re only two points off the top and we’re Four Points clear of the playoff places and that gives us a brilliant base to build from doesn’t it so yeah absolutely let’s see what

Mansfield do with a game in hand on Saturday anyway because essentially that’s what that becomes because we playing in the cup but wow yeah it’s um it is terrifically exciting I’ve got to say as well you’re right that first Fletcher goal is such high quality um the technically is brilliant but that

Third goal as well what I love about it if you watch it from early on is Fletcher finds that bit of space he works to keep the space and then when James Chester finally comes back and cover him you know I mean James Chester has plays in the semi-finals of the

European championships that guy has no mug and I think he showed it in the gamees I thought overall he was excellent Chester but having said that Fletcher not only can get above him but can get above him to the extent he can even get leverage and headed downwards

And I just think wow he’s bullying James Chester this guy as you say should not be playing in league but thank goodness he is well those headed goals are all techbook aren’t they down bottom corners the keeper out is just isn’t saving them is he at all and all credit to Barrow’s

Goalkeeper because if it wasn’t for him I think we would have won 71 yeah which just says a lot about our home home form that Home Advantage that we have and if we can keep the race course of Fortress will’ll be in that top three and you

Know we’ve got the big sides still got a lot of big sides to come to the race course as well haven’t we bar were the only team up at the top who come to the race us and and that’s always been something I’ve been holding in the back

Of my mind that we’ve you know we’ve done very well we’ve been up at the top pretty much from the start and yet the big teams haven’t come to us we’ve been to them stockboard haven’t been to us Mansfield haven’t been to us not County haven’t been to us crew have and got

Away with it a Wimbledon are next up you know that’s your top seven so yeah Arrington hav’t been to us either so you know we’ve we’ve got a great record at home great confidence will get results and they’ve all got to come to us and and try and do something against us that

That that makes me very positive for me that Savers that that saves the away form a little bit then doesn’t it yeah if you just win at home all the time and you turn a couple of the the draws into wins and a couple of the losses into

Draws yeah then you are challenging for the title aren’t you it’s a simp as that and and for and for us as well and for me this season it’s so nice to talk not to be in the National League because top three you’re automatically promoted aren’t you so it’s it’s lovely being

Back in League two isn’t it oh it’s lovely is it yeah absolutely I mean it’s funny I think I’m still slightly programmed to think of we’ve got to get above all these teams but we don’t we can stay where we are we’re up that’s amazing I’m just looking as well and you

Know although we’re saying about the away form not being well well certainly not being equal to the home form and nobody could deny that having said that to be fair we’ve only lost three games away from home out of 12 and there’s only two teams that have lost fewer

Mansfield lost one and wion have lost two so to be fair we are we we we’ve got we got a decent AA record it’s just not as spectacular as our home record as you alluded to before I’d like to see more goals away from home it’s weird we

Aren’t scoring more goals away from home just got to that will come exactly and who knows what’s going to happen in this very important month of January as well um there’s gonna be a lot to be a lot a lot to think about isn’t there so after this we’re going to be talking

About um Elliot Lee and Paul Mullen signing those new contracts I’m M the ref and this is dragonart well first thing on New Year’s Day was some amazing an amazing notification I had on my Twitter feed that Paul Mullen and Elliot Lee have signed contract extensions Mark that is such huge news

Isn’t it it’s as big as any sort of signing we could make at this moment in time it’s immense isn’t it um especially as well I mean the way it was broken at a minute past midnight just the start off the new year I was genius

And and immediately I mean it does make a huge difference to in terms of our mentality to get that huge news in that manner you just think wow everything’s positive it’s it’s it’s brilliant I got to say that um interview that they both gave after the barow game as

Well so often players tend to just say the obvious things and it’s fair enough they’re not employed to talk about life but the way they described the the concept of finding a place that where you that you love and where you are loved and how

Why you know it makes no sense to want to move away from that because you’ve got what you want I think was very very powerful I think it spoke very clearly and openly to what Rob and Ryan are trying to achieve it says a lot about

What Phil Parkinson has done it says a hell of a lot about how the fans contribute to this with their support and quite frankly it’s something which maybe players who are mulling over a move to us might look at and think oh wow okay so these guys don’t regret it

We had the recent interview as well with Stephen Fletcher where he talks about um Ryan Reynolds calling him because that was the agenda with the interview with I think it was talk sport but having said that he does make it clear but really my mind have been made made up already it

Had already been sold to him he just sort of think a this is such an advert for aspirational players come to us and continue the journey not you don’t look at or dropping down a level look at it as a a a trampoline jump down onto it

Bounce back up higher you know it’s great and raise your profile abroad yeah you know which uh let’s be fair in the whole the efl championship down to League 2 there’s not many teams with an international base and the only ones that probably do are you know your

Leads you know the teams that have just come down from the Premier League you know Leicester teams like that we were such we’re at such a unique point that there has been no other takeover or no other club that has been through anything similar is there and everyone

Seems to want a part of it and you’ve got to give a lot of Praise I think to the recruitment staff to whoever’s brought in the players because it’s easy to B to sign flash haries isn’t it in this sort of situation people who want

To come for a bit of money a bit of stardom but Elliot Lee and Paul Mullen are grafters aren’t they oh they’re not they’re not just excellent players who are flash uh with a bit of skill and want a bit of money these these two Lads genuinely care about the club and its

Fans and the ephos and the owners and you know they epitomize what it is to be a Rex AFC fan exactly so that was beautifully put Jay I I tell you what um I feel like Mullen well firstly I mean look at Mullen both well no no Parkinson has

Done an amazing job I think in looking at personalities as well as players because we we are looking to bring players in from higher levels clearly that runs the risk of bringing in loads of Big Time chares who just s of swan about the place and say I’m the best

Player at this club you should all worship me and we can all name loads of examples of clubs doing that and players becoming a disruptive problem um but he brings in players who are dropping down a division and are absolutely loving it and as you rightly say okay we could

Name lots of star attacking players who don’t like tracking back and rolling their sleeves up if anybody tries to accuse Mullen of that they really need their head breathing because mullen’s work I mean Mullen to me seems to be motivated by scoring goals which is fine by us that benefits

And not losing and he will work his socks off how many times you see him chasing deep into our own half to make a tackle I mean you know there’s loads of star Strikers would stand there on the halfway line going oh somebody should deal with that he deals with it

Brilliant and then Lee I mean Goodness Me Lee comes in as a number 10 slash Striker and because it doesn’t work properly in our system and an adaptation doesn’t work he he totally accepts that he has to be a boxto boox number eight instead and and it’s just magnificent he

He really he doesn’t Sherk his duties going back and he’s constantly up and down the pitch and he still a is able once he gets up the pitch so then turn into that number 10 he drifts into Central areas or does the old Dom Vos

Cutting in off the left and you know I mean it’s just the guy’s work race you know and that’s what a lot of people thought when we signed out oh he’s gonna be a bit of a luxury player it’s been the opposite you know he definitely doesn’t shook his defensive

Duties the one thing I do worry about with Elliot Lee is some times those crazy sliding tackles that he’s gonna misjudge it and it won’t go completely right but this this guy both these guys you know are really up for rolling up their sleeves and really putting it

Putting everything on the line for the club and I think as a fan I think you as your bog standard fan yes we do want to see quality football and we do get to see quality football we really people want to see them try for the club yeah

Because everyone who thinks that know everyone who’s a rexam fan thinks if I had the ability to play football for rexam I would try my absolute best and I think that’s what both Elliot Lee and Pa Mullin do and for me as well I think in

This deal you’ve got to give a lot of credit to Rob and Ryan and the club for putting their money where their mouth is um and actually making the club you know more Vi you know more financially viable in the future so if a a big Club wants

To go in for Elliot Lee Paul Mullen they’re not going to go for free transfers they’re going to go for a good water of cash so it’s a it’s a win-win for all parties this deal I gotta say I like that as well I mean yeah he who

Knew because lots of people outside the club don’t seem to believe this that when Rob and Ryan keeps saying they’re in for the long run they are I mean obviously they are CU they want this club to keep going up and up and up and so they like you say they put their

Money with their mouths and they give Lee and Mullen the the extension that they’ve earned to be fair haven’t they and that maybe is a message to other players you know tie yourself down with us because our star players aren’t going anywhere you know maybe it’s a message

To a conqu sign with us because they’re not going anywhere and and it’s an interesting Contra I’m not and I’m not going to be I’m not meaning to sound critical in what I’m about to say you know but in the past uh we’ve had situations like Anthony

Barry coming to the club signing and then immediately saying he wants to leave Paul Carden and the St Club of stepped aside which was the decent thing to do but now we are protecting our assets much more carefully aren’t we in that regard and just saying right like

You say if you want to play you’re more than welcome to make a bid you’re going to have to break the bank because of course I mean in the past we have lost good players to fee transfers haven’t we Jay by not being able to tie down these

Sort of deals Andy Morell Lee trundle Louis molt uh caros Edwards and you know we were just talking before off air look look how much caros Edwards went from from Luton to Sunderland you know it’s he went for was it 1.4 million yes yeah two years after leaving us on a free

Yeah you’ve also got to remember that um back in the 2000s as well that’s yeah a lot that stretches a lot more now so it’s just it’s just so nice that as a club we don’t have to worry as such of course there’s going to be interest for

Our top players and that’s what foot you know that’s what happens in football I’m not saying there was or there wasn’t for Leo Mullen but that definitely is going to be because they’re quality players aren’t they people are definitely going to be looking at them but we’ve got you

Know the Financial Security to keep them and if they if they do go we are going to get be able to get a replacement for them hopefully you know it’s it’s ah it’s just wonderful being a fan of this club at this moment in time isn’t it m it’s such a statement

Isn’t it I mean there’s a lot of quality in our Squad but I think from a football point of view you would look at Mullen and Lee as the Marquee players really wouldn’t you players who clearly if they were in League one would be tearing it up who should be playing in the

Championship at least well yeah Championship I think is realistic at this point in time uh and we just says you know to the rest of the teams in the division hello there we’ll Pro we may well do business and bring some quality in in January but just so you know these

Guys are win it for the long haul they’re going to be hammering away at year as well for the rest of the season and Beyond it’s just it’s all round it’s a positive message tells the fans to keep faith says the the owners are in

For the long run warns off teams who are interested in them and just just makes it clear that we we’re in this now um seriously to see how far we can take it it also has the effect of course of boosting their value doesn’t it now I

Hate I hate to bring this up Chay but I’m going to have to aren I you bent my ear about Mullen going to Saudi Arabia for a good 15 minutes driving down to wo and and I tried to say it’s not going to happen it’s not going to happen well

This sort of thing you said what sort of money would you accept and I would say if I was rexon when we got a bid or an inquiry from Saudi Arabia because they’re going to have to pay the Saudi Arabia tax because we know they’ve got

Money I would say you know if you don’t offer us eight figures you can just don’t bother making any sort of offer but that’s the sort of thing that that long-term security gives if somebody does come in firstly the players are happy so you don’t have to really worry

About it but secondly you can turn around and say oh you want our player okay here’s a silly number can you actually match that and then people will probably go away and cry again yeah it’s it just puts us in a win-win situation doesn’t it yeah no matter what happens

And and that’s the exciting thing you know if we can tie down the likes OT Le Paul Mullen attract players like Steph Fletcher you know have lonely players the quality of a cono you know if we when we do climb up into League one we not a season maybe the season after or

The season after that who can we attract rexman is just such an exciting prospect and it’s not a flash in the pan it seriously isn’t a flash in the pan if people who think that you know oh it’s just the Disney money and all this rubbish that people come out with on

These um tabloid platforms it is not a Flash and a pan I I seriously seriously believe that Rob and Ryan are in this for the Long Haul and that’s a scary proposition for everyone else in the league I’ve got to say well we’ve known that all along haven’t we because

They’ve said it and we know they’re straightforwards but other people want to believe it or not that’s their problem they can get stressed by by us and we can just enjoy having fun yeah exactly we could you know it’s just a lot of I think there’s a lot of jealousy

With a lot of people who support of refl clubs and fair enough because I I would be the same if um we were you know if we were another club but it is what it is and what’s Happening Here is completely magnificent hopefully the Sunday fixture will be

Magnificent after this we’re going to be talking about rexon versus shwy I’m Luke young and this is dragonart well Sunday is such a huge tie I’ve got to say Mark and I think it’s the biggest one this season so far for many of reasons is you know at first

Local debut we’ve had in a long long time especially against shb Mark we got we’ve got to be excited for this is we God yeah absolutely I’m going to take slight issue about it being the biggest game of the season just because I think promotion is the biggest thing that can

Come out of this season and you know I don’t want to sound awkward but I sort of feel like it the game’s like Barrel in some ways are more importantance but having said that you’re dead right simp symbolically it’s just massive to to be back playing uh one of our big rivals

Again um having dropped out of contention for so long is is a big big deal you’re absolutely right and to be fair you’ve got to give a lot of credit to Shrewsbury since we’ve gone down they’ve been a really staple League one Club haven’t they mid-table lower

Mid-table you know you’ve got to give them a lot of credit and maybe they are the favorites going going into this but if you look at their recent form yes they beat Fleetwood in their last game but before that they haven’t won in one two three four games

Yeah you’ve got to be looking at this as a reom fan as this could be a nice little booster for our way form um uh what’s one second yeah for our to to improve our way form you know if we could get two or three against shwy that’s going

To be good for the rest of the season isn’t it yeah I think getting through is the most important thing but yeah I mean they’re favorites and and let’s be fair here because I think I’ve heard a lot of talk about shuby not being a strong side

I mean they’re they’re what they’re 13th in League one the division above us we should show them respect they’re of course they have got seven home wins this season um there’s only what one two three teams teams that got more home wins in League one than them so I think

We should show them proper proper respect they have been struggling with goals absolutely I mean astonishingly away from home their away form is terrible how many goals they scored in 13 away League games Jay goals 10 three oh I wish we count in the I wish

We were playing him in the race car absolutely they scored that many at not County didn’t they but that’s the point I mean we respect Nots County they’re a similar standard to us they put three goals past them at meal Lane admittedly they were comedy goals um but still they

Scored those goals um we should show a lot of respect for them but having said that the way we’re playing and the self-belief that we’ve got and the fact that they can’t sit off us at home if they sit off us when we level below

Their fans will be Livy gives us a think of a good chance to get at them create spaces and and and score goals um and Fletcher’s performance alongside Mullen again makes you think wow he’s going a whole week to recover so hopefully he’ll be all right for that game and yeah so

It’s a it’s a really exciting prospect massively I mean it’s a big game for Shrewsbury though isn’t it as well because yeah you know a lot of their fans have been complaining about their manager and things like that uh they aren’t in the best of form but if they

Can comfortably beat us that’s a really good boost for them isn’t for the rest of the season maybe they could kick on a little bit more 100% 100% and and uh they could kick on from this because any Derby game gives you a boost if they

Lose it it could put real pressure on the manager because every Derby loss is a blow but I mean I just think as well that the symbolism around it all is quite something our one game at the new ground was that awful 3-0 loss which is

One of the the rare game Ians because I’m not a big fan of people saying teams aren’t trying I think when people say that often they just haven’t been able to work out what’s gone wrong uh generally teams don’t try but there was a proper malfunction of that team that

Lost 3-0 at Shrewsbury and that was the season we got relegated it’s five games from the end of the season we were probably pretty much inevitable we’re going to go down anyway but to see them surrender like that in a derby match was an embarrassment and an embarrassment

Which drew some of the players out to have a go the other Rex and players but not fighting in a derby and then they were a decent side that season though weren’t they shw I can remember but but you can still try and compete can’t you you know we we had

Games at Milton King who were good where we lost 4-1 but we actually you know we competed in that game until the quality began too much but that Shrewsbury game was so auster it was horrible so that’s our one experience there we want to erase that and then there’s also the

Weird Counterpoint that it was five games to go the previous season when we won there Michael proor goal yeah which was their penultimate game at Game Edo and we spoiled their party and we went on to stay up so it’s a weird sort of symmetry between those two extremes and

You sort of feel like this one’s going to be the decider is it are we are we are we going to get two great performances out of three there or are we going to find that we actually struggle when we go to that new ground it’s going to be interes isn’t it

Because I think that first goal whoever scores the first goal first goals in a derby are always huge aren’t they because you know the atmosphere could really dictate what goes on if we can seeed early the shuby fans are going to be loud if they concede early they’re

Gonna be go going after their own teams it’s it’s oh it’s just so exciting and form does go out the window in a derby it oh Mark I’m just so I’m just so excited to play sh if weren’t going to play a top side in the third round shb is the

One that everyone would have wanted I think so just you know have have give a brief explanation if you can mark for the for the um International fans because you talk to every rexon fan they’re gonna say the biggest game’s Chester isn’t it really 99% of rexon

Fans are going to say that but if you talk to the majority of sh fans a lot of them say they’re biggest games us so it’s it’s it’s it’s a big Derby isn’t it but I I kind of feel like it could be bigger for them than it is for us

Possibly I I think Chester and shrewbury for me are are two big big it’s the traditional one isn’t it yeah yeah even though tramy is close and is a fierce rivalry um I feel yeah I feel like shwy and Chester are a real authentic Derby Rivals um but Chester first definitely

Um yeah yeah I Shrewsbury maybe haven’t got as many teams totally local to them really shrewbury wall Soul doesn’t sound like it’s that much of a a big Affair Harford I suppose a bit further south but yeah rexam is a huge game for them as well isn’t it um and they’ve had the

Better of is that they won four out the last five so you know we owe them one and then of course you said that they established as a solid League one team but then Sam rickets came along and um uh and so there’s spice as well of the

Whole San rickets Affair that he yeah you know he left us in very poor circumstances to go to Shrewsbury it reflected badly on him reflected badly on shrewbury although I think to be fair most of the anger directed at rickets um and so losing a manager in that manner

To them I think it’s just made well this is the first derby since we’ve played since that happened you know but it just made a little more spicy again I think and to be fair the Sam rickets thing is a good thing to talk about because a lot

Of Tru fans wanted him gone uh after a good few games didn’t they in all fairness and I think that was a poor decision on his part wasn’t it to move to shury and he said a few things in the interviews that really got my tail up at

The time saying things like you all you got to do is look at the attendances and things like that you know when really shoes were in League one at the time weren’t they and they had the likes of Sunderland go in there and of course they’re going to have bigger attendances

Because they are in a higher League well I was able to do the maths on that one when he said it and found that if you take the away support out cuz Rex were in a conference we were getting you know if we were lucky three figure support

Against us yeah shrewbury like you said are playing Charlton and Sunderland and Portsmouth and teams like that and that actually if you subtracted the away support from our attendances and theirs even though we were two divisions lower we were getting bigger home attendances than then which says a hell of a lot I

Mean that is I didn’t expect I I was hoping to find it we weren’t that far behind them but to be two divisions lower and attracting more home fans to your home games well I mean think again Mr rickets yeah it it was got it got really

Messy that as well didn’t it you know because I think at that time a lot of Rex and fans including myself thought oh we have a really good chance of going up this season I think if saman rickets did stay I think we would have

Done I’m not so sure but I think that’s all links into to how he was he would made them as akake being attracted by Shrewsbury um I would say our performances just dipped a little bit before then and I wonder how because that was his first ever season in

Management I feel he should have cut his teeth properly with us and and learned um Saunders had a similar start and then it all went downhill in this first season and I think that rickets might have been on the verge or something like that we can’t tell maybe he would have

Turned it around but whatever happened he’d have come out of it a better manager than the one who went to shuby with only about 20 games under his belt I think I think his his uh shall we say self-belief got the better of him there

Oh I’ve started this well this is easy I mean there was a sense at the time at reum of he was sort of a bit surprised why don’t we have Sky Sports on our boss going away going to away matches because we’re National League you know he was a

Bit maybe sniffy about certain elements of our infrastructure not saying he was wrong but we were National leag come on you knew you were getting into and I think that you know did that play into well I just come down this level I’m immediately smashing it clearly I’m of a

Better level oh an offer from my old Club oh well I’m just walking out that may well have been I mean it’s just doesn’t doesn’t sit well when he should have he should have paid his dues and seen through for his own benefit a spell

With us so it doesn’t sit well with me at all and I’ve heard interviews where he’s Justified himself and it it doesn’t it doesn’t cut it for me I’m afraid I rarely feel this way way I think I’m a fairly reasonable BL but Rick is to the

Dirty on us and it was poor and I think he’s paid the price for it because he shouldn’t have done it was was premature for his own development it was a gamble that water definitely wasn’t worth taking was it because it he did fail miserably at Sho Bri to be fair um the

Sh fans really didn’t like him they were singing songs about him coming back to here didn’t they so you know that says all you need to know about that but I think we’ve covered everything we need to cover with the shuby game and let’s be fair Mark where what we haven’t

Mentioned is a win in that game could push us the fourth round and that that then we could get a premier league side which is what we all hope for isn’t it you know but we’re not going to talk about that until yeah yeah until it and

Or if it happens so after this we’re gonna have what we gonna talk about Mark we’re gonna talk about I forgot Hollywood forgot Hollywood we’re g to talk about Hollywood I’m Steve Dale and this is Dragon heart halime we had a uh ask wxm question about who would

Play who in the Rex you know if there was a rexon film made and we couldn’t really think of anything at the time but Mark has come back with a whole cast yeah of who who will play who I’m ready I’m ready to share the with you and can

I just say Rob Ryan you know if you need a casting director I think when you hear this you’ll understand I am your man um there were some brilliant Suggestions by the AR reom Community anyway weren’t they um they they nailed you and I’ve kept their decision for you um that is

It’s a very flattering one as well to be fair must see Conor mcgreer that’s i’ say that I was considering Owen Wilson for you CH I’m gonna be honest but okay we’ll St we’ll stick with Conor McGregor for me they were suggesting Anthony Hopkins and I I see that I see that you

Know but I mean surely I’m George Clooney aren’t I see I would have said will farral for you will Ferell yeah Anthony Hopkins you know yeah I could see that though Anthony Hopkins would be a good one for you he’s avoiding the George Clooney thing I do drink coffee if that helps I

Don’t know Andy Gary Oldman definite got that gravitas bill now this is the one issue I’ve got here because apart from this my casting is water TI um I’ve not included dead people which I did in the initial I said Neil should be George Orwell but um and

I’ll come back to Neil in a second bill I need a time machine because I just think a younger Billy Crystal right Billy Crystal I don’t know who Billy Crystal is don’t know who Billy Crystal is I’ll have yeah yeah I’m gonna go see that I’m not sure I’m not sure to how

How happy you’d be about that but really yeah yeah I could see that sorry Bill Neil I’ve had to think hard I can’t wait for this um I mean look for me I mean there’s an obvious Tom Hanks possibility here the only thing is you

Know I don’t know I mean Tom Hanks sort of exudes sort of kindness and decency and you know that’s the bit that troubles me him playing Neil how good an actor is he you know that is hi Neil if you’re watching that that is mean he’s gonna go after you on commentary on

Sunday Bring It On Elbo no it’s donkey El Toro I am the Mator um now as for backro staff I think it’s obvious there’s only one person that could pay Rob Ryan yeah and there’s only one person that could pay Ryan and that’s Rob Rob yeah I think that’s definite I think um

Jason Seagal for Humphrey Jason Seagal yeah I Met Your Mother and well Marshall and he has that disarming I thought I thought you were gonna say Steven Seagal then I thought that how that would be well Steven Seagal actually I just realized I have got one dead person cast so maybe Steven

Seagal should be Shan Harvey rather than my suggestion of Donald Pleasants although I do like the idea Donald sh Harvey now that would be class that way that would be interesting wouldn’t it try disturbing his holiday yeah and then Phil Parkinson I got I I’m going to I’m I’m I’m suggesting

Something novel here right which is he’s played by one person outside the changing room but a different person in the changing room it’s a b move but it just suggests that split personality between the the genuinely nice man he is outside the changing room and the swear

Psychopath he is within it so outside the jesson room I think I’m going to go obvious and say Jason sedis Ted lasso outside the changing room but inside the changing room Ray Winston yeah yeah you know they look completely different but it doesn’t matter that will that will

It’s it’s a I’m looking for a jck and hide theme here they look different you know he transforms when he’s doing his business not in the sense that sounded like I’m not I’m definitely not hiring you to be a director of a film no I think this is having two completely different actors

Playing one would this is this is far thinking then to will be played by The Rock obviously yeah Mullen I was thinking again before I remembered that he’s dead I was thinking of Dick Van djk but then I thought Steve Gutenberg yeah be quite

Good as Paul Mullen I’m sure he can do a scout accent if Dick Van djk can’t do a cocky one yeah on no Conor will be played by Chris Pratt yeah yeah Ryan bares looks like Joseph Gordon levit so I’ll stick with that yeah um Luke young for some reason it’s got to

Be Michael Keaton yeah in the strength you know um but mostly me as George was George Clooney I mean well George Evans Henry carille they’re both good-looking fellas aren’t they nice I like that that was all that was mentioned by one the asked wxm I can’t

Quite remember off the top of my head yeah um yeah so um obviously we’re still waiting for the green light is still in development uh we’re looking for executive producers so you know Will Will Farrell if you’re thinking about this um you know give me a call you know my number yeah exactly

Exactly is you I’m sorry I can’t have George p as you I just can’t have it referee that is so harsh we’ll say Danny DeVito he’d be great he’d make a great Matt Griffith can I offer you an egg in this troubl time this sound to Fair M the

Cast it sounds like the most mad film ever sounds like the best film ever doesn’t it yeah doesn’t one say yeah one of the films you walk out with for and you think you know less about the film than when you walked in I want that on the poster you know

Less about this film after you’ve seen it oh man this is starting to feel like this must be real oh I’m gonna be photo shopping tonight I think it’s a great idea I think it’ll be a blockbuster I think it’ll be Innovative um yeah just just imagine it this trailer Rob and Ryan

Played by Ryan and Rob walk into a a Dusty town in the middle of nowhere the locals all stop what they’re doing and stare up because they don’t like strangers around here and Rob or Ryan would be both really want it says we’re going to clean

Up this town oh man and then Along Comes Shan Harvey and whoa boot leer played by Will Farrell oh yeah that’s perfect oh it’s going to be amazing isn’t it well if any directors or producers of um really expensive Blockbusters want to get in contact with Matt griffi for his

Idea he is available yeah most of the time get to me through my agent honest bill cash [Laughter] payment disappeared then amaz oh yeah Jade you want to do special effects yeah I’ll do special effects good luck I oh I I think I think this film will be fantastic anyway soon in

Near you that has no self-respect I was gonna say something then but I best not um this has been Dragonite it’s been a really good one first first one of the year mark and hopefully first of many more great shows and many more games to talk about uh 2023 was a class

Year when it comes to football I I must say so Mark that’s been the show I will see you at shury are you looking forward to it you’re ready absolutely George Clooney is always ready we need to find out what’s a what’s a delicacy of shrewbury that we could maybe try straw

Well we got some cracking we’ll have to get some cracking straw to taste half time yeah old ba half time just nor way as it eagly we need to find the delicacy of sh anyway this has been a fantastic podcast this has been Dragon at this has

Been Matt Griffith and Chay long thank you very much by the movie [Applause] I’m Neil Roberts and this is dragonart