Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell responds to a message from Rob McElhenney and recalls a chant aimed at him from Wrexham fans.
The Latics produced a 3-2 comeback victory against Southend to seal a place back in League Two, a return to the EFL after a three year absence, and their first promotion in 34 years.
Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney congratulated Frank Rothwell on the achievement, despite Rothwell previously admitting he was unaware of McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds before their Wrexham takeover.
Frank Rothwell aimed a dig at Rob and Ryan ahead of an FA Cup game between his team and Wrexham in 2022.
Rothwell spoke in an interview with ITV, saying he was unaware of them and hadn’t seen their films or TV shows.
“Ryan, are you watching this?”
Frank had a special message for @VancityReynolds, @RMcElhenney and @Wrexham_AFC during his @GranadaReports feature last week.
Just over a month to go until Frank’s Atlantic challenge for @AlzResearchUK!
-HQ pic.twitter.com/1wpCXQWvlB
— Frank Rothwell – Alzheimer’s Research UK (@Frank_Rothwell) November 3, 2023
He also cast doubt over how long they would stay interested in running Wrexham. “I don’t know who the hell they are,” said Rothwell at the time. “I know they’re film stars and all the girls go ‘woo’, but I’ve never seen anything they’ve been in.
“These lads have bought a football club for as cheap as they possibly could do so they could tell their friends in Hollywood that they own a club. When they decide they’ve had enough of this and sell to another investor, it [Wrexham] will disappear. That won’t happen to Oldham.”
Wrexham had the last laugh with a 3-0 win over Oldham 3-0 in the cup and secured promotion from the National League (fifth tier) later that season.
However, McElhenney and Reynolds appeared to take Rothwell’s insults in good humour.
They said in a video: “Born in England in 1950, he grew up to be a 72-year-old man with a hat and glasses. He founded Manchester Cabins in 1979, he’s also the oldest man to row across the Atlantic Ocean. He’s got a nice smile. Very nice. Gentle. And he likes to shake hands, looks firm.”
After completing his epic 3,000 mile row across the Atlantic, Oldham Athletic chairman @Frank_Rothwell sent an emotional message to Wrexham FC owners @RMcElhenney and @VancityReynolds 👏https://t.co/jRZLmcETPp pic.twitter.com/OlAluRhJlr
— ITV Granada Reports (@GranadaReports) February 15, 2024
They did go on to donate more than $2,000 with Rothwell raising money for the Alzheimer’s Research UK charity by taking on the solo challenge of rowing the Atlantic in 2024.
After his challenge, Rothwell said: “This is what I’d like to say to Ryan and Rob. Thank you so much for donating. You have given what I’ve done credibility.”
Rob said in a tweet after Oldham’s promotion: “Congrats @OfficialOAFC and especially to you Frank. So well deserved!!!!! Love, Some guy you’ve never heard of 😉 ❤️ #oafc”
Rothwell, speaking to BBC Sport, only found of McElhenney’s message on Monday and recalled past tensions, including Wrexham fans mocking him after a 2022 FA Cup defeat, but McElhenney’s gesture showed no lingering hard feelings.
“I didn’t know he was a film star… I thought he was a butcher!” 😅
Meet Frank Rothwell, the legendary owner (and great singer) of newly-promoted Oldham Athletic. 🎶 #BBCFootball #OAFC pic.twitter.com/gLnPmIA71i
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 2, 2025
Spend 70 seconds celebrating promotion with Frank Rothwell… 🥳🆙#OAFC | @OfficialOAFC pic.twitter.com/5u3rjRIZd3
— National League on DAZN (@DAZN_NationalLg) June 2, 2025
‘It was going in to extinction’
Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell spoke to #BBCBreakfast about buying the club three years ago and seeing them promoted from the National League back to the English Football Leaguehttps://t.co/JbIHBFbcJn pic.twitter.com/XQduT8W5eI
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) June 3, 2025
“I don’t do social media, I don’t read anything but I didn’t know that,” said Rothwell.
“Well done, Rob, I appreciate that! Do you know, I’ve never seen him. I’ve never seen any of his films, I didn’t know him – I thought he was a butcher! I didn’t realise he was a film star.
“Do you know what happened when I said that, I said ‘who is this… what’s he called? Rob McElhenney, what does he do?’ And he put on TikTok, he says ‘Frank, you don’t know who we are Frank, but we know who you are, and we are going to give you a whooping’.
“Anyway, we played them on the Saturday a few days later, and we’re 3-0 down. 10,000 Wrexham fans are chanting ‘Frankie, Frankie, what’s the score?’ Now that upset me, that, I was really, really upset – it hurt my feelings.”
A few moments later, he sang: “The owls ate the shrimps. The owls ate the shrimps. Shrimp shells everywhere, the owls ate the shrimps.” Then burst into laughter.
Twitter users reacted after the Oldham owner responds to a message from Rob McElhenney and recalls a chant from Wrexham fans…
@John46828064: Possibly the greatest thing I’ve ever seen, this.
@danbaker124: He’s the reason why we got a club this season
@wxm_afc: 😂 what a guy, so please for him. Not enough characters like him in our game anymore!
@WrexhamFan3: Frank’s singing at the end is quality. 🤣
@garethj24403186: Brilliant, such a genuine club owner and delighted for him. Didn’t get many orders from Oldham area today 😂😂
@StattoWrexham: It was all good fun!!! Nice one Frank, what a gent.
@DanAdams09: Need characters like this in the game
@007RyanWilliams: The banter between the Oldham and Wrexham owners is brilliant. 😂
@WDW_Project: How can anyone not love Frank 😀 what a character #upthelatics #OAFC
@SpecksRSC: What a class character he is 😂 football needs more Frank Rothwell’s
@KieranC90981204: This bloke 😂👏
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