NFL legend Tom Brady met football icon David Beckham in Birmingham on Monday as the celebrity pair watched two third-tier promotion hopefuls face each other in the English Football League.
Brady is a minority owner of Birmingham City, whose players had a surprise visitor for their unusual warm-up routine in the form of Rob McElhenney, the co-owner of away team Wrexham alongside fellow Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds.
McElhenney walked down a hall at City’s St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park stadium to find City’s team carrying out stretches with bands, mats and rollers on the floor and against the walls.
Rob McElhenney gave the Birmingham players an ocular patdown ahead of their clash against Wrexham 😎💪 pic.twitter.com/qZF76jiXME
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 16, 2024
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Brady, Beckham, McElhenney watch on
“The Birmingham players were splayed out on the floor,” McElhenney told Sky Sports, joking that the Blues were carrying out pliability exercises as part of Brady’s TB12 fitness routine. “We’ll see if it actually works.”
Former England captain Beckham, who is the co-owner and president of MLS title contenders Inter Miami, was seen sitting with Brady and footballer-turned-pundit Gary Neville before the game.
David Beckham and Sky Sports’ very own Gary Neville have joined Tom Brady at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park 🤩🏟 pic.twitter.com/waPxtGvA4h
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 16, 2024
The duo were also shown chatting and smiling in the stands during the first half, when Jack Marriott opened the scoring for League One leaders Wrexham after three minutes before Brady was given cause to celebrate.
On his first league appearance for Birmingham, Jay Stansfield – signed for an all-time divisional record £10 million ($13.2m) from Fulham on transfer deadline day – fired in from close range in the 23rd minute to make the scoreline 1-1 at half-time.
Tom Brady: Birmingham ‘potential’
Asked whether he had been able to help Birmingham’s players because of his own glittering sporting career, 47-year-old Brady replied: “I’d love to believe so.
“A lot of that is going to hopefully show over time. There’s obviously competitiveness that we all have – I had it when I was playing.
“In this part of my life, I want to see other people reach their potential. I was so fortunate that so many mentors came into my life at the right time, that allowed me to grow physically, mentally, emotionally.
“In this part of my life, I want to see other young athletes reach their potential” ✨
Tom Brady speaks to Sky Sports about his ownership of Birmingham City, in supporting both the players and the community 💙 pic.twitter.com/Z0kgENxGWX
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 16, 2024
“That mix of qualities that I was able to develop as a player, I want to pass those messages on to a lot of these guys. They’re 22, 21 years old.
“They’ve got bright futures ahead. They want to impact their families’ lives, they want to impact the community they play in. How can we help support them, as young athletes in their aspiring careers? That’s what I love being a part of.”
Safe to say Tom Brady enjoyed Jay Stansfield’s first goal since re-joining the Blues 💥 pic.twitter.com/zCRxMY8bN3
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 16, 2024
Birmingham vs Wrexham
Birmingham had the chance to go second with victory and move two points behind Wrexham, who were the only team not to have lost any of their opening six matches of the season.
The Blues had five of the six attempts at goal during the first period, having also started the game unbeaten courtesy of three wins and two draws.
