Mullin's Wrexham journey - timeline of a cult hero

Paul Mullin has been at Wrexham since 2021 There is a sense of an end of an era following confirmation of Wrexham talisman Paul Mullin's move to Wigan Athletic on loan for the 2025-26 League One season. Mullin - or Super Paul Mullin to so many of the Stok Cae Ras faithful - scored 110 goals in 170 games in all competitions for the Welsh club. A cult hero among the fans, and a huge favourite with the club's Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, he has been prominent in the "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary series. Mullin helped the club win promotion from the National League to the Championship in successive seasons but was on the sidelines for much of the last campaign. The 30-year-old made only 17 appearances for Wrexham last term and started just nine League One games, scoring three league goals with a further two in the EFL Trophy. Speculation mounted over his Wrexham future, with his contract not due to expire until the summer of 2027. On joining Wigan on loan for the forthcoming season Mullin said: "I'm excited for the next part of my story." Here, BBC Sport Wales looks back on the previous few chapters of a modern football fable. 23 July 2021 After helping Cambridge United to promotion to League One, Mullin rejects a new contract, opting to drop into the National League to join Wrexham on a free transfer with a three-year deal. "Rob McElhenney (Wrexham co-owner) gave me a call a couple of nights ago - at that time, I wasn't too sure about making the move," Mullin said. "But once he outlined the plans for the club, and the plans for me in the future, it was something I really wanted to be a part of and something that just excited me that much that I had to come. "He really sold the club to me. What they have planned for the club is magnificent and something I want to be a part of." 21 August 2021 Mullin scores on his Wrexham debut in what is also manager Phil Parkinson's first game in charge. He scores from the penalty spot as the Dragons are held to a 2-2 draw at Solihull Moors. 26 October 2021 Mullin scores as co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney watch their team for the first time in a 3-2 loss at Maidenhead United. Bryce Hosannah is sent-off but his ban is later transferred to Mullin after mistaken identity by the referee. Ironically Mullin gets sent-off when the sides meet in the reverse fixture at the Racecourse in January. 30 October 2021 Mullin sits alongside co-owners McElhenney and Reynolds for their first game at the Racecourse, a 1-1 draw against Torquay United. 26 March 2022 Mullin gives Wrexham the lead in an extraordinary game against already relegated Dover Athletic at the Racecourse. Dover surge into a shock 5-2 lead before the hosts hit back and a dramatic stoppage time goal secures a 6-5 win. 8 May 2022 Wrexham keep alive their National League title hopes as Mullin scores in an impressive win over Stockport County which see them replace the Hatters as leaders on goal difference. But County would ultimately end the season as National League champions. 28 May 2022 Mullin scores twice – taking his tally for the season to 32 in all competitions – but Wrexham's promotion dreams are dashed in the National League play-off semi-finals as Grimsby Town grab a dramatic 5-4 win at the Racecourse. 2 April 2022 Mullin scored a brace in stoppage time against rivals Stockport in the FA Trophy semi-final. 20 August 2022 Mullin scores a hat-trick in a 5-0 home win over Maidstone United with Dragons co-chairman Rob McElhenney present to finally see his side win. 8 October 2022 Wrexham and Mullin's attacking instincts are prominent yet again as he scores twice in a 7-5 victory over Barnet. 25 Oct 2022 Wrexham ban Mullin from wearing boots featuring an offensive slogan about the Conservative Party. He reveals the custom-made boots on social media with pictures taken at the club's Racecourse Ground, without the club's knowledge or approval. They say the issue would be dealt with "privately". 7 January 2023 Mullin is among the goalscorers as Wrexham stun Championship side Coventry City with a 4-3 win to knock them out of the FA Cup. 29 January 2023 Wrexham are denied a famous win by a late Sheffield United goal in the FA Cup fourth round at the Racecourse, after a late Mullin goal looks like securing another Championship scalp. In the replay at Bramall Lane Mullin equalises from the penalty spot for the visitors but the Blades prove too strong with injury time goals sealing a 3-1 win. 10 April 2023 Wrexham earn a huge victory over promotion rivals Notts County on Easter Bank Holiday Monday at the Racecourse. Mullin cancels out Notts County opener, before goals from Jacob Mendy and Elliot Lee and a stoppage time penalty save from Ben Foster give Wrexham a big 3-2 win. 22 April 2023 Paul Mullin is the hero as Wrexham seal the National League title and a return to the Football League after a 15-year absence at the Stok Racecourse. Mullin leads the celebrations. 3 June 2023 Mullin is at Wembley for the FA Cup final to receive the Golden Ball award after finishing as the season's top scorer in the competition, with nine goals. 26 July 2023 Wrexham's growing popularity in the United States sees them embark on a tour of North America but a 3-1 win over a youthful Manchester United side is marred when Mullin suffers a punctured lung in a collision with goalkeeper Nathan Bishop, which leaves Phil Parkinson "fuming". Unable to fly because of the iniury, Mullin spends two weeks recuperating in Los Angeles and misses Wrexham's first game back in the EFL. 9 September 2023 Mullin makes his comeback as a substitute in Wrexham's 2-1 home win over Doncaster Rovers. Later in the month he scores twice in a 3-3 draw against Crewe Alexandra. October 2023 Mullin is included in Wales' standby list for the friendly against Gibraltar at Wrexham – he qualifies to play for Wales through a grandparent. Then Wales manager Robert Page said of Mullin: "We've had a few conversations about Paul, so the next step is he's now on standby and he's one step away. "We monitor the Welsh players, and Paul is certainly one we've taken note of - and he deserves that. This is the next step of his development." Mullin says he would be "over the moon" to play international football but adds "I don't expect to be called up." 25 November 2023 Scores a hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition of Morecambe, which sees Wrexham move up to second in League Two and maintain their push for promotion. 1 January 2024 "I'm unbelievably happy and grateful to extend my stay at Wrexham," Mullin says after signing a contract extension with Wrexham until the end of the 2026-27 season. "Since signing for the club, I've loved every single second. It's not just become my club, but my whole family also. "The chance to perform in front of the support we receive is something you long for as a child. "Here's to creating more memories to last a lifetime." 27 February 2024 After eight games without a goal, Mullin rescues a point for Wrexham deep into stoppage time after winning and converting a penalty to earn a 1-1 draw at Forest Green Rovers. 2 March 2024 Mullin scores a first-half hat-trick as Wrexham hammer Accrington Stanley at The Stok Racecourse to move into the automatic promotion spots. Interviewed after the game,McElhenney (pictured with Mullin above) praises the striker:"The more games this man plays, the bigger the club will continue to get." 29 March 2024 Mullin's brace, taking his tally to 20 for the season, sees Wrexham beat Mansfield 2-0 to lift them level with the second-placed Nottinghamshire side on 73 points. 13 April 2024 A 6-0 win over Forest Green Rovers, in which Mullin scores twice, sees Wrexham secure a second successive promotion. A goal in a 3-0 win at Crewe the following week sees Mullin end the season with 24 goals, with nine coming in the final nine games of the campaign. June 2024 Mullin undergoes an operation on a "long-term lower-back/hamstring issue". Although missing for the start of Wrexham's season in League One, at home to Wycombe Wanderers on 10 August, Parkinson hopes his striker will be back "sooner rather than later". July 2024 Mullin makes a surprise appearance in the Marvel comic book film, Deadpool & Wolverine. His masked cameo sees Mullin star as Welshpool – a Welsh version of Ryan Reynolds' character Deadpool. "You may have noticed one member of the Deadpool Corps was far deadlier than the rest. WELSHPOOL," said Reynolds (pictured with Mullin above). 24 August 2024 Mullin makes his return as a second half substitute in a home win over Reading. He scores his first goal of the season in an EFL Trophy victory over Salford the following month - and celebrates by wearing a Deadpool mask. 19 October 2024 With Jack Marriott suffering a broken leg in training, Mullin returns to the starting lineup and his goal after just 16 seconds proves enough for Wrexham to beat Rotherham 1-0. 26 December 2024 Mullin scores a stunning goal – later voted Wrexham's goal of the season – as they beat Blackpool at the Stok Cae Ras to maintain their push for promotion. 28 January 2025 Mullin comes off the bench to score but Wrexham fall to their first home league defeat of the season, losing 3-2 to Stevenage. It proves to be his last goal for the Dragons. He finds himself behind January signings Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez as well as veteran Steven Fletcher and fit again Marriott in the pecking order. 26 February 2025 Leading 2-0 in the EFL Trophy semi-final at home to Peterborough United, Mullin is among a number of Wrexham substitutes introduced halfway through the second half. But two Peterborough goals, including a stoppage time equaliser, takes the game to penalties. Mullin misses one of Wrexham's spot-kicks as Peterborough seal victory and a place in the final at Wembley. Mullin does not feature for Wrexham for the remainder of the season. March 2025 Amid social media rumours of a fall-out with Wrexham boss Parkinson,"nonsene" is Mullin's only word on the matter as he replies to a suggestion on X that he had argued with the manager and had called the owners to complain. 26 April 2025 Wrexham beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 to secure promotion to the Championship but Mullin is once again conspicuous by his absence. The Merseysider was not involved in matchday squads for the final three months of the season and did not feature in a league fixture after January. 2 May 2025 Phil Parkinson says Wrexham "legends" Mullin and Ollie Palmer will be involved in the club's pre-season amid uncertainty surrounding their futures. June 2025 An emotional Mullin opens up on his absence in the 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary, saying he "resented" the decision to drop him and questioning whether he would play for the club again. "Just to play one game in the Championship with Wrexham would be worth absolutely everything," Mullin said on the Disney+ series. "It would be the icing on the cake for this story and who knows where it could end, but I've enjoyed absolutely every minute here." The signing of Plymouth Argyle forward Ryan Hardie casts further doubts over Mullin's Wrexham future. 23 June 2025 League One side Wigan Athletic announce they have signed Mullin on loan for the 2025-26 season. "I'd like to wish Paul all the best for his loan move," Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said. "It's a good opportunity for him to get back to playing regular first-team football and I'm sure he's going to be a great signing for Wigan Athletic."