Ben Foster

2023 - 3 - 24

Post cover — Image courtesy of "BBC Sport"

Ex-England keeper Foster signs for Wrexham (BBC Sport)

Former Manchester United and England goalkeeper Ben Foster comes out of retirement to sign for National League Wrexham.

He has been the club's first choice keeper since February. [Barrow striker Billy Waters on Tuesday.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65046892) It will be interesting to see how my body feels after training today." [lost keeper Rob Lainton to a knee ligament injury](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65030231). [called time on his playing career](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62920512) in September 2022. [Wrexham](/sport/football/teams/wrexham)

Wrexham sign ex-England goalkeeper Ben Foster (ESPN)

Goalkeeper Ben Foster has come out of retirement to join Wrexham on a free transfer with the club bidding for the National League title.

"It's changed a lot since I was last here, but it's nice to be back and it's nice to be back as a player too," Foster added. Foster began his career at Stoke City but did not make a senior appearance for the club amid a series of loan moves -- including a short stint at Wrexham -- before joining United in 2005. "I'm over the moon.

Ben Foster rejoins Wrexham after coming out of retirement (The Athletic)

Former Manchester United and England goalkeeper Ben Foster has come out of retirement to sign for Wrexham until the end of the 2022-23 season.

[Wrexham’s Americans on tour: the U.S. Wrexham are top of the National League with eight games remaining. The move is Foster’s second spell at Wrexham, having joined the then League One club on loan from parent club Stoke City in 2005.

Ryan Reynolds' soccer team just convinced a former Manchester ... (Fortune)

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has come out of retirement to sign for Wrexham, the soccer team owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and ...

“It will be interesting to see how my body feels after training today. “The first time I was here, it was genuinely the springboard to the rest of my career.” The 39-year-old Foster, who was also an England international, last played for Watford before stepping away from the game last year.

High-profile Wrexham signing Ben Foster expects Ryan Reynolds ... (Goal.com)

Former Manchester United and England goalkeeper Ben Foster has joined Wrexham and can't wait to speak to co-owner and Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds.

The arrival of the goalkeeper should provide a boost ahead of the business end of the season. the part for me is getting the team over the line and getting them promoted." [announced on Thursday](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/wrexham-sign-ben-foster-free-transfer-ex-man-utd-and-england-goalkeeper-comes-out-of-retirement/blt318d4171ab44fffc) they have tempted Foster out of retirement and have signed the former England international on a free transfer.

Ex-England goalkeeper Ben Foster admits wages at Wrexham are ... (Daily Mail)

Veteran Foster, 39, announced his retirement in September after leaving Watford in June 2022 but has now re-started his playing days on a short-term ...

They (owners Reynolds and Rob McElhenney) are so prevalent at the football club, they are always there. [signed for the fifth-tier National League side on a free](/sport/football/article-11894101/Ben-Foster-comes-retirement-sign-Ryan-Reynolds-Wrexham.html) transfer on Thursday. the part for me is getting the team over the line and getting them promoted. Buzzing to talk to him later. 'I don't need much (money) – to be honest, the negotiations took about five minutes. [signed for the National League side on Thursday](/sport/football/article-11894101/Ben-Foster-comes-retirement-sign-Ryan-Reynolds-Wrexham.html)

Ben Foster's move to Wrexham: How a business and football deal ... (The Athletic)

Ben Foster did not need much persuading to sign for Wrexham and their Hollywood owners - and says his wages will be 'peanuts'

It was on loan at Wrexham, then a League One side, from Stoke City of the Championship for the second half of the 2004-05 season that a 22-year-old Foster got his big break. [put a GoPro in the back of his net](https://theathletic.com/2200364/2020/11/16/ben-foster-youtube-footage/), as he did during the crowd-free COVID-19 pandemic games with Watford. With Lee based in Dubai, it was Winstanley who accompanied Foster to sign the papers at the Racecourse Ground on Thursday morning. After the US takeover in 2021, Foster had dropped Reynolds a message himself asking if he would one day come on his podcast. The conversation between manager and prospective player centred on whether the latter was in the right place physically (his 40th birthday is on April 3) and mentally for the challenge of a promotion run-in. The Manchester United boss was so impressed with Foster that he signed him that summer. Parkinson emerged from it with peace of mind but gave Foster a reality check about the level of football in the National League. At half-time, the anguish on the face of Wrexham goalkeeper Rob Lainton was a clear sign his knee injury was serious and that Mark Howard would be needed to deputise. In September, Lee set up a deal for him to go to top-flight Newcastle United as a reserve, but Foster decided his heart wasn’t in it, It wasn’t too long before Foster’s name came up, and the idea of him coming out of retirement a couple of weeks before turning 40 was floated to the club. “The buzz of playing again inspired him, so we went back to Wrexham,” Lee says. The next morning Winstanley, who has contacts at the Welsh club, followed up on Lainton’s injury to check if a replacement was being sought.

Eight emotional footballing returns as Ben Foster rejoins Wrexham ... (Daily Star)

Returning to a former club can give a footballer a fitting end to their career before hanging up their boots - but Ben Foster left it longer than most with ...

I really enjoyed Manchester, the social life and its people." The former England skipper was delighted to return to his boyhood club despite some friction after his Old Trafford switch back in 2004. Rooney went on to play for DC United and Derby before the end of his playing days, since managing in both the Championship and MLS. Wayne Rooney remained in the Premier League after his 13 years with Manchester United came to an end - going on to net another 10 goals in the division for Everton. Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt found the energy to join Quick Boys in a local league at the end of his playing career having left his second spell with Feyenoord in 2017. The former Netherlands international smashed home 38 goals in his second spell with Feyenoord after leaving Fenerbahce, but didn't score in three games back at Quick Boys. Arjen Robben retired after 10 seasons with Bayern Munich back in 2019 but was tempted back into the game by a return to his boyhood club Groningen. The Netherlands hero rejoined Feyenoord at the end of his career and did not disappoint with 25 goals across his 45 fixtures in all competitions. The former Netherlands skipper made another seven appearances for the club but sadly had to call it quits following an injury blow back in 2021. Gianluigi Buffon is still going strong in his second spell at Parma at the age of 45 - and has already pledged to see out the end of next season. The Juventus icon headed back to Italy after a season with PSG, where he missed out on £8.8million, now featuring in Serie B as a veteran. [has returned to Wrexham](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/reynolds-ignored-foster-message-wrexham-29541429) in a bid to help the Red Dragons into the Football League - and he's not the first to revisit a former home before retirement.

Ben Foster

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