Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have poked fun at Southampton's 'Spygate' scandal in a promotional video for their club's new sponsor, Firefox. The minute-long advert, released ahead of Wrexham's Championship meeting with Southampton this Saturday, directly references the spying incidents that led to severe FA sanctions against Saints last season.
In the video, the two Hollywood owners emerge from behind a tree. Ryan Reynolds said they wanted to talk about the importance of privacy. Rob McElhenney continued the joke, adding it was about how to prevent spies from seeing what you're doing.
The scandal referenced
The advert alludes to the series of events where an intern working for Southampton was caught observing a Middlesbrough training session ahead of last season's playoff semifinal. The Football Association subsequently charged the club with three counts of spying, relating to matches against Oxford United, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough. Southampton, who won that playoff semifinal, were later thrown out of the Championship final and hit with a four-point penalty, which was applied at the start of this campaign. Manager Tonda Eckert was also charged with misconduct and bringing the game into disrepute in July; a verdict from the FA is still pending.
Reynolds and McElhenney conclude their video by stating the message is for fans of Oxford, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, and people everywhere. Reynolds signs off by saying it is refreshing to see an organisation that actually respects your privacy.
Current context for Saints
The stunt arrives as Southampton prepare to travel to face Wrexham. Russell Martin's side are on a two-game winning run, having beaten Bristol City last time out, and will view the fixture as a chance to continue their positive recent form. The squad, featuring top scorer Cyle Larin, will be looking to channel any irritation from the video into a positive performance on the pitch this weekend. The team's current standings position reflects a solid start, but they will be acutely aware of the four-point deduction that impacted their early-season tally. As they look ahead to the fixtures, this match against Wrexham represents a key opportunity to build momentum. Southampton's squad depth will be tested, especially with manager Tonda Eckert's misconduct charge still pending from the FA's investigation into the spying affair.
This story first appeared at espn.com
