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A former Premier League boss who was axed after merely 41 days in charge claims Ryan Reynolds has dubbed him Wrexham's "secret weapon." Les Reed endured an ill-fated stint managing Charlton Athletic in the top division during the 2006-07 campaign - a season which culminated in the Addicks' relegation. He was dismissed after managing just one victory across his eight-match tenure in the dugout at The Valley. However, the 72-year-old has subsequently held several prominent roles in football, including serving as vice-president at Southampton throughout a prosperous spell in the Premier League, as well as occupying the position of FA technical director between 2002 and 2004. Reed currently works as a board advisor at Wrexham , jointly owned by Deadpool actor Reynolds and fellow Hollywood star Rob Mac . Reed assumed the role shortly after the A-listers acquired the then-National League side in 2021. The club has since experienced remarkable success, securing three successive promotions under boss Phil Parkinson , whose appointment Reed played a key part in back in July that year. Whilst he maintains a discreet presence at the Racecourse Ground, he recently discussed his relationship with Reynolds and Mac alongside his responsibilities at Wrexham. "I stay very much in the background," Reed told World Soccer Talk . "Ryan once described me as their secret weapon. If they're at a game and I'm around, we'll have a general chat rather than a business one. "They're very approachable and if something important comes up, they're open to hearing it. But as a consultant, I generally work through the board and executives. These days, I work more closely with Michael Williamson [Wrexham chief executive] and Phil Parkinson. "In the early days, I had more contact with the owners as the club grew, but now that it's larger and has more people at the executive and operational level, my role is more behind the scenes." Wrexham's remarkable climb from the National League to the Championship has brought considerable praise for both the club and its high-profile owners. But the Red Dragons have endured a difficult beginning to life in the second tier this season and find themselves languishing in 16th place. Nevertheless, Reynolds and Mac harbour ambitious dreams of propelling Wrexham into the Premier League . Whilst Reed's managerial stint with Charlton in the top flight ended unsuccessfully, the former coach credits his time as assistant to Alan Curbishley at the same club during the mid-1990s as pivotal to advancing his career. "The turning point came during my first period with the FA," Reed said. "My three-year contract was coming to an end, and by that time, I was running some of the highest-level coaching courses at the Lilleshall FA Centre, where the national school was, and overseeing courses for professional coaches. "It was a time when coaching qualifications became mandatory. Many former players and long-time coaches had to complete these courses, including those who'd been in the game at the highest level for decades. Quite a lot of them passed through my hands. "One was Alan Curbishley, then reserve team coach at Charlton Athletic, who had just been offered the full-time manager role. He completed both his preliminary and full licences with me as his tutor. Afterward, he called to ask me to join him as his assistant. "I had to decide - stay with the FA coaching England youth teams, or take this opportunity that might never come again? I took the chance. I was with Alan for three years and we earned promotion to the Premier League, and that's where my reputation started to grow." He added: "That call from Alan probably changed my career - it gave me confidence and a reputation I've carried ever since." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
