Kai Calderbank-Park riding the wave of footballing history at Wrexham

This has been the life of Unanderra junior Kai Calderbank-Park since leaving Wollongong at 16 to pursue his dream of being a professional footballer.

Since departing Australia after time at the Wolves, the young goalkeeper was signed for Burnley in the English top flight where he trained in their Academy.

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The Australian U-19 and U-23 representative then moved on to Bury FC and following that Connah Quay's Nomads in the Welsh Football League.

Signed for Wrexham AFC in September 2022, Calderbank-Park has experienced the global sensational that is that Welsh football club.

With thanks to their owners being global movie star Ryan Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney, Wrexham have gone viral in recent months, mainly due to their stellar performances that saw them promoted back to the English Football League after 15 years.

The team and the club as a whole went around the world with their television series, 'Welcome to Wrexham', that gained incredible popularity.

Wrexham's major shirt sponsor is 'TikTok', which gives the best insight into where Reynolds and McElhenney want to take the club.

Despite not being in the squad for Wrexham's 3-1 win against Boreham Wood which secured them promotion, Calderbank-Park was cheering from the sidelines.

It has been a whirlwind journey for the youngster in his Wrexham career and not just on the field. From run-ins with Will Ferrell and his boss Reynolds being one of his mates, it has been a life-changing experience.

He said being part of Wrexham was one of the greatest decisions he had made in his young footballing career.

"It's been very good," he told the Mercury.

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"To be able to experience what it is like at a club like Wrexham is unbelievable. We're getting to the point now where we're like Manchester United, Real Madrid [levels] of fans celebrating and [getting] autographs. Yesterday at our parade there were tens of thousands of people there.

"Being involved in that is unbelievable. It's good to see all the fans with happy faces and that. That's such an unbelievable thing to be a part of and see. Especially with the owners as well it makes it so much better."

The 22-year-old said that he had been a busy man since promotion.

"We've pretty much been partying and celebrating. We were off to [Las] Vegas for two days so that should be quite good," he laughed.

"I imagine after Vegas we will probably settle down and start getting ready for pre-season."

Calderbank-Park added that he was happy with his progression as a footballer personally.

"To be able to experience different levels and see what it's like in different teams it's good," he said.

"To be able to be there it makes it 10 times better to be enjoying it. My goals are, I think everybody would say the same thing, is to play in the [English] Premier League.

"To play for a Liverpool or a Man United is definitely one of my goals.

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"I've always said for me playing league two, one and the Championship is an unbelievable achievement for myself.

"I'm only 22 so I've got time on my hands."

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