Adam VIRGO
BT SPORT PUNDIT GIVES HIS EXPERT OPINION
THE EASTER Monday showdown between Wrexham and Notts County has been circled on the calendar for a while now.
It’s a fantastic game for the profile of the National League. You don’t get games like this too often.
What is riding on it, being live on BT Sport, the size of the clubs, it has everything. I think it’s a game a lot of people are going to be interested in. I can’t wait.
Wrexham, of course, have a game in hand despite being knocked off top spot on Good Friday. In the past, I’ve felt there has been a mental block when it comes to the really, big games. I’ve spoken to Wrexham fans on this and they don’t necessarily agree – but it’s my opinion.
I think back to the FA Trophy final they lost on penalties to North Ferriby United.
Or when they were beaten by Eastleigh in the play-offs, the two games in recent seasons against Dagenham & Redbridge they had to win but didn’t, the FA Trophy final against Bromley – and, of course, last season’s mad-cap play-off semi-final loss against Grimsby Town.
They’re a different animal now. They have adapted to playing in front of such a big crowd every week and seem to handle the pressure better than ever. That has been a big turning point.
The scrutiny the club is under can’t be underestimated. Owned by two big-name actors, the documentary, the money that has been poured in – they’re there to be shot at.
Early on, I felt the spotlight couldn’t have been much brighter with all the talk of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney getting involved. Once they’d turned up in person to watch them against Maidenhead, that settled down.
Now everyone is used to them being there. If Ryan Reynolds walks in now it’s probably almost routine for Wrexham fans rather than hysteria we saw at the beginning of their tenure.
The levels both teams have reached this season are remarkable. Someone tweeted me at the start of the season saying Wrexham would score 100 goals. I said, ‘No chance’. He has reminded me every week since!
Notts are over 100 goals too and they’ve both racked up a century of points. But the most staggering stat is Notts have only lost two games and defeat at FC Halifax on Friday was just the third time Wrexham have been beaten.
To me, at this stage of the season, that is the biggest testament for the heights they’ve hit. It’s impossible to play well every week. But they’ve both found ways to win. It reminds me of my time at Celtic. It’s all good when you’re playing at home in front of a big crowd. But when you go away to smaller clubs in the division and up against a side that is treating it as their cup final, you have to deal with that.
There is already huge pressure and expectation for the players at two massive clubs. If this was the Promotion Final, it would easily get 60,000 fans.
We know we’ve got big clubs in this league but the magnitude of all of these ingredients and the stage of the season we’re now at, makes this game even tastier. Neither can really afford not to get promoted, however that comes. My only worry is for the team who don’t win the league. To have to go again through the play-offs is going to be even tougher.
THE MANAGERS
AMIDST all the noise around Wrexham, Phil Parkinson has been the perfect man for the job.
The club identified who they wanted after Dean Keates’ exit and got him. He took Bradford City to a League Cup final and he’s had promotions.
It’s not been plain sailing for him at Wrexham – after missing out last season and a couple of early defeats this season the fans would have been grumbling – but he has really got them on his side now.
It’s fine and dandy signing the players they have, but you’ve still got to have the right manager – and staff – to work with those players and make them better. He takes a huge amount of credit for their season.
As does Notts’ Luke Williams. Unfortunately for him, they’re up against a winning machine in Wrexham. But he has handled himself really well and impressed greatly since taking over from Ian Burchnall in the summer. It’s a bit like Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton. Graham Potter was the best thing since sliced bread but the new man has come in and taken the team onto he next level. Luke has done that at County.
The club’s recruitment has been superb. Macaulay Langstaff has, obviously, been a huge player for them but they still have had to make the whole system work. And it really does just that.
THE HOT SHOTS
DID we expect Macaulay Langstaff to have the season he’s having? Probably not. Full credit to him. He’s gone from being a recognised Non-League player to someone I’d be amazed doesn’t have bids from Championship clubs in the summer. Even if Notts get promoted, it will probably be difficult to keep hold of him.
He’s 26 years old, last year he was phenomenal for Gateshead in the National League North but he was at that stage where he’d had a couple of opportunities that hadn’t quite worked out. He’s really shown his quality and class this season.
Wrexham’s Paul Mullin has more than proven his worth. Before his brilliant season for Cambridge United when they won promotion from League Two, his goal record hadn’t been what it is now. He’s even being talked about for a Wales call-up.
Since I’ve been covering Wrexham, they’ve always been missing that genuine striker and there have been seasons where you felt if they’d have had one then they’d maybe have already been promoted.
Watching the Wrexham documentary and drawing my own conclusions, Mullin seems completely settled and happy off the pitch because he’s closer to home and his family.
I saw his celebrations after they beat Coventry City in the FA Cup. You can see he’s thriving on his importance to the club. There are a lot of legends in Wrexham history and he’s put himself in that conversation too.
Ollie Palmer has done well since his arrival from AFC Wimbledon and Sam Dalby has more than contributed in more slightly more subtle ways.
But Mullin has shown how hard he is to stop. And so has Langstaff.
