Wrexham

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Elliot Lee says the Wrexham changing room is the best he has been involved in during his career.

The midfielder, 29, has been a pivotal figure under Phil Parkinson since moving to the Stok Racecourse from Luton Town in the summer of 2022.

Lee played a key role in the club's promotions from the National League and League Two and Wrexham are firmly in the mix to go up for a third season running.

"It's the best changing room I've ever been a part of," he said.

"The staff, players, everyone's together, they're just good honest people who want to work hard for each other and achieve success together.

"That's why we have been successful over the last couple of years."

He added: "When times aren't going well, we stick together. When times are going great, we keep our feet on the ground.

"We do that as a team, we've always done that."

Lee has scored four times in 14 League One appearances so far this season, with Parkinson's men sitting third ahead of their trip to Stockport County on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Lee says the environment throughout the club has been crucial to Wrexham's success so far under boss Parkinson.

"It's a great place to come into every day and train. I love playing for the club, I love going out there every day with these lads under the staff," added Lee.

"When you have that feeling, and I know I'm not the only one in there, when everyone's got that feeling, you work hard and enjoy coming in, going out on a Saturday and representing the club and the fans. I feel very lucky to be a part of this group."

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He may not have played a league game in over 18 months, but Wrexham goalkeeper Callum Burton is no rookie.

Burton is in line for a Wrexham league debut at Stockport County on Saturday after Phil Parkinon's first-choice in goal, Arthur Okonkwo, suffered a broken wrist.

Assuming he is picked ahead of veteran stopper Mark Howard, Burton will feature in a league game for the first time since helping Plymouth Argyle to victory at Port Vale in May 2023.

He made only two appearances for Argyle in 2023-24, both of which were in the EFL Cup, and was released at the end of the season.

Since signing for Wrexham in July, he has featured in four cup games, with his latest appearance at Port Vale in the EFL Trophy in midweek.

Burton was replaced at half-time at Vale Park by Howard, with Parkinson wanting to ensure he would be OK for the weekend.

A trip to sixth-placed Stockport is a big game to come into, but Burton has more than 100 career appearances to his name.

He had a spell playing regular League One football at Plymouth, having sampled League Two with Cambridge United and played in the National League for Chesterfield and Southport.

While the loss of Okonkwo is a blow to Wrexham, Parkinson will be hopeful that Burton can seize his chance to impress.

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Wrexham have an opportunity to make up ground – temporarily at least – in the race for promotion to the Championship this weekend.

Phil Parkinson's team go to Stockport County on Saturday hoping to build on last weekend's hard-fought victory over Mansfield Town.

Should they claim another win, Wrexham will move back into the automatic promotion places and to within a point of top spot.

That is because the leaders Wycombe Wanderers, as well as second-placed Birmingham City, have the weekend off after their fixtures were postponed because of international call-ups.

By Saturday night, Wycombe will have a game in hand on Wrexham and Birmingham will have played two fewer league fixtures than the Dragons.

Even so, an away triumph against sixth-placed Stockport would serve as a reminder to others at the top end of the division that Wrexham are serious contenders this season.

"It's a very tough league and there are a lot of good teams up there," said Ryan Barnett, one of Parkinson's star men this season.

"But we have so much confidence within the squad.

"We know we should be pushing up there because we have got that quality. All we can do is keep putting in performances week in, week out and see where we are at the end."

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Barnett says the mood within Wrexham's dressing room right now means the club's players cannot wait for each fixture to come around.

After mass alterations were made for the midweek EFL Trophy game at Port Vale, Parkinson is expected to revert to something close to the side which started against Mansfield.

Wrexham may not have been at their very best against the Stags, but found a way to win against another side in the promotion mix, courtesy of Barnett's first goal of the campaign.

After promotion in each of the last two seasons, Barnett says Wrexham know how to deliver results even when levels dip.

"You look at last season - there were a lot of times when we weren't at our best but we ground out those performances," he said.

"Those points can be massive come the end of the season."

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Wrexham lost a penalty shoot-out at Port Vale after a 1-1 draw in normal time but still clinched top spot in Northern Group B on goal difference, securing home advantage in the last 32 of the EFL Trophy.

Phil Parkinson's side came into the game already assured of a place in the knock-outs, while their hosts had also qualified going into the final round of group games.

Mo Faal has made his mark in the competition this season and the young striker saw his header parried by Vale goalkeeper Ben Amos, but at the other end Ruari Paton brought a good save out of Callum Burton.

Early in the second half Max Cleworth pounced from close range to put Wrexham ahead after being set up by Jon Bodvarsson.

Mark Howard had replaced Burton at half-time, making his 50th Wrexham appearance, and was soon in action as Vale attacked - saving Benicio Baker-Boaitey's shot as it arrowed towards the top corner, then getting to Jesse Debrah's header and a later Antwoine Hackford effort.

But with eight minutes of normal time remaining, Rico Richards connected with a left-wing cross to usher in a penalty shoot-out at Vale Park.

A draw in the group stage of the competition goes straight to a penalty shootout, with a bonus point awarded to the winner.

Amos starred for Vale, stopping spot-kicks from Anthony Forde, Seb Revan and Ollie Rathbone to win the shoot-out 3-1.

A hard-fought match was marred by the ejection of a spectator for alleged homophobic abuse, with Port Vale issuing a statement saying: "Tonight, the club once again expresses its anger and disappointment in the strongest possible terms, having taken action to eject an individual from the stands."

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Ryan Barnett says he is loving life at Wrexham after the right-wingback continued his fine form by scoring the winner against Mansfield Town.

Barnett has been a standout performer this season for Phil Parkinson's side, who are in contention for a third successive promotion having taken the step up to League One in their stride.

Barnett's first goal of 2024-25 was enough to see off Mansfield at the Stok Racecourse and keep Wrexham within two points of the automatic promotion places.

The former Solihull Moors player's form has seen him linked with Championship sides Stoke City and Preston in recent months - but he is happy at Wrexham.

"I'm loving it. The manager gives me that freedom when I go forward and gives me that confidence to take people on," Barnett said.

"All the lads have got that belief in me as well.

"I think that's all you can ask for in football, you want to be confident and you want to be happy and I am in a really good spot at the moment."

Barnett was nominated for the League One player of the month award after he claimed no fewer than five assists in October, though he lost out to Peterborough's Kwame Poku.

Barnett's threat was noted by Mansfield manager Nigel Clough, with the Stags doubling up on him at times last Saturday.

"They tried to stop me going down the line," Barnett said.

"But as you saw for the goal, I tried to cut in and I just had a feeling when it left my foot that it was going in."

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Wrexham will make big changes as they take a break from league action – but manager Phil Parkinson says more of the same is what will matter this season.

Parkinson’s side switch attention to the EFL Trophy on Tuesday where they travel to League Two outfit Port Vale.

Both teams have already qualified for the knock-out stages, but victory at Vale Park could guarantee a Racecourse tie for the Red Dragons who won this competition 20 years ago.

Eager for victory, Parkinson admits he is ready to field an entirely different starting XI to the one that saw off Mansfield Town in League One on Saturday, a result that put the Red Dragons into third, two points off second-placed Birmingham City.

The win over the Stags was not Wrexham at their most free-flowing, but nevertheless Parkinson said it is the attitude that matters as he eyes staying among the promotion front-runners in the club’s return to third-tier football.

"You stick together and grind out the results, that’s what it’s all about over the course of 46 games," said Parkinson, whose two promotions in the last two seasons with Wrexham made it a career-total of five from his time in management.

"Good teams who end up at the top of the league can win all different types of football matches, it’s as simple as that.

"And we have got the make-up in our team that we can roll our sleeves up when it’s not going our way."

Parkinson was particularly happy at the weekend, not with the performance but with the mentality, singling out the character of James McClean and admitting it showed the side had learned a lesson from conceding a late penalty in their last league outing away at Charlton Athletic.

Nevertheless, the 55-year-old says it is too early in the season to start getting carried away with league positions.

"It’s very difficult to predict," said Parkinson, with just five points covering the sides from Wrexham in third down to Bolton Wanderers in 10th.

"Barnsley suddenly appearing in fourth, there’s teams all the way down in 14th when you look at them and think they could be up there.

"Some people are looking at Wycombe and thinking they’re a surprise package but they’re a team who were in the Championship not that long ago and are always up there in this division, so I’m not sure they’re a surprise.

"There’s so many teams that will be fancying their chances, but it’s still early in the season. We’ve just got to keep our heads down, concentrate on what we have to do."

That will include putting focus on League Two leaders Vale who dropped into the bottom tier under Darren Moore last season.

Wrexham have beaten Salford and Wolves’ Under-21s in their two games in the Trophy so far, and Parkinson added: "Darren’s done a good job, they’ve recruited well and they look like a strong squad.

"We'll make 11 changes because we’ve already qualified and we’ll use the game to give some players much-needed game time, but we’ll prepare professionally for it and look to get a result.

"There’s home advantage in the next round for the winners which is important for us, so we’ll go there picking a team we’ll feel is right to win the game."

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Wrexham's 'Hollywood' rematch with League One rivals Birmingham City has been moved to a Thursday night showdown under the Racecourse floodlights.

The meeting between the promotion-chasing pair at St Andrew's in September attracted global attention with Wrexham co-chairman Rob McElhenney, Birmingham minority owner Tom Brady and football icon David Beckham all in attendance.

Chris Davies' Blues won the game 3-1 – which included altercations between players towards the end of the game – and was given the big game treatment by broadcasters.

Now January's return game between the two sides – currently separated by just two points in the table – is one of five Wrexham games selected for television coverage.

It means the game has been moved to a 20:00 GMT kick-off on Thursday, 23 January.

It comes one week after another Thursday night kick-off at the same time at cross-border rivals Shrewsbury Town on 16 January.

Phil Parkinson's return to former club Reading on Saturday, 11 January has brought forward to a 12:30 GMT kick-off.

Meanwhile, the game at Northampton Town on Saturday, 15 February is also a lunchtime kick-off while the trip to Mansfield Town – beaten 1-0 at the Racecourse at the weekend – is now a 15:00 GMT kick-off on Sunday, 23 February.

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Matty James says he jumped at the chance to join Wrexham after admitting he was desperate to return to football.

James, 33, had been without a club after being released by Championship Bristol City in the summer but joined Phil Parkinson's side on a short-term deal until January last month.

The former Manchester United and Leicester City midfielder confirmed he held talks with the north Wales club following his departure from Ashton Gate, and says he is now relishing to be a part of the Wrexham project.

"It came out of the blue really," he said of his move to the Stok Racecourse.

"We had a conversation in the summer and it didn't quite happen. I had one or two other little bits that then didn't happen after that.

"I just received a phone call asking if I'd come in and train and I jumped at the opportunity because of where I was at in my own situation.

"I was desperate to be involved in football again, and with it being Wrexham and where the club is, the ambition, anybody would jump at that opportunity.

"Everybody knows where the club is and where it's going and what it wants to achieve.

"I think there'll be numerous players out there that would want to be playing for Wrexham, in terms of players who are playing for other clubs now I'm guessing. I'm just really happy to be part of it."

James featured 43 times in all competitions for Bristol City during the 2023-24 season, scoring three goals.

The midfielder was an unused substitute for Wrexham's matches at Charlton Athletic and Harrogate Town.

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The last time Wrexham went three games without winning, they responded with a rousing run of results which delivered promotion to League One.

Phil Parkinson's side are looking to return to form once more when they host Mansfield Town on Saturday, having failed to register a victory in their last three outings in all competitions.

Last weekend's FA Cup exit at Harrogate Town came on the back of a frustrating league draw at Charlton Athletic and a home stalemate with Huddersfield Town.

Not since February had Wrexham gone three games in all competitions without registering a win.

After that sequence - which included draws at Forest Green Rovers and MK Dons plus defeat at Gillingham - Wrexham claimed nine wins in their last 12 games of 2023-24 to secure an automatic return to the third tier.

Surprisingly, perhaps, Wrexham went three games without managing a victory on four occasions last season - including one winless run of four matches - yet still finished up celebrating come May.

So presumably there will be no great feeling of concern for Parkinson and his players on the back of the current run, which leaves them third in the table - and out of the Cup - as they prepare to host the Stags.

Still, Wrexham could do with a win.

Wycombe Wanderers' thumping 5-0 triumph at Stockport County on Tuesday means they lead League One on goal difference ahead of Birmingham City, who have a game in hand.

Wrexham are four points worse off than the top two in third spot, with Mansfield a point and a place behind Parkinson's men having lost just once in nine league fixtures.

It is early in the season, of course, but this weekend's encounter at the Stok Racecourse looks a big game.

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Wrexham wing-back Ryan Barnett has been nominated for the League One player of the month award for October.

The 25-year-old, who has been linked with Championship side Stoke City this season, played in all five of Wrexham's league fixtures last month.

"Barnett’s surging runs down the right and lack of fear in taking on defenders, allied to intelligently delivered pinpoint crosses, helped to set up five of Wrexham’s seven October goals," the EFL nomination said.

Barnett is up against Huddersfield Town defender Matty Pearson, Birmingham City's Willum Willumsson and Kwame Poku, of Peterborough United for the award.