Paul Mullin is a hot topic at Wrexham. He always has been. But the tide of opinion is slowly turning against the legendary striker.
Simply put, Wrexham would not be where they are now were it not for the goalscoring talents of Paul Mullin. His contributions have steered the club from National League obscurity right through to League One.
However, the goals have dried up for Mullin this season, and his struggles have seen him fall down the pecking order in Phil Parkinson’s side, and his latest injury issue isn’t helping matters either.
The striker was linked with a move away from the club in the winter window, but stuck around, which may well be a good thing in the long-run for Wrexham.
Wrexham made the right call giving Paul Mullin a big, new contract
Mullin was handed a new contract just over a year ago now, which will run through to the summer of 2027. At the same time, the Red Dragons secured Elliot Lee’s future with a similar deal.
With both now 30-years-old and with their influence waning, there have been murmurs of discontent from some sections of the fanbase as to why the club is committing long-term to these kinds of players and burdening themselves with big contracts.
Speaking on The Local Pundit podcast, Wrexham legend Andy Morrell discussed the situation regarding those two players and others like them, and why it might not actually be a bad thing for the club.
“I think they were good news stories, they were key players for the last two seasons, and it’s a statement that no one is coming for our top men and we’ll keep them as long as we want,” Morrell said. “They’re happy. The longer deals show that players can be kept.”
“We did it again with Jacob Mendy in January, too,” he added. “When you’ve got these players in the building, it’s easier to keep them than bring new ones in. But what it also does is, if these players get you to the next level, and money isn’t an object, you can afford to say you’re free to go if you want.”
| Player | Contract signed | Contract expires |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Mullin | January 2024 | June 2027 |
| Elliot Lee | January 2024 | June 2027 |
| Ollie Palmer | October 2024 | June 2026 |
| James McClean | August 2024 | June 2026 |
| Jacob Mendy | January 2025 | June 2026 |
Thinking ahead, Morrell suggests that Wrexham are now in a great position to either upgrade in the summer, or be covered in the worst case scenario.
“It’s better to have them than not have them,” he said. “If Mendy goes, Revan gets an injury, and McClean goes back to Ireland, you’re scrambling then.”
Likewise, Ollie Palmer’s new contract has been criticised by fans, but Morrell believes Wrexham can easily recoup that outlay in the summer.
“If you find yourself in a situation like Palmer, where he’s now maybe fifth or sixth choice, he still has value now if someone wants to buy him,” Morrell stated. “Wrexham will be able to get some kind of fee for him now because of that contract if he does leave in the summer.”
Wrexham have to cut ties eventually, but togetherness is more important right now
If Wrexham get promoted this season, we expect it will lead to some painful goodbyes for a lot of players, with the aforementioned names surely set for the exit door as the club evolves once more.
Players like Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer have given so much to Wrexham, and they will live forever in Red Dragons’ folklore for what they’ve helped the club achieve.
But, as we’ve seen so many times in the recent past, Wrexham are not driven by sentiment at all, and are not afraid to move on players who simply aren’t suitable anymore.
However, January was not the time to do that. With half the season to go, Wrexham have a great chance at securing a top two spot in League One and making it to the Championship, and losing the influence and experience of the likes of Mullin and Palmer would almost certainly have a negative impact at this point.
It’s not always about performances and statistics; sometimes, the spirit behind the scenes is all that matters and can make all the difference when chasing those fine margins that come with a promotion-chasing season.