Wrexham clinched promotion to the Championship with a brilliant League One campaign, but Phil Parkinson’s key men have been overlooked.
Wrexham made it three straight promotions back in April as Phil Parkinson’s side beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 at the STōK Cae Ras.
Rob McElhenney almost immediately targeted more success as Wrexham completed back-to-back-to-back promotions.
Wrexham racked up 92 points, boasting 27 wins and just eight defeats over the course of a long season.
Despite a well-deserved second-place finish, Wrexham stars have been overlooked for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
Wrexham stars overlooked for PFA Players’ Players of the Year
The PFA have confirmed their top six League One players for the 2024-25 season, as voted for by players.
Former Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster has previously explained how the process works on The Fozcast.
“Basically, this is how voting for Player of the Season and Team of the Season works in the Premier League,” said Foster.
“You used to get a little leaflet with the starting XI, you’d pick the best goalie, the best right back. Basically, you could pick whatever formation you wanted within reason. You get a long list of players, of all the players that have had decent seasons, and you pick it from there.
“It used to be this little booklet, now it’s an email. Whoever is club captain, the PFA rep gets in touch with Tom Cleverley, who was ours, and then he sends it in an email or a WhatsApp to everybody, and you have to download it and pick your players from there,” he added.
Wrexham clinched automatic promotion, but not one member of Parkinson’s squad made the final six.
Arthur Okonkwo was brilliant between the sticks, and Max Cleworth’s consistency was simply remarkable.
Ollie Rathbone was a driving force from midfield, and Sam Smith racked up 18 goals across his season with Reading and Wrexham.
None of them made the final six, and while we can understand Wrexham’s success being viewed as a team effort, some outstanding individual campaigns were deserving of recognition.
Birmingham City duo Tomoki Iwata and Jay Stansfield made the cut alongside Leyton Orient striker Charlie Kelman and Peterborough United’s Kwame Poku.
Richard Kone also made the top six after an impressive season for Wycombe Wanderers, and one former Wrexham player managed to earn a nomination.
Wrexham target makes the cut
Barnsley’s Davis Keillor-Dunn made the top six, having dazzled for the Tykes.
Keillor-Dunn joined Barnsley for around £700,000 last summer after impressing for Mansfield Town in League Two.
The 27-year-old smashed 18 goals and seven assists for the Tykes, more than proving that he belongs at League One level.
Wrexham are now interested in signing Keillor-Dunn, with Parkinson launching an enquiry for the forward.
Keillor-Dunn had a brief spell with Wrexham in 2020 but has developed impressively to become a star for Barnsley.
The Tykes allegedly want around £2.5million for Keillor-Dunn and Wrexham are eyeing up a big-money summer move.
Paying so much to re-sign Keillor-Dunn after allowing him to leave for nothing may sting a little, but that just goes to show how much he has improved in the last five years, with his award nomination certainly deserved.