Wrexham goalkeeper Mark Howard has explained the surprise factor that gave his side an ‘edge’ in the promotion race.
Wrexham had a Hollywood ending to their campaign for a second season running having earned automatic promotion to League One.
It’s the first time in history that the Reds have achieved successive promotions, with Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds already clamouring for an unprecedented third to reach the Championship.
Several factors played their part in securing Phil Parkinson’s men a second-place finish. Paul Mullin was on fire in front of goal, Elliot Lee decimated defences from midfield and Arthur Okonkwo was a reliable pair of hands.
Those were some of the ingredients on the pitch that formed their recipe for success, but backup goalkeeper Mark Howard has now explained there was a surprise factor off the field that fuelled them to win promotion.
Mark Howard explains what factor gave Wrexham an ‘edge’ in the promotion race
Veteran goalkeeper Howard played as an understudy to Arsenal loanee Okonkwo last term, making just seven appearances in League Two and keeping two clean sheets.
It was a bold call from Parkinson to play Okonkwo over the 37-year-old but it’s one that ultimately paid off as Wrexham achieved promotion.
Howard has since been offered a new contract at the club, claiming he doesn’t plan on retiring any time soon and feels he can still play for two or three more years.
The former Sheffield United shot-stopper is a wise head in the Wrexham dressing room, and he believes the media attention and willingness to beat the Reds even more gave his side a ‘slight edge’ in the promotion race.
Speaking to The Leader, Howard said: “There is a lot from opposition players, staff and fans. We hear it and see it. But we like it.
“We know it’s already in their heads, we know we have a slight edge on them as we have rattled them before the game starts.
“The comments are going on weekly. We find it a bit funny that we have got to people. It’s a motivational tool that people try to throw in our faces but we are accustomed to it.
Less pressure on Wrexham in League One
The motivation for other sides in League Two to beat Wrexham has stemmed from them having a far smaller budget, so if they did secure all three points it would feel like a scalp.
In League One, however, there is a more level playing field and clubs will no longer see the Welsh side as a Hollywood powerhouse, but instead, as an ambitious side that has just been promoted from the fourth tier.
The level of opposition Parkinson’s side will face in the third tier is miles tougher with Rotherham, Huddersfield and Birmingham City coming down from the Championship.
Those three clubs will back their manager this summer in an attempt to bounce straight back, which makes Wrexham’s promotion ambitions harder to fulfil.
Of course, there will still be a lot of media attention and hype surrounding Wrexham, but there will be fewer clubs ‘trying harder’ to claim a scalp like they faced in League Two.