Notts County winger Jodi Jones has claimed that Wrexham’s promotion to League Two was not the fairy tale that many have been calling it.
The 25-year-old, who represents the Malta national team, spoke with i ahead of the recent Malta-England match about last season’s National League title race and his eagerness to reignite Notts County’s rivalry with Wrexham after both clubs earned promotion.
But despite all the fanfare surrounding Wrexham’s return to the EFL, the winger believes the club’s rise under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney should come as little surprise.
Notts County winger Jodi Jones on Wrexham’s promotion
Both Wrexham and Notts County crushed the competition in last season’s National League, finishing on a record 111 and 107 points respectively, a whopping 27 and 23 points ahead of third-placed Chesterfield.
Despite the nail-biting end to the season, Notts County’s Jodi Jones believes Wrexham’s promotion was all but inevitable.
“Not to take any credit from Wrexham, they’re a quality team, they are a great side with a fantastic manager but people were saying it’s this mad fairy tale,” Jones told i. “They have literally got League One players, you expect them to be up there.”
“You could say the same for Notts because we’re a massive club,” he added. “But coming down to the football played this season I think we deserved it more than anybody. I feel like a lot of people had their eyes on Wrexham because of Ryan Reynolds. Next season I cannot wait to play against them.”
“Notts are not a National League side and they’re not a League Two side so I believe we’ll go up next season,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed because I have massive belief in the manager and coaches we have. It’s the same for Wrexham. I think we’ll both be up there next season competing.”
The Wrexham-Notts County rivalry continues
June 22 saw the release of the fixtures for the 2023/24 League Two campaign.
Following some potentially tricky games to start the season, Wrexham will be visiting Meadow Lane to face their National League title rivals Notts County on October 28.
The fixture comes on what is currently billed as matchday 16 and will be the first time the two teams have met since that dramatic 3-2 win that effectively sealed the title race for Wrexham.
Later in the season, Wrexham will host Notts County at the Racecourse Ground on February 17, currently listed as matchday 34.
The reverse fixture promises to be an enthralling match already as the season will be heading into its final stages and both Wrexham and their rivals will undoubtedly be battling it out for promotion once again, having been listed among the favourites to go up already.
In other news: Fans go wild after spotting ‘time traveller’ Ryan Reynolds in 1878 team photo