Ollie Rathbone scored one of the all important goals that secured Wrexham’s promotion to the Championship. Now, he has big hopes for his side in the second tier.
Ollie Rathbone was one of the players of the season for Wrexham in 2024/25. The 28-year-old scored eight goals and assisted three more in 41 League One games for the Dragons, after Wrexham signed Rathbone from Rotherham United last summer.
And this coming summer will need more similar signings for Phil Parkinson’s side. But the Dragons boss says Wrexham won’t sign any superstars this summer, and instead emulate the type of transfers that has secured them three-straight promotions.
But there’ll definitely need to be a step up in quality. The Championship will be ruthless and it could easily be the breaking of Wrexham. But Troy Deeney has backed Wrexham to stabilise in the Championship and many others will too.
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Ollie Rathbone says Wrexham can cause upsets in the Championship
Rathbone scored in the 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic last month: the game and the win that secured Wrexham’s promotion to the Championship. And he’s already looking ahead to the Championship and towards ruffling some feathers in England’s second tier too.
Speaking about Wrexham’s promotion trip to Las Vegas, Rathbone told Leader Live about his hopes for next season. He said: “I feel we can have a really strong season and hopefully cause a few surprises. The Championship is a massive step-up in terms of the quality on the pitch, the size of the stadiums and the atmosphere.
“It is where you want to be playing your football and as a football club, it is where you want to be.” Wrexham haven’t played second tier football in England in 43 years.
Ollie Rathbone was the bargain of the season for Wrexham in League One
Wrexham paid £500,000 to sign Rathbone last summer. And it’s proved to be half-a-million pounds very well spent with Rathbone producing some vital moments across the season.
Parkinson no doubt needs more of the same kind of savvy transfer business this summer. And with the Wrexham journey still going strong it’ll certainly help to attract players that might have previously been out of their reach.
Wrexham fans have heaped praise on Rathbone throughout the season. He’s someone who can really help Wrexham settle in the Championship with his goals and overall performances such a vital cog in the system.