Wrexham snapped up Ollie Rathbone from Rotherham United back in August in a move which has proven to be a masterstroke.
Wrexham had been linked with midfielders throughout the first half of 2024.
Scottish midfielder Jamie Lindsay was a top target for Wrexham in January 2024, but a club-record deal didn’t materialise.
Wrexham remained keen on Lindsay ahead of the summer window, but he ended up joining Bristol Rovers from Rotherham United.
Conor Hourihane was also a Wrexham target, but he chose to return to Barnsley.
Wrexham snapped up George Dobson but also added a box-to-box workhorse in Ollie Rathbone, prising him from Rotherham United.
Ollie Rathbone shares how Wrexham move materialised
Wrexham paid a ‘significant’ fee for Rathbone according to former Millers boss Steve Evans.
The former Rochdale man made a slow start to life at Wrexham, and had to wait until November for his first goal.
Ever since Rathbone found the net against Exeter City, he has been an absolute livewire in Wrexham’s engine room.
Rathbone has posted the best goalscoring season of his career and has now reflected on how his move to the STōK Cae Ras materialised.
Speaking to Men In Blazers, Rathbone admitted he was eyeing a move away from Rotherham after their relegation from the Championship.
Rathbone initially hoped to make an immediate return to the Championship but also explored joining a promotion-chasing League One side.
Rathbone actually suggested the move to Wrexham himself, asking his agent whether they could fit the mould and challenge for promotion.
Soon enough, Rathbone’s agent was on the phone with Phil Parkinson, and the rest is history as Wrexham secured the midfielder’s signature.
“I think it was actually me that first kind of mentioned it to him, because at the end of last season, we kind of… obviously, with Rotherham getting relegated from the Championship, the aim was for me to kind of stay in the Championship with another club, but then we also spoke about ‘well, what if a big League One club would come in for you?’, and then we could maybe get promoted back to the Championship.
“He mentioned a few, and I said ‘well, what about Wrexham, do you think they’ll be up there this season?’, and I remember he said ‘yeah, okay, I’ll give Phil a ring’, and it all kind of stemmed from there really,” he added.
Rathbone has been worth every penny for Wrexham
Wrexham decided to invest decent money in Rathbone and that faith has been repaid so far.
Rathbone has bagged six goals and two assists in 36 League One games this season, proving to be a driving force in Wrexham’s midfield.
That attacking input has been invaluable for Wrexham, especially with Elliot Lee in and out of the team.
Wrexham may well win promotion with Rathbone playing a vital role, whereas Rotherham sit 12th in the League One table.
This move has worked out brilliantly for Wrexham, and it seems that is Rathbone who set the ball rolling after all, so we can only thank him for coming up with the idea of a move to the STōK Cae Ras – and hope to see him shine for a long time to come yet.