James McClean remains a key player in this Wrexham side, shown by his goal and performance in the win over Blackpool on Monday.
James McClean, now 36 years old, scored his fourth goal of the season on Monday, in what was his 40th appearance of the campaign, to help Wrexham beat Blackpool 2-1 and return to 2nd place of the League One table.
On the same day as well, Wycombe Wanderers were thumped 4-0 by Charlton Athletic in a huge result in the race for 2nd, which Phil Parkinson’s side are currently winning with two games left to play.
Next up, Wrexham are back at the Racecourse where they welcome Nathan Jones’ Charlton who currently sit three points behind the Dragons, meaning a win for Charlton could make for some huge final day drama at the top of the table.
But the experience of McClean and many others in the Wrexham dressing room will prove vital in the run-in.
James McClean admits Wrexham players ‘got a bit complacent’ after Burton Albion
Wrexham have long looked like the next promotion favourites after Birmingham City secured promotion with several games to go. And now unbeaten in eight games it’s fair to say that Wrexham are in pole position to clinch that 2nd place. But McClean has admitted, quite worryingly, that the players became complacent.
Earlier in the month, Wrexham beat Burton Albion 3-0 in a game that really outed the Dragons in the race for promotion. But speaking after Blackpool, McClean admitted that that win probably left some of the players complacent in the race for promotion.
He said: “After the Burton game, the outside noise good and bad, after the Burton game everyone was saying we’re up, that’s us done and maybe we got a bit complacent. I can’t speak for everyone, maybe subconsciously we got a bit complacent but now, look, it’s back in our hands, we got two games left and one at home next Saturday, big game.
“Talk is cheap, it’s about action, so we need to obviously go and do the job.”
Ryan Reynolds was right about Wrexham star James McClean
Rob McElhenney was in the stands at Blackpool on Monday, watching on as the players gifted him and the fans a huge win. But it was fellow co-owner Ryan Reynolds whose prediction for McClean eventually came true.
Speaking about the 2023 signing of McClean, Reynolds hailed McClean’s experience and quality and the overall impact he’d have at the club, which has since proved to be huge. Reynolds previously said: “He’s an enormous talent and a huge addition to the team, he’s a leader.
“He’s one of those guys where you speak to him, and you’re immediately filled with confidence, and you understand that he understands what’s ahead of him and the job that he needs to do.”
McClean now has one promotion to his name Wrexham, along with 87 total performances, eight goals and an impressive 18 assists too.
Kick off against Charlton Athletic is at 5:30pm on Saturday.