While Wrexham have made their fair share of big-name signings, do not underestimate the role a crop of young talent have played in those successive promotion campaigns.
Max Cleworth, the 22-year-old academy graduate, has eight goals from eight League One appearances as a centre-half.
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo continues to go from strength-to-strength under Phil Parkinson.
Sebastian Revan, meanwhile, is proving himself to be a pretty useful member of the Wrexham roster since the 21-year-old full-back arrived from Aston Villa over the summer.
And for Nick Chadwick, the club’s youth coach, the sight of teenage duo Harry Ashfield and Aaron James forcing themselves into Parkinson’s first-team roster is a boon for Wrexham’s talented group of Under-18s.
Wrexham duo Harry Ashfield and Aaron James praised by Nick Chadwick
Ashfield and James both started as Wrexham beat Wolves’ U21 side 3-0 in the EFL Trophy last Tuesday night.
“I was delighted for Harry Ashfield and Aaron James to go and play for the first-team,” Chadwick tells the official Wrexham website. “It was a big win for us as an Academy.
“We’ve now got to keep pushing and looking for the lads to develop now to see who can be the next one.”
James, a 19-year-old defender, signed a new long-term contract over the summer. The highly-experienced Parkinson feels Wrexham have a potential first-teamer on their hands too should the teenager continue his recent progress.
“Aaron developed well as the last season went on,” Parkinson told reporters after James put pen to paper. “We feel with Aaron that he has a lot of intelligence, and takes that with him into what he does on the pitch.”
Phil Parkinson excited by Ashfield potential
Ashfield, meanwhile, made his first appearance in the starting XI in that Wolves clash. Just 18 years of age, the midfielder’s balletic talents have Wrexham team-mate Ryan Bennett labelling him ‘Ashiesta’ in homage to the Barcelona icon.
Ashfield, like James, has earned Parkinson’s admiration.
The former Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland boss lauded Ashfield following the homegrown prospect’s eye-catching his cameo performance against Salford City in the EFL Trophy.
“We have got a big squad and we need to utilise that to its maximum,” Parkinson said following that 2-1 win in September.
“This competition is about that and also giving one or two of our young players an opportunity. It was Harry Ash tonight.
“And in that 20-minute cameo, whatever it was, he certainly took it. So it was great for us and great for the supporters as well to see one of the young players, and so important for the academy as well.”
Both Ashfield and James will be hoping to have a place in the matchday squad when Parkinson’s Wrexham travel to Rotherham United as league football resumes this weekend.
The Red Dragons are flying high in second place, six points and a staggering 13 places ahead of a Millers outfit who were expected to be one of this season’s title challengers after they were relegated out of the Championship at the end of 2023/24.