In just under two weeks, Wrexham will take on Peterborough in the EFL Trophy semi-final, with a trip to Wembley on offer for the winners of the tie.
While focus for Wrexham will now firmly be on League One duty, with an away trip to Northampton Town coming up at the weekend, it’s never to early to think about future games, especially when cup glory is on the line.
Phil Parkinson’s men were able to grind out a 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday night to get one step closer to Wembley, with Andy Cannon’s sublime strike the difference between the two teams.
The EFL Trophy was a distraction at first, but is now a genuine chance for Wrexham to achieve tangible success this season, and they will want to grab that with both hands.
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Wrexham are favourites, but fans fear an upset vs Peterborough
Looking ahead to the EFL Trophy tie that will decide their fate, Wrexham fans took to Twitter/X to share their thoughts on the challenge Peterborough will present.
The folks on the Fearless In Devotion podcast asked fans how they were feeling about the game, while offering their own opinion, saying: “We’ve beaten them twice already this season but knockout football with high stakes is very different.”
However, they did highlight the fact that Peterborough are in a relegation battle in League One right now, and have a crucial six-pointer against Shrewsbury scheduled for just after the Wrexham game.
Meanwhile, fans chimed in with their stance on the fixture, with one supporter writing: “We’re favourites on paper but sometimes teams near the bottom play with abandon because they have nothing to lose. I’m sure Parkinson is taking them seriously and it’ll take hard work to win. I think and hope we can! One step closer to that 20th anniversary trophy would be nice.”
Another supporter thinks the Red Dragons need to go all out for the win, adding: “Anytime you can put a shine on your club, go for it. It matters for marketing, recruiting, and the overall perception, especially if you’re not going to be league champions. Take the game seriously and go after some hardware.”
There are fears, though, that Wrexham could fall short on the day, with one fan posting: “Optimistic of a Wembley final but the Posh could find some rare form on the day, and we also know that we can implode. Priority is the league but wouldn’t it be nice?”
That’s a sentiment echoed by many, with another saying, “[Peterborough] will be desperate to rescue something from a dismal season – very much depends which version of us turns up, but a home tie and we have to be large favourites.”
One supporter took a pragmatic approach to the situation, though, writing: “If we get to the Final then yes, of course it would be amazing to win and a great day out for the fans… if we lose, focus on our remaining games [in the league].”
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A Wrexham vs Birmingham cup final is written in the stars
Of course, Wrexham will have their sights set on securing a place in the top two in the league more than anything as they chase promotion to the Championship.
Birmingham City look like they’ve all but got the title wrapped up at this point, but Wycombe Wanderers are very much there for the taking in second place.
Interestingly, on paper, it would appear both Birmingham and Wrexham will end up going head-to-head in the EFL Trophy final if everything goes to plan.
We all know Birmingham are a ‘good side’, and by the time the final comes around, it may be all that Chris Davies’ side have left to think about really, given their lead at the top of the table already.
It will take something special for Wrexham to get the better of Birmingham if that cup final does end up being populated by the league rivals, but we’re sure Parkinson and the Wrexham squad will only be thinking about getting past Peterborough right now rather than dreaming of Wembley.