Phil Parkinson has had some tough decisions to make during his last year as Wrexham manager.
Wrexham are on a remarkable rise up the EFL ladder and could be in the Championship for the first time ever if things go their way in the next two months.
Their recent climb up the Football League has been impressive but the quick nature of it – two promotions in two seasons – means their squad is constantly having to evolve.
In turn, a lot of stars, some of whom had pivotal roles in the promotion from the National League to League One, have had to be let go.
Wrexham released eight players during the summer of 2024, and a lot have since struggled.
For example, Rob Lainton spent eight months without a club before signing for Altrincham late last month.
Meanwhile, Aaron Hayden could be relegated from League Two with Carlisle United less than a year after departing Wrexham.
What Owen Cushion is doing after Wrexham release
But one former player has really fallen from grace since his spell at the Racecourse Ground came to an end.
Owen Cushion began his playing career with the Welsh outfit’s youth side before a brief loan spell with Colwyn Bay.
Upon his return to Wrexham, though, the central midfielder was unable to break into the first-team picture.
Cushion’s only senior appearance for the now League One team came on December 5th, 2023.
It was an EFL Trophy clash with Burton Albion and saw the 20-year-old earn just one minute of playing time at the end of the game.
After leaving Wrexham, Cushion joined Prescot Cables on a free transfer in August 2024 but lasted less than a month before then linking up with Witton Albion.
The Liverpool-born player’s stint with Witton was also brief, leaving them in November of last year to link up with Burscough FC.
Burscough ply their trade in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division, which is Step 5 (the ninth tier) of the National League System.
What Phil Parkinson said about releasing Wrexham players
Having to get rid of players is never an easy task for any manager, but Phil Parkison explained why Wrexham released eight players last summer, suggesting it was largely down to the squad size limit in League One.
He stated: “People are not completely aware of that rule. We have got to work towards the 22-man squad and inevitably, the only way we can bring players in is by letting people go.
“The aim has always been to improve what we have got in each transfer window but also maintaining our key players.
“That’s what we will be aiming to do this time. It is going to be an interesting summer, we have got ideas how we would like to see the squad shape up. We will take our time and hopefully get a squad which can be competitive.”
As well as Cushion, all of Tozer, Luke Young, Hayden, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Callum McFadzean, Dan Davies, and Lainton were let go.