Phil Parkinson has been dealt a critical blow in the buildup to Saturday’s League One clash with Stockport County, with first-choice goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo picking up an injury.
Okonkwo suffered a broken wrist which will keep him out of action for six weeks, leaving another of Wrexham’s key players in the physio room.
Parkinson has also confirmed that Steven Fletcher has suffered an injury setback, potentially meaning that Jon Dadi Bodvarsson could make his first Wrexham start.
Despite these injury issues further up the field, there is arguably no position more difficult to replace than a first-choice goalkeeper.
Okonkwo settled back in at the Racecourse Ground after the club turned his loan move into a permanent transfer and quickly re-established himself as Parkinson’s go-to option between the sticks. With Okonkwo’s injury, though, either Mark Howard or Callum Burton will have to step up.
Both Howard and Burton are experienced and capable deputies, but the choice becomes a lot more obvious when examining the Red Dragon’s disastrous visit to Stockport last season.
Mark Howard started the 5-0 defeat vs Stockport County
Wrexham met their eventual promotion companions at Edgeley Park in September last season, shortly after Okonkwo had joined the club on loan from Arsenal.
Parkinson chose to keep his new signing on the bench, opting for Howard to start the game. This decision could not have gone more wrong, with Wrexham losing 0-5 to Stockport in what remains Parkinson’s worst defeat in charge of the club.
He was not helped by his goalkeeper, though, who produced a nightmare performance in the match. Remarkably, Stockport only had five shots on target, all of which flew past Howard who failed to make a single save in the 90 minutes.
Howard only started one more league game that season, with Okonkwo fast-tracked into the squad for the next match against Crewe Alexandra.
In Okonkwo’s absence this time around against Stockport, Parkinson must turn to his other backup goalkeeper to spare a repeat of Howard’s performance at Edgeley Park.
Callum Burton must start against Stockport County
Burton joined Wrexham from Plymouth Argyle in the summer and has been Parkinson’s pick in the cup competitions thus far.
The 28-year-old saved a penalty in a respectable performance despite Wrexham’s 4-2 defeat to Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup.
He kept a clean sheet in the Red Dragons’ 3-0 victory over Wolves u21s in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, alongside two more solid displays in the competition.
Howard, however, has only played 45 minutes of football this season, coming in Tuesday’s penalty defeat to Port Vale in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
Even without Howard’s disastrous performance against Stockport last season, Parkinson’s choice should be clear with Burton playing significantly more this season.
If there are any doubts in the Wrexham manager’s mind, though, reflecting on his worst defeat in the job should be enough to ensure he makes the right choice.