After booking their place in League One for next season, Phil Parkinson could experiment with his team selection by unleashing a ‘maverick’ Wrexham player.
It’s been an incredible season for Wrexham, who achieved promotion from League Two at the first time of asking and did so in style.
A 6-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers last weekend and other results going their way ensured the Reds will be playing League One football next season.
Despite working with a huge budget, facilitated by Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, Phil Parkinson deserves immense credit for achieving the goal he set out.
The former Bradford City manager helped create history by recording back-to-back promotions and as the dust settles on their celebrations, he could experiment for their final two games.
Parkinson could unleash ‘maverick’ Wrexham player v Crewe
With the pressure of achieving promotion gone, Parkinson can give some of his fringe players some rare starts, perhaps unleashing Ben Tozer, Luke Young and Jordan Davies.
Jack Marriott however, is at the summit of that list of likely candidates to start against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
The 29-year-old came off the bench and scored the final goal in the 6-0 victory over Forest Green.
That was his first goal for Wrexham since arriving from Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed fee in the January transfer window, with the former Derby striker struggling for game time.
Marriott has only started three times since his arrival, with Ollie Palmer and Steven Fletcher preferred to partner Paul Mullin.
A League One golden boot winner whilst at Peterborough United, the ‘maverick’ forward – as lauded by former Nottingham Forest striker Stan Collymore – deserves his chance to start against Crewe.
Although he’s not seen as a viable partner for Mullin as Parkinson prefers the physicality and aerial threat Fletcher and Palmer give him, it is worth trying Marriott alongside the Wrexham goal machine.
Jack Marriott will play a bigger part next season
It must have been incredibly frustrating for Marriott to arrive from the division above and only start just three times in League Two, although he will hope to make it a fourth this weekend.
Remarkably, the diminutive forward will play a bigger part in League One than he has in the fourth tier.
With Sam Dalby, Palmer and Fletcher potentially leaving – as the latter’s contract expires this summer – that leaves Marriott and Mullin as their only two striking options.
Wrexham will dip into the transfer market to sign a striker, perhaps signing Jonson Clarke-Harris from Peterborough, though that shouldn’t scupper Marriott’s involvement.
He’s proven he can score goals in the third tier, netting 45 times in 114 appearances, with Parkinson boasting a handy weapon to unleash against League One defences.