A change to Wrexham’s starting eleven in the Championship is expected to happen in the near future.
With 20 players leaving and 13 new signings made, we have already seen major changes to the Red Dragons’ squad this summer.
Arthur Okonkwo lost his place to Danny Ward before eventually returning after the latter picked up a long-term injury.
Wrexham have a completely new attack this season, with the likes of Sam Smith now acting as a back-up option.
In midfield, meanwhile, we have already seen a couple of changes, and a further shake-up is expected now that Ollie Rathbone is returning.
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Phil Parkinson made it clear he wants Ollie Rathbone to play
Rathbone was injured during pre-season and left out of the Championship squad as a result.
However, the midfielder has been travelling with the team for their recent league matches and is nearing a return.
Journalist Richard Sutcliffe even suggested on the recent Rob Ryan Red podcast that Rathbone may already have been registered in the Championship squad.
The 29-year-old was Wrexham’s joint-highest goalscorer in League One last term, and Phil Parkinson has made it clear he wants the former Rotherham United man playing regularly when he’s back.
Parkinson even went as far as to say that the Dragons ‘need’ Rathbone back.
He said in September: “I think Ollie is closing in, I just wanted to make sure Ollie got through this week in training and the signs are looking positive, and he’ll be back in a couple of weeks.
“We need Ollie back, he’s a key player for us. He was instrumental for us last year. He’s a player who has played in the Championship; first year did well, second one was a difficult one at Rotherham because they had a very weak squad.
“But he’s played at this level and when he signed for us, he was determined to get back into the Championship.
“His start to the season has been curtailed but obviously he’s a very naturally fit player and the sooner we get him back involved in football, the better. His energy and his quality, I can’t wait to get Ollie back out with us.”
George Dobson or Ben Sheaf will make way for Ollie Rathbone
Parkinson is clearly very keen to get Rathbone back in the team, and rightly so.
He was arguably Wrexham’s player of the season in 2024/25, contributing heavily at both ends of the pitch.
However, his return does mean one of George Dobson or Ben Sheaf will undeservedly lose their places.
Parkinson has switched up his system slightly in recent weeks, starting just two sitting midfielders with Lewis O’Brien pushed further forward.
Rathbone was used in a more advanced role sparingly during the early stages of 2024/25 but did not perform well.
In turn, when he does come back into the side, it will be Dobson or Sheaf he replaces in the eleven.
Both players have shone at times during the first couple of months of 2025/26, and neither has really done enough to warrant being dropped.
Parkinson himself admitted that Dobson has ‘stepped up’ this season, and it will be very harsh if he is the man to make way for Rathbone.