3 takeaways every present and future Wrexham legend must learn from watching Elliot Lee’s actions after joining Doncaster Rovers on loan.
Within a week of leaving Wrexham on loan, Elliot Lee has made the headlines for both the right and wrong reasons. The positives include Lee’s commendable Doncaster Rovers debut but it’s nothing compared to the 29-year-old’s Wrexham comments just hours after finalising his League One switch.
When Lee headed out on the winter transfer deadline day, fans felt for him as much as they did for other Wrexham legends like Paul Mullin and Andy Cannon’s departures. Less did they knew, that Elliot Lee will start burning his bridges with Wrexham which none of his former teammates did.
In case you missed it, Lee took a jibe at Reds boss Phil Parkinson for isolating him this season after backing him unconditionally during the past three promotion winning years. From Lee’s point of view, he was unfairly treated and there’s some truth to that.
However, that doesn’t justify a scathing assessment of his former boss this soon. Coming out publicly to point fingers only harms a player’s image in his fanbase’s eyes. As such, there are 3 takeaways every present and future Wrexham legend must learn from Elliot Lee’s actions.
3 takeaways for every Wrexham legend from Elliot Lee’s actions
Phil Parkinson has the most credit at Wrexham
Football is a team game. Here, individual efforts take a backseat in front of collective success. Still, if Wrexham fans were to credit one person apart from the Hollywood owners who was responsible for the club’s recent rise, it would be Phil Parkinson.
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Many players have worn the Reds badge over the years, but none has stayed with the club through thick and thin unlike Parkinson. The 58-year-old boss was there in the dugout when Wrexham missed direct promotion in his first year. Soon, they lost the EFL Trophy final which soured moods even more.
Despite that, he didn’t quit. Led Wrexham to three back-to-back-to-back promotions since then and still had to prove himself in the Championship. The current second-tier campaign got off to a rocky start, still, Parkinson didn’t give up.
For Parky’s level of commitment, it’s almost impossible for any player no matter how good he was, to slam him and get away without any fan criticisms. Elliot Lee and his former Wrexham teammates must refrain from repeating these actions. Else, the Reds fanbase won’t respect their legacy much as time passes on.
Wrexham has better players
This one will sound rude. But the plain truth is, Wrexham has better players than Elliot Lee in midfield, better strikers than Paul Mullin in the front three and better defenders than Ben Tozer in the backline.
Those club legends played for Wrexham in lower divisions where their opponents were more or less, at the same level as them. Sticking with the older names in the Championship will be a deliberate act of playing with fire.
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The Reds didn’t grab promotions year after year to keep playing the same names and risk getting relegated again. That won’t be any progress. Hence, club legends should accept that Wrexham have upgraded the squad and they don’t fit in the plans any longer.
Wrexham aren’t non-league anymore
In the Premier League and Championship, a recency bias often remains among fans and players regarding a particular club. In League One and below, the impression for teams is quite the opposite. Many times, fans still label a League Two newcomer as a non-league outfit just because they have developed a certain perception about that team.
And Wrexham have jumped three divisions in as many years. Hence, many Reds fans still treat Wrexham as the little old non-league side that has levelled up to the Championship. Perhaps, Elliot Lee still views Wrexham as a club that needs him more instead of the other way around.
That thought needs to change. Right now, the Reds will do just as fine without Lee, Mullin, Cannon among others without losing sleep over their season. But some of those players still have a contract with Wrexham.
Falling out with Reds boss Phil Parkinson will only make them a red flag for any of their future suitors. It’s tough getting decent clubs beyond the age of 30. Hence, it’s better that the current Wrexham players and loanees don’t give anymore behavioural reasons to any interested clubs to drop the idea of signing them later.
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