Wrexham are forced to say an early goodbye to £6.5m starter Ben Sheaf for the 2025/26 Championship season due to injury.
Hours ago, the EFL Championship delivered the verdict regarding the Watford clash that got postponed in the wake of Wrexham’s FA Cup tie against Chelsea. 17th March is the new date for the Wrexham vs Watford game meaning the Reds have got a 4 match run within 11 days in March.
No doubt, that would be a tough spell for Phil Parkinson’s men. It would be wise from Wrexham if they gather the maximum league points they can until that 4 game busy schedule. That way, they can prevent losing their grip on the top 6 spots.
To do that, winning tomorrow’s Portsmouth home game is necessary. The Pompeys are currently sitting 19th in the table to the Reds delight. But will it be easy for Phil Parkinson’s men throughout the 90 minutes? Absolutely, not.
Ben Sheaf ruled out for 2025/26 season
Against Millwall, Wrexham’s midfield got a vital blow when Matty James limped off with a toe injury. The Reds haven’t fully recovered from the 32-year-old’s absence and it’s evident because they get easily outrun in the middle of the park.
Now, add £6.5m Wrexham starter Ben Sheaf also to that list. The box-to-box midfielder felt a discomfort in Saturday’s 5-3 Ipswich Town thrashing. Watching him exit the field inside twenty minutes was painful for the home fans, and now the worst has happened regarding Sheaf’s injury.
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In his own words, Wrexham’s official website quoted Phil Parkinson dropping the bad news: “Ben’s not looking good and that’s a real blow for us. As much as there was a feeling of excitement after the win; the coaching staff and I had that always in the back our minds. The initial prognosis is It will be ten-weeks and a damaged medial ligament.”
Here’s the miserable part. 10 weeks from 23rd February equates to 4th May 2026. The final Championship matchday kicks off on 2nd May meaning the regular season will have ended by the time Sheaf recovers. Unless Wrexham make it to the playoffs, the Reds are forced to say goodbye to Ben Sheaf regarding their 2025/26 season plans.
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It’s a pity to see £6.5m star signing Ben Sheaf’s debut Wrexham season end up prematurely. Boss Phil Parkinson will need to prepare for life without Sheaf at the base of the midfield from now on. However, this isn’t the first time Wrexham have been handed a disastrous injury update.
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Before Sheaf, Issa Kabore had to sit out the final month and a half before 2025 ended. The AFCON also took place in between, and Kabore effectively joined the Reds team sheet after a 12-game gap. Ryan Longman was Parkinson’s only hope for the right wingback role and it was a big relief that the Wrexham front three stepped up in Kabore’s absence.
Around that time, his fullback counterpart Liberato Cacace was also going through his thigh injury recovery. George Thomason was brought to the rescue at left wingback where he had never played before. These two injury fixes highlight Phil Parkinson’s ability to find solutions even in an injury crisis.
When it comes to filling for Sheaf, George Dobson and currently unavailable Matty James are enough handy options in the long run. Despite that, a bit of better injury luck will be hoped for from now on. If the attack and defence hit top form together, Wrexham might cut it just as fine without Sheaf in their ranks.
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