A look at Wrexham’s best XI under Phil Parkinson’s leadership on the big 5-Year eve of the club’s Hollywood takeover.
Today marks the 5th anniversary of Wrexham’s rebirth, as Rob Reynolds & Rob Mac took over the Welsh club on 9th February 2021. Despite initial speculation about the duo’s football inexperience, Wrexham has enjoyed 5 years of a meteoric rise against all odds.
That’s primarily because Rob & Ryan have been running the club with its core values unchanged. The same bond with the local audience, the same hunger to win, and the very same manager leading the pack to success.
With the co-owners’ latest announcement, Phil Parkinson and Wrexham are inseparable until destiny parts them. While that phase isn’t coming soon, let’s take a look at Wrexham’s best lineup under Parky on the occasion of the 5th Hollywood anniversary.
Rather than focusing on a single campaign, this XI is the strongest mix of all players featured in Wrexham’s Hollywood era. The lineup is listed in positional order, from defence to attack in Parky’s 3-4-2-1 formation.
GK: Arthur Okonkwo
Being tasked to step up in Mark Howard, aka Chomp’s, shoes, Arthur Okonkwo has stood out for Wrexham. As Parky puts it, the keeper has been a colossus in Wrexham’s goal lately.
Having marked his 100th appearance earlier this season, Okonkwo is already one of the best modern-day keepers for Wrexham. His stats of 102 goals conceded in 108 games make him the undisputable keeper in Wrexham’s best XI since the takeover.
CB: Thomas O’Connor
After seeing an FA betting sanction and an unfortunate season-ending injury, it’s been far from perfect for Tom O’Connor lately. However, the 26-year-old stood as one of Parky’s most trusted defenders in their National League journey to the Championship.
Though injuries affected his spell, O’Connor gave his all whenever fit. While he lost precedence last summer, O’Connor can be one of the few players to celebrate a possible 4th promotion after he’s returned to Wrexham mid-season.
CB: Ben Tozer
Next in this XI comes the veteran backline leader, Ben Tozer. Having dropped down two divisions to join Wrexham’s National League project, Tozer is known for his selfless service to the Welsh club.
Famous for his spectacular long throws, Ben Tozer played 131 games for Wrexham before bidding bye in summer 2024. While he’s now retired, Tozer definitely lines up in the Reds’ best XI under Parky.
CB: Max Cleworth
With Max Cleworth achieving 173 record appearances recently, he’s been Wrexham’s only constant from their pre-takeover era. As Phil Parkinson puts it, Cleworth is “like the team in general” for his rise being synchronous with Wrexham’s meteoric growth in the English division.
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Despite being just 23, Cleworth has been a solid link in Parky’s defence. While he has a lot of space to grow and improve, Cleworth will be eyeing the exclusive Premier League promotion record with Wrexham soon.
LWB: James McClean(C)
Wrexham have been lucky to have a lot of dugout leaders. However, seldom has anyone come more passionate, character-driven and a better team-man than James McClean.
Recently, McClean bid bye to Wrexham after donning the club’s Red and White 108 times. A leader on and off the pitch, McClean will go down as arguably the most illustrious career holder in Wrexham’s recent history.
RWB: Ryan Barnett
Unlike most names in this XI, Ryan Barnett’s situation is one of a kind. While a no-brainer starter for Phil Parkinson in the last campaigns, Barnett has rarely featured this season, despite being in Wrexham’s squad list.
Although spanning an 111-game spell across Wrexham’s rise from the National League to the Championship is impressive, there’s room for more. With his contract expiring next season, Barnett has got some time left to show more of the abilities that make him enter Parky’s best XI.
CM: James Jones
The first starter in Wrexham’s midfield in the best XI post-takeover is James Jones. Being the most underrated “Workhorse” of Wrexham’s Hollywood rise, Jones was always running tirelessly to cover every blade of grass in Parky’s midfield.
When available, Jones was untouchable for Parky in the National League, League Two and League One. Despite not getting the perfect storybook ending to his Wrexham career, he represented the Reds 126 times.
CM: Andy Cannon
Next in the midfield ranks comes Jones’ current Burton teammate, Andy Cannon. Despite joining 18 months later than James Jones, Cannon’s partnership with Jones is well known from his Wrexham days.
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Popularly known as the “Lion King” among the Wrexham faithful, he’s one of the club heroes whose Wrexham tenure is clocking out. While it was a memorable 86-game spell, Andy Cannon can permanently join James Jones if Wrexham opt against renewing him this summer.
CAM: Elliot Lee
Recently, Elliot Lee has been making headlines for not the best of reasons. While he has burned the bridges with Parky, he was and will remain one of the biggest cult heroes responsible for Wrexham’s success.
Despite winning consecutive promotions with Luton, Lee joined Wrexham’s story at its earliest National League days. Having taken the scoring responsibilities from the midfield, Elliot Lee emerged as one of the club’s top scorers under Parky on the journey to the second tier.
Though Lee was expected to be crucial this season, injuries had other plans. Elliot Lee’s Wrexham career can have a premature end at 150 appearances, as his contract expires this summer.
CAM: Ollie Rathbone
Taking the attacking midfield duties alongside Lee comes the most recent Wrexham addition on this list. He’s none other than fan-favourite Ollie Rathbone after the attacker won the Fans’ Player of the Year award in his inaugural campaign.
Despite being in doubt for this season, Rathbone emerged clutch with a fantastic injury comeback. His ability to pull Wrexham out of the jaws of defeat makes him a must-have in the club’s best XI since the takeover.
ST: Paul Mullin
Finally, comes the club’s biggest hero in recent years. Even though he’s accompanied Elliot Lee in making statements towards Phil Parkinson, Paul Mullin’s sporting contribution can never be devalued by Wrexham.
Having scored 110 goals to stamp his authority as the club’s 7th highest scorer ever, Mullin forced Wrexham’s way to the English top tiers. In the process, he dominated the Fans’ Player of the Year award with a hat-trick of wins.
With his contract expiring soon, Mullin is unlikely to win back the record for most appearances from Cleworth now. Still, his lethalness while spearheading Wrexham’s attack makes him the undisputed centre-forward of the club’s strongest eleven in the Hollywood era.
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