[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Seconds left. Still 1-nil.
Jones is through against Morgan. Jones!
- Wonderful save by Morgan. - [fans cheering]
Wrexham win the Genero Adran League's promotion play-off.
They will play next year in the Genero Premier League.
[Hughes] Oh, proved a hundred percent that we can do it, you know?
Girls can play football. We can just-- just smash it.
So that is what we did on that day with everyone watching.
[cheering]
It went off in style, didn't it? Last season was really important for us.
But what we do wanna do is give it the platform that it deserves,
and I feel that that game on the Racecourse,
and subsequently, then promotion at the end of the season,
has gone some way to giving it that platform
that I feel that women's football should have.
[McElhenney] We fully and wholeheartedly believe
that this is a club that can become the best women's team in the world.
♪ Straight to the top ♪
[Clair] Let's get it sorted. Touch out, straight in, quick as you can.
Go!
[Owen] Going into the coming season,
we do have to go into a league that is significantly stronger
than the league we were in previously.
I think there will be a target on our backs.
But if we wanna be the best team,
we've gotta be competing with the best in this country.
♪ Don't forget where you came from ♪
♪ Don't forget what you're made of ♪
♪ The ones who were there ♪
♪ When no one else would care ♪
♪ Don't be afraid to cry now ♪
♪ Even when the world comes crashing in ♪
♪ Don't forget to sing when you win ♪
[sighs]
Good morning.
It is-- What time is it? [sighs]
It's ten to 08:00.
So, we are just leaving home.
- Gonna take Nancy to nursery. - Hooray.
- [Davies] Are you ready to go? Let's go. - Yeah.
So we're going into the Adran Premier League,
which is the top league in women's football in Wales.
What that means then is we're going from what was a regionalized league
into a national league.
Semipro, to us, certainly means the standard is actually gonna raise,
and it's gonna raise significantly.
[Hughes] We have the gym tonight before training for Wrexham football,
which usually we train on a Tuesday or Thursday.
Things feel like they're really kicking up a gear.
- [Jones] Yeah. - And that's a good thing.
I guess us going for semipro does have that added pressure
because we've got the facilities to be the best.
So it's going to show that on the pitch now.
They've moved stadia now to the Rock,
um, which is a significantly more sophisticated setup.
[Owen] We've also brought in Zoe Clair, who's the strength and conditioning coach.
Open your hips up then. Drive your arms, drive your arms.
Get them knees nice and high.
[Owen] We've brought in Lindsay Morris, our sports therapist.
Go back, open your groins out there and right over the gate.
But what it also means is that we're gonna be paying the players to play.
Let's go! Two v. one! There's the ball! Play!
[Hughes] We get paid. I mean, don't get me wrong.
It's not much, but it's more than I've ever been paid before.
And, um, with my work-life balance, I'm now doing part-time at the prison.
So, let's get this day started.
Players have essentially got two jobs now.
♪ She's a hardworking woman She's so clean ♪
♪ A hardworking woman She's so neat ♪
[Owen] They've got full-time jobs outside of football.
They've got school. They've got university,
but the football side of it now has moved from recreational.
It's-- it's gone into employment.
Shall we start with the new website launch?
Yeah.
I think I'd be lying if I said it's been easy.
♪ She's working so hard ♪
I go from match day, to marketing meetings, to mum mode.
You know, sometimes multiple times a day.
We've asked last year when they were in the amateur status, could we pay them?
The answer was no by rule. And then in this league, there's--
You have limits on what you're allowed to pay them.
Just another one of the really fun UK regulations in football
that hold you back from doing some of the things that you wanna do.
[Clair] Ready? Let's go.
[Ker] If they were to win the Adran Premier,
that would see them go into the Women's Champions League.
[Owen] Champions League is a European competition
where clubs who win their respective leagues in their domestic countries
then go and compete with the clubs in other countries.
I don't think it's gonna be quite so easy, this nex-- This new season.
It's gonna be more challenging for you guys.
Much more competitive, isn't it? You know?
I don't think you can expect to be going 12 games unbeaten this time.
Yeah, no. A hundred percent.
[Ker] The challenge is that they've come out of a division
which they absolutely dominated last year,
uh, and into a division with-with a couple of other big fish.
[Owen] Cardiff and Swansea
generally tend to be the top two teams with-- Within this country.
[Dionne Jones] So, Swansea. First game of the season.
God, could you have had a worse draw than that?
[Lili Jones] I know. For first game of the season,
first game back in the prem,
to play six-time champions is something that... [chuckles] ...you don't really want,
but we've prepared well, and I think we're more excited than anxious
to show people what Wrexham Women are made of really.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Well, good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Rock,
home to Wrexham AFC Women who welcome Swansea City,
last year's Genero Adran Premier runners-up.
It is an historic afternoon for Wrexham as they make their first appearance
in the National League since 2015.
I would hope that, um, Wrexham wins today.
[fan] I think they've got really good defenders,
and I think it will be really hard for Wrexham to get through it,
but I'm sure we'll succeed and get through it.
♪ Oh, you better start running Oh, you better start running ♪
♪ Oh, you better start running ♪
♪ The lion is coming ♪
[Griffiths] It'll be Swansea City to kick off.
Today's teams, Wrexham will have Delyth Morgan in goal.
I'm Del Morgan, and I'm a goalkeeper for Wrexham Women FC.
[Griffiths] Swansea first to react.
Ball forward.
Stacey John-Davis almost clear in on goal, but Delyth Morgan had read the threat.
[Morgan] And you've gotta be crazy to be a goalkeeper.
It's a really mentally tough position as well.
If you make a mistake, nine times out of ten, it's cost a goal.
[Griffiths] Then there's a long-range shot! Good save by Morgan.
Del is the bedrock on which the women's team success is based.
I mean, ultimately, you know, they say,
"Attack wins games and defense wins championships."
[McElhenney] I would put her up there just as important as Rosie
because the second most important thing to winning football games,
beyond scoring goals, is not allowing goals into the net.
And, um, Del stopped so many sure goals last year, um, to-to secure promotion.
[Griffiths] Morgan clears towards Hughes.
Keeps it in really well.
Looking for the intercept, but Rosie Hughes picks it up again.
On to Pritchard. Pritchard's in the area!
Pritchard scores!
Rebecca Pritchard's scored Wrexham's first goal in the Genero Adran Premier.
Played the year for Wrexham Ladies while doing my first year at uni.
And then after that, I did one year at Everton,
and they released me at the end of the year.
One of the big things was my--
[Griffiths] Looking to cross dangerously. She does so. It's spilt!
It's a goal for Swansea City. Wrexham have conceded.
Swansea City are back in the game.
[Morgan] If I made a mistake at the start of the game,
that was it. I was gone. I couldn't deal with it,
and I was just awful for the rest of the game.
I really suffered from, like, weak mental toughness.
And I remember that day when I got released by Everton.
I was devastated.
But I look back now, it's actually the kick that I needed.
[Griffiths] It looks as if Delyth Morgan's evening is over,
and it'll be Charlotte Bolland to take her place.
I think I've learned over the years to not be so harsh on myself,
'cause it caught me out when I was younger.
[commentator] Well, with Morgan off the pitch,
Swansea need to press on their advantage.
And here's Chivers. And she scores! Brilliant goal.
Great goal for Swansea, but what a blow for Wrexham.
Come on, girls! Come on!
Come on, you. Keep your head up, yeah?
[Griffiths] Pritchard. Pritchard can shoot.
Into Hughes.
Can she turn?
And then finish by Hannah Keryakoplis.
Swansea City fail to clear and pay the ultimate price.
- Yes! - Come on. Don't leave me hanging.
[Griffiths] There's just seconds left. Can Swansea pull themselves back into it?
Swansea looking to shoot-- Oh, it's deflected!
And in!
A cruel deflection, and it's three all.
And that's the final whistle. A wonderful game.
[reporter] All right. So, you-- How do you sum that one up?
To be honest, I'm actually now disappointed that we drew.
I came here thinking, up against a really difficult team,
that, ugh, we might try and keep the score down, and we just kept keeping the lead.
We've just made one of the best teams draw, get one point.
That means we're sitting at the table close to them.
I'm so happy, and I'm proud of all of the team.
We've just smashed our first opening game on our home pitch.
I think we did an amazing job.
[fans cheering]
Hi, I'm Dan Rowe from Andy's Man Club.
[Dan] How you doing, boys?
- All good? - Yeah.
- Good to see ya. Hey, Dan. - How you doing, pal?
[Dan] Andy's Man Club are a men's peer support group.
We support men's mental health and suicide prevention.
The idea was, "Come along, have a brew, have a biscuit, and have a chat."
I couldn't conceive a world in which people
- talked about how they felt as a bloke. - [member] Yeah. Yeah.
When I came, for the first month, I cried,
just 'cause I couldn't articulate why I was struggling so much.
But this is exactly the room to say, "No, I'm having a shocker."
- Yeah. - I'm really low and I'm barely hanging on.
I'm guessing the honesty from other people in the circle
probably will coax it out of me a little bit more with a bit of luck.
You find sometimes just listening is enough.
Yeah.
[Dan] Ten years ago, life was really good.
I was healthy. I had a good job.
All these kind of aspects that stereotypically would say
that life was going well.
All that changed when Charlie was born.
He was struggling with breathing, and he was rushed to intensive care.
I wasn't ready for what I-- For what I saw.
He was hooked up to all the machines.
He had wires coming out of everywhere. He had a breathing tube.
I'd gone into becoming a dad convinced that I had one job.
My job was to protect my son.
I felt like I'd failed.
I felt like it was my-- I felt like it was my fault.
For the first six months of his life, he was in the hospital
and I couldn't look at him without feeling guilt.
And that stopped me bonding with my son.
I'd want to feel the dad that I thought I was gonna be.
But all I felt was I couldn't connect with him.
[Dan] We often feel quite weak, don't we?
By-By coming and asking for help as-as blokes.
And that's one of the big things,
and feeling like we're a burden to our family and our friends
if we do talk about, um, things that-that are really worrying us.
I got to the point of feeling just hopeless.
Feeling that the world would be better off without me.
If I'm honest, I didn't see how sitting, talking to a group of strangers
would have any benefit for me.
Just felt like, well, it's a sign of I'm giving up
by coming and turning up at this place.
But actually, it's the opposite.
I walked through the door of Andy's Man Club,
and that was day one of me starting to get better.
If I'm honest, I felt probably a one percent improvement,
but it was enough to commit to going back the following week.
There you go. There you go, pal.
I've been attending six years now,
and now I have the privilege and honor of actually working for the charity.
For me, Saturdays are the highlight of the week.
Watching you play football
- on a Saturday morning... - [Charlie] Yeah. Yeah.
...and then going to watch Wrexham in the afternoon.
It's something that I look forward to all week.
Go on, Charlie. Have a run, mate.
Have a run. Oh, well played.
I'm now the dad that I wanted to be, and I'm so grateful.
I'm indebted to Andy's Man Club.
- Yes! Well done, Charlie. - [clapping]
- [chattering, indistinct] - [whistle blows]
[yelling, indistinct]
[onlooker] Good save. What a save.
My name is Sam Kotadia,
and I'm the first team sports psychologist for Wrexham.
Well, I've worked with Phil Parkinson for about 20 years,
helping players understand their minds better.
Because if we-- If we got a better handle on how our minds work,
we're gonna bring, you know, a better performance on-on match days.
Sitting in fourth, it's really important that we're on top of our game.
As soon as you make a mistake and your mind starts working again,
all that happens is you end up making
- another mistake, and another mistake. - Spot on.
If I'm constantly in my head, I'm wasting energy.
When a player's mind is less busy,
they're going to bring more mental strength,
more freedom, more energy, more dynamism to the table.
[Kotadia] It's about not second-guessing yourself
or thinking like you're doing something wrong.
Look in your direct experience, when you've had your best games,
and I bet you, you haven't been willpowering and saying,
"Come on, I got this," you've, uh, potentially just--
Just free, almost.
- Free. Freedom. - Yeah.
[Kotadia] My approach to mental health
is helping players focus on the action, not the outcome.
And always measure success on what we're in control of.
Minimal thinking is so important.
Less is more before matches.
People see these athletes or they see actors or performers,
and they're seeing the performance.
They're not seeing the thousands of hours
that went into not only working on that particular craft,
but also working on the anxiety and stress that comes along with it.
- Yeah. - And that is a huge--
a huge part of it.
[Rich Fay] Wrexham took the piss at Grimsby Town, didn't they, really?
I think it was the most comfortable performance of the season so far.
- Stockport away this weekend. - [Nathan Salt] It's a biggie.
Stockport County! We're coming for you.
[all] ♪ We're coming for you ♪
Stockport County have been a bit of a theme.
A worthy rival for us. They were promoted the season before us.
Despite that, we actually shut them out the last two times we faced them.
So we're feeling pretty good about our chances.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] An absolutely massive, massive match for both sides.
- [whistle blows] - [fans cheering]
Ball worked back to O'Connor. Good ball. Was it in line for Lee?
Brilliant first time ball! Mullin back to him, Lee!
Edge of the area, left-footed!
It's straight at the keeper. Brilliant move by Wrexham.
[Parkin] Crossing!
[Griffiths] That was a chance.
He works it wide.
O'Connor now in the center circle, turns, glides forwards smoothly.
It's a poor, poor pass. Not sure what he saw there.
[Parkinson] Why was Tommy trying to go through the middle?
[Griffiths] McClean, in a bit of space, chips it in looking for Mullin.
That's not a good ball.
[Parkinson] What the fuck's going on there?
- They're not getting their service right. - [Parkinson] Come on!
Hinchliffe goes long.
It's Lee chasing back, and that's a good burst by Collar.
He gets in the box. Now, can he deliver?
He can! And it's in!
And Wrexham will be horrified! Completely against the run of play,
in the 20th minute, Stockport County take the lead.
We got caught out with one long kick.
You know, I can't understand why Boyley's not in the fucking channel.
He's not marking anybody. He's left it to fucking Elliot Lee.
He should be running on to Boyley.
[Griffiths] Back to Tozer.
[Parkinson] Simple! Simple!
Barnett wants the diagonal.
[Parkin] Yes, Barnett, yes, Barnett!
[Griffiths] Tozer looks that way and then goes the other.
[Parkinson] Fucking hell, Toz.
Oh, dear. And he chips it into the crowd
and they're not on the same wavelength at all.
[Parkinson] Pull on the fucking angle!
We gotta get that rhythm again.
That goal's just knocked the wind out of us.
How many of those loopy angle balls have we played? Do you know what I mean?
[Parkin] How many times have we played it fucking backwards?
[Parkinson] Play forwards!
There's been some sloppy passing by Wrexham.
[Parkinson] Uh-oh. That's fucking ridiculous.
Ooh, Tozer's misread it! Olaofe one-on-one!
[Parkin] Go on, get on top of him!
[Griffiths] He shoves off Tozer.
2-nil!
Oh, my goodness me! Tozer recovered well,
but Olaofe sidestepped him nicely and slotted it home.
I didn't see this coming.
[Griffiths] Of course, the beauty of Wrexham is we do have goals in us,
and there's a lot of resilience in this team.
Southam-Hales clears it.
O'Connor fighting for it again, but he heads it to Barry.
He's driving down through the middle. That's great.
He beats Hayden. Brilliant footwork!
And now he's taking on Tozer. Beats him and scores a magnificent goal!
- That is brilliant from Barry! - [fans cheering]
Stockport 3-nil up at half time.
And Wrexham have got a bit of a situation on their hands.
[Boyle]
[Parkinson] All right, no one say one more fucking word.
That is one fucking pathetic fucking performance,
let me fucking tell you.
From one-- From one to fucking 11.
If I'm telling a player to be more confident,
I'm telling them that they're not confident.
So, ultimately, it's creating that dressing room,
where, you know, there's an element of patience.
Or there's a need to just get back to focusing on certain key processes.
Um, so, I think under pressure, when things aren't going well,
a simple action-- focus-- is the best.
Because it just gets the mind back onto the here and now,
and what needs to be delivered based on the match.
[Parkinson] We had many situations like this.
Hell, have we, right?
But now it is about fucking people showing bollocks and fucking character.
And we play proper fucking football for 45 minutes.
And if we get beat, we get beat.
If we get one back, we might make a fucking game of it.
But we come off with a proper fucking Wrexham fucking performance
where we're fucking at it.
We're not fucking looking at each other and fucking blaming each other.
Come on. We are better than that.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Let's see if Wrexham are able to raise their game.
Sarcevic's first touch takes him backwards,
so he goes back to Touray on the halfway line.
Fed down the flank. Lovely ball round the corner by Barry.
Now here's danger as Bailey plays the return ball.
Barry cuts into the box left-hand side--
Olaofe with a header--
Hat trick!
Olaofe scores the hat trick.
A diving header, and, well.
I can accept getting beat. No, I really can.
But it was the first time there was a feeling where we didn't fight.
...the far post. Madden must score! Does score!
Wow, Wrexham losing 5-nil at Stockport.
Far cry from our recent form at home.
Well, we're gonna have to take our medicine today, boys,
because so many fundamentals weren't right today, weren't they?
[Kotadia] Players are always gonna be disappointed when they lose.
That's just part of the fabric of football and competitive sports.
So, the players at Wrexham,
uh, you know, give themselves space to feel that disappointment.
It's part of the human conditioning.
When you're playing professional football, it-- Everything is amplified.
But we've had a lot of fucking-- Great fucking days, great fucking wins.
This is the fucking bad one of the highest fucking order,
and we fucking move on together on Monday morning
and get ready to fucking go.
All right, boys. Let's get out of here as quick as we fucking can.
[Griffiths] And with that, Wrexham dropped to seventh place in the table,
barely hanging on to the playoff positions.
That return trip's gonna feel much longer than this morning's journey
for the disappointed Wrexham fans.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] What are the games we've got here?
Wrexham Women playing at the Racecourse, a competitive match for the first time.
Mia Roberts is the daughter of ex-Wrexham and Wales International, Neil Roberts.
[Roberts] My dad was a professional footballer,
so I don't remember football ever being something that wasn't part of my life.
And, yeah, that's when it sort of hit me, like,
I'm about to step foot on the Racecourse just like my dad did.
- Let's go, Robbo. - [fans cheering]
[Roberts] It was unbelievably special.
And, you know, to have my dad there. And, you know, share it with him.
That's-- Yeah, it's very special.
To be honest, I feel like I've had,
like, one of the best years of my life, and I'm only 19.
I feel like I've peaked.
And so I don't know how I'm gonna top this.
[Ker] One of the challenges of success is that, as you progress up the pyramids,
you can't always keep the same team together.
One example is Mia Roberts,
and who has been a brilliant servant to the club
and is a very popular and well-loved figure around the place.
Ultimately, you know, did not make the cut for-for this season.
[Roberts] When I was released from Wrexham,
from my side of things, it was a case of, sadly, me just at home
and seeing on Twitter that a number of girls had been offered contracts.
And obviously, my name wasn't-- wasn't there,
and, you know, I wasn't aware that any of that was going on, sadly.
- [Neil] Another-- Have you got pins? - Yeah.
There you go. My favorite scarf, that one.
I'd obviously applied to go to uni during the season when I was at Wrexham.
I think, at first, when I got released I-I did feel a bit,
"God, what have I got going for me now-- now?" sort of thing.
Yeah, I know that sounds a bit odd, but, um,
but then, yeah, you know, uni was there to sort of--
to give me another purpose, I guess.
- Come get a drink. Yeah? Come on, then. - Let's go. Yeah.
When you get released,
the reason for it at the end of the day is you're not good enough.
I think to be told that about something you've done since you,
you know, you could practically walk, that's ridiculously difficult.
I think, at first, you-- you-- you start thinking,
"Oh, am I good enough to even play? Should I continue playing?
Do I-- Do I bother?" It was really difficult.
Um, you know, I'm very lucky
that I've got a really great group of friends and family around me
to support me through anything like that.
And obviously, in particular, my dad who's-- who, weirdly, went through
a really, really similar situation.
[Neil] I think, you know, being released,
use it as a positive now.
It's part of football and--
You know, I'm gonna miss it so much and whatever,
but, you know, as much as it was, you know, a surprise,
and I sort of expected to walk into the squad this year,
you know, like I say, I'm not regretful or anything.
I-- I had some of the absolute best experiences of my life.
You know, who's to say I-- I won't be there again in a few years' time?
You know, you never know, do ya? So--
- [Neil] Yeah. - So we'll see.
Yeah, as long as you stay out of the pubs and in the gym.
[Roberts chuckles, laughs] Yeah, true.
It's like anything, you know? You get knocked back,
you can either stay knocked down or you can get up
and try and fight ten times harder.
The sort of ambition last year was--
was to be playing Welsh Prem Football.
And, you know, sadly, that hasn't happened with Wrexham,
but, you know, who says it-- it's not still a possibility.
- I'm proud of ya. Very proud. - Thank you. Thank you.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
[fans cheering, singing]
[Griffiths] Great atmosphere building here
at the Rock, as Wrexham prepare to face
the dominant team in Welsh Women's Football, Cardiff City.
[fans cheering]
[Dale] Pressure ramps up again even more now, okay?
They'll have that burning desire to go and do it again.
[Griffiths] Kehoe turns. Excellent play.
Kehoe shoots. Had a second opportunity, and she scores.
Fuck me.
It's obviously gonna be difficult because of the teams that you're playing.
It's gonna be competitive.
[Clair] Obviously, we weren't successful against Cardiff,
but we've just gotta treat it as a new fresh start this week,
and hopefully, we can get those three points away from home.
[Griffiths] It's Aberystwyth Town Women against Wrexham.
In what's a crucial game, even at this stage of the season.
Good touch by Gibbard as well. Pritchard's after this,
and Mathias can't get it in the clear. Hughes pokes it and it's in.
[fans cheer]
We've shown we're not here to just be a name in the mix.
We're here to actually compete.
[Griffiths] Plays a cute ball. Carra Jones. Great chance. Left foot.
- [commentator 2] Yeah! - [Griffith] 1-nil to Wrexham.
- [fans clap] - [Griffith] Great finish by Carra Jones.
You know, we're aiming for top four at least.
So, uh, a top-two space would be even better.
[Griffith] The final whistle. A superb performance by Wrexham.
[Lili] There is a long way to go, but here we are, you know?
The sky's the limit.
[fans cheering]
[David] We start working at 20 meters.
- Let's go. - [players chattering]
Next on my to-do list is the signing of the goalkeeper,
because obviously Foster's decided to retire.
[Davison grunts] Where's all the balls at?
[Johnson] And with all due respect to Mark Howard
who was doing really well and he's a fantastic player...
[Davison] Do your thing and get his hands going.
...we identified that probably it'd be better to go for a younger goalkeeper.
[Davison] Couple of balls there, Liam lad.
Come on, young'un.
[Johnson] Fortunately, and I'd seen this goalkeeper play for Arsenal,
and I said to Phil, I said, "There's a goalkeeper at Arsenal."
I said, "I don't think we've got a chance of getting him,"
but I said, "He's the one."
[Davison] Yes, we're off. There we go.
- [Okonkwo grunts] - [Davison] Good lad.
[Ker] Young goalkeeper on loan from Arsenal.
Had played in League Two before.
He'd been at Sturm Graz in Austria,
uh, and the previous season won the Austrian Cup there.
You know, watching his videos and stuff,
you see him playing in front of large crowds,
putting on very impressive performances.
And you've got a feeling that this is a seriously accomplished young goalkeeper
who's got a bit about him in a way that,
you know, you don't often find in 22-year-olds.
And so, "Get me Okonkwo," was the cry.
[Davison] Service.
- [Okonkwo grunts] - [Davison] Probably wanna be central.
[Okonkwo] My name is Arthur Okonkwo, and I play for Wrexham.
[Davison] Yes.
One of my friends from school, his dad introduced me to football.
And I just saw football as, go have fun, get back home.
But, you know, when I got to maybe 14,
then they started talking about scholars and-- and pros
and it becomes more serious.
I think that's-- that's the age when I knew
that I wanted to be a-- a professional goalkeeper.
[Davison] Give him it.
Good.
[Okonkwo] Wrexham called. And when I first arrived, I was like... [groans]
[players shouting] Ooh!
"I'm not too sure."
[players shouting]
[Okonkwo] Uh, I know they came from the National League,
and, um, they had huge exposure.
I said, "Look, let me speak to the manager.
Let me speak to the goalie coach."
I always make my moves with how I feel.
[players shouting]
[Davison] Great save, Arthur.
When Phil spoke to me I knew, yeah, this is the right move for me.
[podcaster 1] All right. Let's talk about our new signing, Arthur Okonkwo.
[podcaster 2] We've got him from Premier League giant, Arsenal.
What a huge signing. Massive statement of intent.
[podcaster 2] You'd like to think he'll be top drawer,
and this could be a real game changer.
I knew nothing of it until the manager pulled me and said,
"We've got a chance of signing Arthur."
[Davison] Well done, mate. Here we go.
- Rock and roll. - [sirens wailing]
Good lad. On it.
[Howard] He just said, "I don't know where he is fitness-wise.
You're playing. You're playing well. We're on a good run.
Just crack on. It is what it is."
But obviously, the Stockport game changed a few of that.
Uh, but yeah, that's goalkeeping.
[Griffiths] That's a good burst by Collar.
He gets in the box. Now can he deliver?
He can. And it's in. Olaofe, one-on-one!
He shows up Tozer, 2-nil. Horrible mistake.
Olaofe's in the box, left-hand side. Tozer has a block.
Olaofe with a header. Olaofe scores a hat trick.
No, not at all. I actually don't think I could've helped any of the goals.
Uh, I just think it was a bad team performance,
and often goalkeepers are the ones that are the fall guy.
Then the gaffer said that--
After that game, he just pulled me and went,
"Look, I'm just gonna give Arthur a try.
I'm gonna give him that bit of experience and see how he copes.
And then it's up to him then." And--
Initially, your reaction is frustration, but I let in five goals.
And I hold my hands up and let in five goals, not good enough.
You're never gonna argue and change those decisions.
You just get on with it and adapt.
I think a lineup change can help the team's mentality,
because football by nature is unpredictable.
And having unpredictability in your face, it helps build resilience.
[fans chanting]
[Griffiths] The big news, I suppose, is Okonkwo coming in.
[Kotadia] It invites a freshness and a freedom
- into the squad and the performance. - [fans chanting]
[Griffith] Huge kick by Okonkwo.
Hayden wins a good handle. Mullin, overhead kick.
- Goal! Paul Mullin! - [fans cheering]
[Griffith] Turned it upside down!
His first goal of the season!
He's going nuts in front of us!
Mullin is back.
[fans cheering]
[Griffith] Good layoff on the edge of the area, but Tracey can't shoot,
so he helps it on one.
Tabiner hits a good strike!
Oh! What a save that is! That was a goal all the way.
[fans cheering]
[Ker] After the Crewe game, we found our footing.
Winning or drawing our next five league matches,
with Arthur proving a very good thing in goal.
[fans cheering]
[Griffith] Great save by Okonkwo! What a save!
- [fans cheering] - [Griffith laughs]
Are you ready?
[Ker] So after those five games, we're in third place on 27 points.
But guess who we've got to play next. Notts County.
[vehicles passing]
[fan 5] Big day. Bit nervous.
It's, uh, Notts County v. Wrexham.
Over the years, it's been nip and tuck. Two good teams. Simple as that.
I mean, I've got no problem with the rivalry
because of that mutual respect, obviously, from last year.
Uh, but, yeah, hopefully we're gonna win-- win it 2-1.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Notts County. Here we go.
Our old friends and rivals from the National League.
[Parkin] I think, in the scheme of things, I think it's a massive game today, innit?
For the rival the last two or three years we've had with County.
They'll want revenge
for their last game against us last year with the penalty save from Foster.
[fans cheering]
[Ker] We both got promoted at the end of last season.
Uh, they've actually started this season in League Two slightly stronger than us,
uh, beating Accrington Stanley 3-1, and then Swindon Town 3-1,
who we only managed to draw with.
[fans cheering]
[chattering]
[McElhenney] I'm not a hundred percent sure, obviously,
but I'd like to believe that that's Notts County Zone.
- Really? - [McElhenney] Mm-hmm?
As Notts County Zone knows, he's one of my favorite Twitter accounts--
- I follow him on-- on Twitter. Yeah. - I follow him too. I-- I love him.
And he's probably gonna say something about the fact
that we're obsessed with him.
- And the answer is, yes, I am. - Yeah.
- I'm obsessed-- - I'm obsessed with Notts County.
- Yeah. It's a-- - It's an incredible club.
[fans singing]
Disney+ is wank.
[McClean]
[fans chanting]
I try not to think about competition too much,
'cause that puts too much pressure on myself.
The easiest way I think about it is just trying to be as good as I can be.
[fan 7] It's gonna be rocking today.
This is a massive game,
and Wrexham need us as a 12th man today behind them
to cheer them on and keep them going.
This will be a good game. Come on, boys.
3-1, Wrexham!
2-1, Wrexham!
Definitely Notts for the win.
I'm definitely thinking 3-1 Notts. Hundred percent.
[James] I feel like there's definitely an increased pressure
because everyone wants to beat us, really.
Um, you know, we want to sort of prove to people that, yeah, we sh--
You should want to beat us, because we're all right. [laughs]
[fans chanting]
- [fans] Red army! Red army! - [fans] Red army! Red army!
- Red army! Red army! - Red army!
[Parkinson] Yeah, listen, boys.
Just remember, everybody right bang up for it, but in control.
We keep 11 on the pitch.
We're ready for the war, but we do it with a nice, cool fucking mindset,
and we concentrate on the job at hand.
Let's fucking go.
- Come on, boys. - [players] Come on, boys!
[Parkinson indistinct] Come on, son... Come on, my son.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] It's Notts County against Wrexham.
It's the side that got the most points in history
against the side that got the second-most points in history last season.
It's everything you could want in a football match, eh?
[commentator 2] This is such a huge game.
I mean, they're gonna be looking for revenge from last season, Mark.
[Griffith] We're about to get underway here at Meadow Lane.
The referee gives the go-ahead, and off we go.
[fans] Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham!
It's a hard place to come. Uh, we, we know that.
I think these games are-- are being ready for--
for a kind of tactical battle to be ready for the physical battle.
- That's a late tackle on Cannon. - [Parkin] What about the yellow?
That's got to be a yellow.
- ...that are given correctly to them. - [fans clamoring]
[Griffiths] And there's some struggle off the pitch now.
- [fans clamor] - [commentator 2] A yellow for both.
It's a yellow.
...trouble, and Cannon fouls him.
[Parkinson] Fucking settle down!
Ref! Ref!
[commentator 2] Foul given. Yeah.
[fans shouting]
[Parkinson]
[fans shouting]
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Now County start again from the back. Back to square one.
Up against Mendy. That's how he is.
Langstaff bursting past Mendy. Can he keep it out?
Good work by Mendy.
I said to the lads before the game,
you know, there's a tactical game plan to stifle them.
You know, they're a team with a lot of attacking players
who are not necessarily great without the ball.
[commentator 2] Excellent tackle, though, by O'Connor.
[Griffiths] But Mendy gets around the back of Jodi-- Jodi Jones.
Can he cross? Sanderson's open-- Ooh! Sails in!
- Oh! What an escape that was for County! - [commentator 2] Ooh!
The setup's been great, innit?
Just gotta keep doing exactly what you've done with the cool heads.
So just-- In our minds, just be ready to start quick.
Stevie, anything?
Let's fucking get up the pitch. Let's play.
[commentator 2] Mullin now kicks out, support.
Pull back. Lee has a chance. Hits it!
- Ooh! What a save. What a save. - [fans] Ooh!
[commentator 2] And he's poked it wide. And Lee,
edge of the area, cuts in on his right foot. Will he hit it?
He floats it in. Mullin's shot blocked! Dalby!
It's hit the keeper! I mean, that's unbelievable.
[Parkinson] Just keep playing the game, boys! Come on!
[Griffiths] Now, here's danger.
Chipped in nicely to O'Brien who pops it back behind Crowley.
The odds are Cameron will hit this. Blasts it!
- And, oh, good hands, Okonkwo. - [commentator 2] What a catch.
[Griffiths] Cameron smashed that, and Okonkwo held it really well.
But that was, uh, a nervous moment for Wrexham.
[fans cheering]
Yeah, do it. Do it.
It's up to Ollie, then, to come on and freshen us,
uh, when you've had three games in seven days. It can be key.
Come on, my son. Got 4,000 fans fucking singing your name.
[fans chant] Ollie! Ollie! Ollie! Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!
[Parkinson] Be the fucking hero.
[commentator 2] Palmer for Dalby.
[fans cheering]
[Griffiths] So, Okonkwo with the goal kick. Right-footed.
Drills it, looking for Palmer.
Through ball clear as here come Wrexham again. Lee now.
He's got McClean outside him. He cuts inside.
Good ball to Mullin in the area. Back to McClean.
♪ Are ready for the thunder ♪
[Griffiths] He's got Palmer at the far post. Hits the goal line.
Swings it towards Palmer. Takes deflection. Corner.
- [music continues] - [fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Seventeen and a half minutes left.
[Parkinson] Come on, Ollie. Hit one in the fucking net.
[Griffiths] Steps up, swings it into the six-yard box.
- Good header clear by Baldwin. - [fans cheering]
Cannon battling on the edges as well. Noted down for McClean.
Cannon in support. Wrexham got a spare man.
Here is Cannon. Lee wants it. Gets it edge of the area.
Shifts it onto his right foot. Can he hit this?
He's gonna-- keeps going into the-- Lee drills it. Shot deflection!
- [Griffiths] Yeah! It's in! - [fans cheering]
[Griffiths] Elliot Lee drives it!
It's hit the Wrexham player lying on the floor, and span into the net.
[Griffiths] And Wrexham take the lead in the 74th minute!
[music continues]
[Fans] Allez, allez, allez, oh!
Allez, allez, allez, oh! Allez, allez, allez, oh!
Wrexham!
[Griffiths] ...once. Tozer has to drill it away.
Poor clearance now. Wrexham are open here.
Ball fed to McGoldrick, edge of the D.
- Hits it! Great save! Okonkwo! - [fans] Oh!
- [Griffiths] You beautiful, beautiful man. - [fans cheering]
[reporter 2] It's a team effort, but Arthur made a great save as well.
His handling, everything about him today was assured, wasn't it?
[Parkinson] Arthur was flawless today.
[commentator 2] And here Okonkwo takes that comfortably.
[Parkinson] Arthur's, uh, been an important signing for us so far,
and I think he's gonna get better.
♪ 'Cause this is about to get wild ♪
[Ker] It's a step up in quality of people we've had for a long time.
[Griffiths] Palmer gets up. It bounces to Mullin, edge of the area.
Brings it down. Pokes it! Palmer!
It's across, and he hits it!
- Get in! - [fans cheer]
[Griffiths] 2-nil! 2-nil! Ollie Palmer strikes!
His fourth goal of the season!
[fans cheering]
[commentator 2] Expert finishing by Palmer.
And Wrexham are two up at Meadow Lane.
Look at those fans there, Mark. They're going wild.
[fans chanting]
[Palmer] Yeah. Of course, you've got to remain professional.
You've got to remain focused in the game.
And the boys did that very, very well today.
- [fans cheering] - [whistle blows]
[Griffiths] And there is the final whistle.
And that, Jay, is a win, my friend. That's a big'un.
Uh, that's the performance of the season for me, Mark.
[fans chanting]
[commentator 2] Two-nil away from home. What a result.
What a performance.
[fans chanting]
[Parkinson] Yeah, well, we've come to one of our rivals.
We were right up there, and we've taken three points.
So obviously, it's a really important three points for us.
[Palmer] Yeah, look at the top three now. Stockport, Notts, Wrexham.
I think it's a great advert for League Two,
and I also think it's a great advert, you know,
for what's come out of the National League.
And, you know, it's a fantastic three points for us.
[fans chanting] Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!
[Kotadia] What makes a successful athlete is someone who applies himself,
they work hard.
It's really important to be comfortable with uncertainty
because of the nature of sport and life.
And mental resilience, having a strong mind
comes from not minding change.
And that's how we build consistent performances.
[fans cheering]
[fans chanting] Wrexham!
[McElhenney] We've got a team right now that does not give up.
I mean, one of the things we keep saying now is,
"Never leave a Wrexham game."
[fans cheering]
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Because we, we just have this ability to come back in the end.
And that just shows a sense of resilience and perseverance,
um, that you have to have in this sport.
You put in a hundred percent effort
to extract a 1% improvement.
And that 1% improvement is kind of what keeps us going forward.
And to give a hundred percent knowing
that you might only get 1% back is--
that's the true courage of it all.
- That's the work. - Yeah.
[Parkinson] Brilliant, boys. Well done.
That's right up there, boys, in terms of performance level and run.
You know, there's some great jewels out there.
You know, Mendy and Macko against their two wingbacks.
Most assists in the league.
Jacob, you saw him off today. He couldn't get past you.
But that is a great win for us, boys.
We're not gonna get too carried away and shout and holler,
'cause we're gonna meet these again, but magnificent display.
Stevie. Just against a really good team, lads, as well.
You know, give them credit. They're a fucking good team.
And it was an absolute fucking class tactical performance, lads.
Top drawer. And get the fucking points in that game!
- [Parkinson] Get in there, boys! - [Parkin] Let's go, boys!
[fans chanting] Wrexham!