[Whistle blows]
[Rhys] Um, we're here after a second defeat of the season.
- [Gilpin] Simple mistakes... - [Rhys] Yes.
...Meant that we lost that, and it's a team that is still jelling.
[Rich] It's so hard losing to Southampton and West Brom
in the first two Championship matches.
I know rival fans are loving it.
It's a cutthroat business, and Parky wants to win matches.
- He's under immense pressure. - Yeah.
[Rich] I think at this stage of the season,
Parky needs to make up who's in that squad.
Do you not think?
Who's he gonna keep, who's he gonna register?
[Players shouting]
Transfer window closes the first of September.
How many changes will Parky make?
I don't know, but before we get onto other individuals,
we have to talk about Ollie Palmer.
Does Ollie Palmer still have a future at the club?
[Griffiths] There's danger here. Gelhardt in the box and squares it.
[Harvey] Our game here in the Carabao Cup against Hull City,
we're behind in the game.
Phil has to change it up.
[Griffiths] On he comes for Hardie, does he?
[Harvey] Enter the big man.
Ollie Palmer was able to come off the bench...
[Griffiths] McClean. Left-footed cross. Palmer jumps.
- Scores! Ollie Palmer. - [Fans cheering]
[Harvey] ...and score two remarkable goals to take us to 3-3
and straight to a penalty shootout.
I mean, if you were a scriptwriter,
that's probably how you would have written it.
[Fans cheering]
[fans chanting] Palmy!
[Palmer] Have I actually done well in preseason? Yes.
Have I come on in the Carabao Cup against Hull City
and scored two goals? Yes.
Am I currently the club's top goal scorer? Yes. [laughs]
But it is what it is, and what will be will be,
and of course, you see it coming.
A few days before the Hull City game, the gaffer said,
"Look, we've made some signings, some similar of your profile,
and I feel like maybe it's the right time for you to leave."
Which is... It was just tough, but it was inevitable.
I don't wanna sit around and be a cheerleader.
That's not what I wanna do at any club.
[Person] Well, Ollie, welcome to Swindon. How excited are you to be here?
- Really excited. - [Camera shutter clicking]
[photographer] Crossed arms.
Above your head for me as well. That's it.
[Camera shutter clicking]
I mean, I find it hard to separate your heart from head
because, you know, he is a hero to-to so many people.
I also understand that it is football, but it does tug at the heartstrings a bit.
Leaving Wrexham is more difficult probably than leaving other clubs,
because the players we're talking about have been on the journey with us.
[News anchor] Rob, Ryan and Phil Parkinson have worked some magic
"with their record-breaking signing of six'5" striker Ollie Palmer.
A player we signed from AFC Wimbledon...
[Griffiths] McAlinden's rebound. It's a rebound. Yeah!
Ollie Palmer puts Wrexham ahead.
[Harvey] ...has a massive part to play in our promotion from the National League.
[Shouting]
[Ker] Ollie and his contribution to the club completely changed
the trajectory of this football club.
His natural ebullience and, uh, his roguishness, shall I say,
added a lot to the character of the building as well.
[Players chanting]
And it's sad from-from one perspective,
but it's evolution from another.
All of this is different to any other football club.
I've never had owners like this.
I've never had fans this passionate that would do anything for you.
It's just different. And ultimately, we are where we are.
- [Phone rings] - Oh.
Sorry, it's my wife.
- I was midway through emotional speech. - [Caitlin] Hi.
I was just confessing my "undenying" love to you, my...
[Caitlin] Your love for me? Keep going then.
No, I wasn't. I was talking about Wrexham.
I'll see you in a bit, fella.
Uh, sorry about that.
[Camera shutter clicks]
[photographer] Lovely photo.
We're really gonna miss Ollie, but I'm sure he'll be fine.
♪ 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 ♪
[Jones] Tea and coffee. Who are they for?
So the tea is here, the coffee is over there.
- Cheers. - [Jones] Thank you.
Tricky start, right? If you wanna break it down,
I think we were very unlucky to not get something at Southampton.
Deserved a point, didn't get it.
Then West Brom, at 1-1, I thought, "We're in that game." Didn't get it.
So I fully expect we'll get the better of Sheffield Wednesday,
because that will be important, but we need to be realistic.
Every point we get in this division is going to be absolutely fucking crucial.
[Customer] It's a lot of pressure on Parky though, isn't there?
- [Jones] Absolutely. - Cause a lot of players have been signed.
Problem is, he's been given 30 million quid, given a promotion-pushing budget.
It's almost like a noose around your own neck.
Welcome to the Championship.
[Griffiths] Hello. Welcome to Wrexham against Sheffield Wednesday,
a game we really need to get our account going
and against a team which sadly has some horrible problems off the pitch.
Wrexham have got to take advantage, haven't we?
- [Fan one] Come on, boys. - [Fan two] Go on, lads.
[Harvey] The daft part about it is, if we beat Sheffield Wednesday,
some will still look at it and say,
"Of course they should have done. Look at all the problems they've got.
They're a club in crisis."
There is a version of the story where we are villains. [chuckles]
It doesn't work, and then we go,
"What are we going to do? We have to sell it."
And then we're the bad guys.
Sheffield Wednesday's situation started back in 2015, when Chansiri came in.
[Chansiri] I have purchased Sheffield Wednesday Football Club
for 37.5 million pounds.
There was a lot of high hopes then, lots of money being thrown around.
Then it was when COVID hit that things started to get really bad.
Chansiri failing to pay wages on time in five of the last seven months.
It wasn't just the players that were unpaid,
it was the staff members, people in the ticket office.
When it was people like that whose lives were being affected,
it felt like that was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back.
[Crowd chanting] Get out of our club.
Get out of our club.
Dejphon Chansiri
Get out of our club.
I'm furious at what's happened at Sheffield Wednesday
because in ten years, the owner has sold the stadium,
has got rid of the training ground, doesn't put any money in.
We've got a worse squad than we had ten years ago on the pitch.
That's a cautionary tale that you see play over and over again.
And that's the thing that's most terrifying.
That it doesn't matter how much money you have
or that you can get from other people
or if you're a billionaire.
You just... There's certain things you can't buy your way out of.
Sheffield Wednesday, this is a proud 158-year-old club
been turned almost into a zombie entity.
But the fans are still there, they still go, and it still means something.
The situation with our chairman, it's just heartbreaking.
And I mean literally heartbreaking. He needs to sell the club.
The fact we've got a team out at the moment is... that's a positive.
[Fan] All we're here for is to get behind them lads who wear that shirt.
[Fan two] Exactly.
[Salt] They are doing a black-and-yellow protest this weekend.
That's what everyone's gonna wear.
If you have that gold kit from last season,
that is a good way to sort of stand in solidarity,
uh, with the Sheffield Wednesday fans.
Today we're offering our solidarity for Sheffield Wednesday.
Rob let us know yesterday
that, uh, he supports it all and wants the gold shirts to be sold.
So we've all got our gold kit from last year. We've got plenty left over.
So we thought we might as well raise a bit of money with our gold kit.
Hundred percent, all going to the trust.
You look at the teams that supported us when we were down, like, they all did.
So we've gotta do it, haven't we?
Two XL's again, mate.
Yeah, I got injured the week before, so I was obviously gutted about that.
But then I saw Rob's tweet. It was obviously a nice gesture.
I think all the people who I spoke to in Sheffield
obviously appreciated it anyway.
- Black and gold till it's sold? - We can but hope, isn't it?
We've had two unlucky, uh, results, uh, to start off with,
but gotta be a win today, I would think.
Today is massive. Get us three points on the board.
[Fans chanting]
[whistle blows]
[Griffiths] Iké Ugbo goes back to the massive keeper, Horvath.
And he launches a huge one.
[Sheffield Wednesday fans chanting] Get out of our club.
Dejphon Chansiri
Get out of our club.
Sheffield Wednesday fans chanting in protest,
and the whole Wrexham fans are applauding them.
They've got real solidarity between the fans.
- [Whistle blows] - [Griffiths] So, O'Brien with a free kick.
Sends it in behind the defensive line. It hits Moore, hits it. And it's there!
Kieffer Moore scores his first goal for Wrexham!
One-nil!
- Big Kieffer. - Big Kieffer.
What a player this boy is.
[Chortles]
Kieffer, well done, son!
Yes, Broadie!
[Griffiths] Here's Wrexham. Onto the edge of the area.
Neat first-time by Moore. Helped on nicely by Broadhead.
Space for Dobson. Hits the shot.
Parried by Horvath. two-nil!
Another goal for Kieffer Moore.
Good strike by Dobson. Moore with a simple finish.
And two attacks by Wrexham, and two goals.
- Wrexham! - [Whistle blows]
[Griffiths] Wrexham, two-nil up at the break as we get underway.
Come on, lads. Keep it tight.
[Fans chanting] Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham!
[Griffiths] Bannan, good intercept by Broadhead.
Played up to Moore, who holds it up.
He feels he is fouled. The referee says not.
And now there's danger as Palmer comes forward,
lays it out wide, cross driven in nicely.
Bannan must score, does score, and Wednesday are back in this.
A very different feel to this match now.
[Parkinson] It really hit us hard that we were, you know,
in control and then one moment, gone bang, the ball's in the back of the net,
and then it gets you on the back foot.
When you don't win for the first couple of games this season,
anxiety can creep in.
[Griffiths] We need to close this out.
We need those three points to get the season going.
Holding off O'Brien well. Squares it. Jamal Lowe can hit this perhaps.
Works it wide. But there's space early. Followed by Palmer! Two all.
[Fans cheering]
[whistle blows]
[Griffiths] A massive disappointment for Wrexham to lose that two-goal lead.
When that first win back in the Championship
looked to be ours.
You know, when you're up two-nil to a team like Sheffield Wednesday
and end up in a draw, it feels like a loss.
[Person two] So, on the weekend, we drew against Sheffield Wednesday.
Even though we were two-nil up, it feels like a loss.
But Parky clearly knows what he needs to work on.
We need our first win, definitely.
There's added pressure, because the money's been spent
and it is a lot of money, isn't it?
Well, the pressure's on. The pressure's on Parky.
Oh, course it is. I mean, he's got us promoted three times,
- so who are we to criticize? - Yeah, exactly that.
But, you know, this is a different level now, isn't it?
When they lose a game or two,
people forget what they would've originally been happy with.
We might be too greedy, might we?
In Leagues One and Two, we were winning every game, weren't we, every week.
- Now-- - But we're in the Championship now.
- Yeah, it's a lot of good teams. - There are no easy games.
When you've had the success that we've had.
When expectation is at the level as it is, and humans being humans,
all of a sudden, there's always got to be somebody to blame.
Is Parky gonna be one of them that holds his hands up and just says,
"Look, I've took us as far as I can"?
I get asked that all the time.
"Do you think he's the manager to take us forward?"
My answer to that is, "I honestly don't know."
Justin, who is the manager who we have bottom of our manager rankings
for the 2025-26 season?
[Justin] We have Phil Parkinson of Wrexham.
[Parkinson] Come on, let's get right up to speed. Play, Josh, let's go.
Good. Here we go, then. Good, good.
Phil Parkinson, he's had over 1,000 games as a manager,
but I think only about 140, 150 in the Championship level?
So this will be a test for him.
[Dilks] Phil Parkinson is a Wrexham legend,
but Parkinson's Championship record isn't great.
His most recent spell was with Bolton, who were relegated in 2019.
[Harvey] Phil's previous roles as a manager in the Championship
have been at Hull, Bolton, but in fairness to Phil,
each one of those clubs had issues at the time.
If you don't give somebody the tools to be able to do the job,
the chances are that they're not going to do it.
Parkinson's never had his own team that he has built up.
He's been inheriting squads, which are struggling to survive,
or squads which are underfunded, and he's had to try and deal with that.
[Harvey] One of the things that Championship clubs are
pretty consistent with, and that's sacking managers
if they're not getting immediate success.
But the reality is, it's because people don't have time
to wait in chasing that prize of trying to get to the Premier League.
[Parkinson] I've been a manager a long time.
Um, it's a results-driven business.
Everyone's quick to jump on the back of the manager.
I think each season, um, over a third of managers' positions change.
You never know how long you're gonna be a manager for.
[Dilks] I think the next chapter in this Wrexham story
sees them getting a big name as manager to take them to that next level,
'cause I don't think Phil Parkinson's gonna be able to do that.
[Person three] This division is ruthless.
Phil Parkinson has done more for this football club
than most managers have in the history of the game.
But make no bones about it: If we lose seven, eight games in a row,
serious questions will be asked of Phil Parkinson.
What I would say is he deserves as much time--
- You've got to give him a chance. - He deserves all the time in the world.
I, personally, would be stunned if he is still the Wrexham manager
come the end of the season.
[♪ Melancholy music playing]
[waves crashing]
[Thomas] I've lost Joey, but I've lost more than... I've lost more than a friend.
This is someone different. He was unique.
Uh, he was a very special individual.
[Griffiths] Joey Jones is in the middle.
High, played deep on the far side.
Header at the line.
[Fans cheering]
[Thomas] Everyone knows about Sir Joey Jones.
Everyone knows that he is Mr. Wrexham.
And his contribution to football, certainly in Welsh football,
enormous one, yeah.
[Fans chanting]
[Thomas] And, you know, I've lost a large part of my life.
[Fay] The football world is in mourning
over the death of Wrexham legend,
Mr. Wrexham, Joey Jones, who has sadly passed away at the age of 70.
It's just so hard to put into words what he meant to us all.
He's been my hero. He just loved this football club.
The word legend is used far too often in football.
Joey Jones is a football icon.
[Griffiths] Joey Jones is in the middle. Header!
Joey Jones has scored his first goal for Wales.
His career, you know,
won two European Cups and two league titles at Liverpool.
He played for Chelsea.
[Parry] But he always came back to us
and then was assistant manager, very much looking after the youth team.
He was never one for the spotlight.
He was never one to be out there in front of the camera.
[Cheering]
- [Ker] This is Joey Jones. - [Mac] Hi.
Joey, it's a pleasure to meet you.
It's a pleasure and honor to meet you, sir.
Absolute pleasure, sir.
Thank you for everything you've done for the town and this club, really.
- Aw, thank you. Thank both of ya. - Yeah.
[♪ Crowd singing "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau"]
[Thomas] I met Joey when I was 14.
[♪ Melancholy music playing]
That was the start of a 56-year, very special, unique friendship.
We didn't have much in those days. I couldn't even afford the football boots.
Uh, I'm not sure where Joey got his from,
but he had a brand-new pair every time I'd seen him.
When he first joined Wrexham, we didn't know what was going to happen to him.
Not knowing that we're going to probably play
in the biggest clubs in the world.
He became a legend and an icon. Like he does wherever Joey played.
That's what he became, because the way he played with his heart
and his passion... Fist... Clenched fist, uh, that was his connection with the fans.
He was, you know, showing that he's going to give them everything.
[Producer] He's a big lad.
He was a big lad... [stammers] No, I'm just very small. [chuckles]
I think everyone inside this stadium
and anyone that's come across Joey Jones
knows what an incredible human being he was.
He was just happy to play the game he loved growing up.
What a career he had in football. He won absolutely everything.
Incredible. The first Welshman, as he tells me all the time,
to win the European Cup.
And he always used to say to me,
"Mickey, that European Cup ain't that heavy, you know."
[chuckling]
But off the pitch, that's where his quality was.
Joey has got a legacy which will never die.
Liverpool will keep that going. Huddersfield and Chelsea.
But this is his home.
[Person three] Mickey will be in a dark place these next couple of months,
because Mickey and Joey, you know, two of one, they came together.
For Mickey, I would imagine it would be like losing his right arm.
[Parry] Joey came with Mickey Thomas,
but the pair of them together, they were just like little kids.
They were just laughing, joking all the time.
[Crowd cheering]
[Thomas] You know, I don't accept he's gone, you know.
[Stammers] I know he has, but, you know, I didn't never believe he was ill.
I couldn't see that in Joey, 'cause Joey was always my strength.
He was so strong for me.
[Stammers] He's my heartbeat, isn't he? He has been my heartbeat for all my life.
You know, it's the saddest day of my life.
He's gone. [Stammers] I can't bring him back.
He's my mate. He always will be.
He'll never die in my eyes.
God bless him.
[♪ Triumphant music playing]
[Joey Jones] Wrexham gave me my chance you know.
I'm so lucky we came here.
I wouldn't change it for the world.
If I had to do exactly the same thing again,
and have my career over again,
I would still start at Wrexham Football Club,
because that's the place to be.
[Thomas] Thank you.
[♪ Ominous music playing]
[person four] Off to Millwall today.
- Off to The Den. - [Person five] Off to Millwall.
We need the first win of the season.
Let's be honest, we haven't had an exactly starstruck start, have we?
[Person five] I'm not panicking, but a lot of people are.
Millwall's quite a legendary, uh, club in English football.
Mr. Norman Burtenshaw, the referee, said that he was carried semiconscious
off the field because of a deliberate attack from a spectator.
The club's always been noted for that sort of thing.
[News anchor two] This is the view of Millwall that has become familiar.
At Millwall, the view of the game is restricted by cages and spikes.
[Cheering]
[news anchor three] These were the scenes at Millwall last year,
when serious disturbances took place outside and inside the ground.
[Ker] Millwall fans relish and revel in the reputation that they have
for being a horrible club and a horrible place to go and play football.
"No one likes us. We don't care," I think, is the chant from Millwall.
[Fans chanting]
[Parkinson] You come to Millwall,
everybody's gotta be right fucking together, okay?
Remember, reset as a group, okay?
We belong on this fucking stage,
and we're gonna fucking show it from minute one to minute 94 today.
Okay, that is one way to get the fucking crowd on their fucking back.
[Cheering]
[Griffiths] Here we are at The Den.
The most visceral of all football venues
for Wrexham to test themselves against a Millwall team
that are going really, really well at the moment.
As Wrexham get things underway, this is gonna be a test of character
as well as technique here, isn't it?
Ooh, Dobson too slow. Caught in possession by Emakhu.
And he can't stop him dribbling past him.
Hell of a tackle that, by Matthew James. It was three against two.
[Cheering, whistling]
[Parkinson] Yes, check. Check!
- [Griffiths] Tackle by Emakhu on Cleworth... - Hey! What?
...Who has hurt his ankle, I think,
...to the delight of the Millwall players, and he looks in some distress.
Second half, and we're playing towards the fans.
- Come on, you Reds! - Come on, you Reds!
[Cheering]
[Griffiths] Their fans continue to make excellent noise.
You need to be able to dig in in these sorts of tough away games.
Roll the ball quicker! Move it quicker!
[Griffiths] Good cross. Moore goes over the keeper!
And scores!
[♪ Rousing music playing]
♪ You can't stop me ♪
[Griffiths] Kieffer Moore keeps his eyes on the ball. All he has to do is redirect.
And it just sneaks in by that post for 1-0.
[All] Wrexham!
[Griffiths] We've got two minutes left.
And it's fed into Emakhu. Tries to skin Dobson.
Good work. Dobson intercepts. Cleared by James.
Nobody up for Wrexham.
We're digging in now, as the clock grinds down.
Long ball. Ward comes a long way.
Doesn't hold on to it. Was he fouled? Ref says not. And it's missed!
Oh, it's a sitter. I've got to say, Ward is hurt.
- [Screaming] - [Griffiths] He looks really hurt.
The Millwall and Wrexham players both calling for help for him.
It looked like a foul. The ref didn't give it. Looks in distress.
- Where are you? - [Groans]
We're at Millwall, and they fuckin' broke my arm. Come on.
- Yeah, okay. - I need something, give me something.
[Shouting] Pain relief, pain relief, pain relief!
Everybody, X-stop, X!
- His arm! His arm! - [Ward] Don't fucking touch it.
Change, change, change.
Yeah, Arthur... You can, yeah. He's coming off.
[Medic] Ward, are you with me, buddy? You still with me? Stay with me.
- Come on, just talk to me. - [Ward screams]
- Okay, whoa, whoa. We're gonna... Whoa! - [Screaming continues]
- Come on, big man. - [Hisses]
[Griffiths] A lot of Millwall fans standing up and applauding him
as he's taken off on a stretcher
Let's hope that somehow it's not as serious as it looks.
Here is Okonkwo.
[Okonkwo] It's always bad to see one of your teammates get injured.
In no situation do you want that to happen.
But it's obviously created an opportunity for me
to go and prove to everyone, and most importantly to myself,
that I am ready for this level.
To be honest, it was nerves and a lot of excitement.
You know, and, uh, it was my Championship debut.
[Griffiths] Ball in is a good one.
Attacked at the goalmouth.
What a save! That is a ridiculous save.
It was just pure reaction. I just turned around and made the save, obviously.
- [Wrexham fans cheering] - [Parkinson] What a save, by the way.
[Griffiths] McClean, cute ball into the box.
O'Brien is goalside. Can he finish?
Yes, he can!
And Wrexham win at Millwall! In the 109th minute!
♪ Welcome to the future ♪
♪ Life is a battle Goliath and David ♪
♪ Nothing come easy You gotta create it ♪
[Griffiths] Great clip-in by McClean, and what a finish by O'Brien.
Tight angle, lifted it over Benda.
- [All] Wrexham! - [Whistle blows]
There you are. For the first time since 1982,
Wrexham win in the second tier.
♪ Welcome to the future ♪
[Griffiths] Their fans are thrilled.
[Person six] Three points on the board.
A win away. Wrexham, we're on our way.
It's just a great day for us to get off and running with a clean sheet
and the first win, but more importantly, an away win.
♪ Welcome to the future ♪
- [Whistle blowing] - [players shouting]
[Parkin] Work your feet. Good.
Good.
[Fay] At the start of this podcast, I want to send our well wishes to Danny Ward,
after his horrific injury.
Looked really painful there.
And that's going to be him out for a few months.
It was a dislocation of the elbow,
and then the ligaments and tendon have disappeared somehow.
And to top it all off, he ends the night having to order his own McDonald's
at a service station.
[Tozer] To be fair, mentally, getting over injury is hard, but sometimes you need,
a McDonald's or something, don't you, just to pick the mood up.
- Yeah. - I completely agree.
[Foster] Double cheeseburger? Big Mac meal?
We've been in the... I'm in the hospital for hours.
I don't care. The main bit I'm looking at is you adding extra cheese for 10p.
- That's all I can see. - That was me taking ice out of the Coke.
- That's what it was. I wanted no ice. - Extra fries.
It's no ice.
[Mac] To see him go down was scary for so many different reasons.
And then seeing him at McDonald's later on that night via social media,
I realized he was probably okay.
Um, but how long would he be out for?
They say around three months' recovery time,
and hopefully, be back playing before four.
See how far we need to get you coming up...
[Ward] It's all a bit of a blur, bit of a noise,
and I just remember thinking...
[sighs]
"Why?" Like, "Why now?"
Just starting to get in your flow. This return that you've dreamed of.
The way it's panned out by getting in the team, it's now...
[sighs]
Fuck.
Tough, tough road ahead, but made easier by the people around you.
It's the first time I've ever been in a club like this,
where everyone is so in it together.
It is a club that's always been in my heart,
from the first time I went to watch my first game.
It's... It's the tonic I needed at-at the right time of my life.
- Tomorrow, pal. - Cheers, pal.
- Touch base. - Will do. See you later.
[Harvey] Sending me it through, as we said, then we'll pick it up at this end.
The summer transfer window is approximately a ten-week period
where football opens its door to the madness
of transfers, sales and recruitment.
We knew we were going to need to strengthen to be competitive,
yet we only had a very small period of time to do that.
It's the last morning. We've got a number of things to tie up,
but every side in this game at the moment is playing brinkmanship with each other.
When the window shuts,
that means there can be no further changes to the squad, in or out.
- [Phone rings] - This is Man City calling.
[Caller] Hey, Mike.
[Producer] Welcome to the war room.
It's the busiest window this club's had, certainly in Rob and Ryan's time here.
You guys sent over the paperwork last night, I believe.
It's been, uh, crazy. I'm looking forward to the clock striking 7:00,
if we get the ones in we want.
Supposed to be this morning. Let me go find out when the medical's scheduled for.
[Harvey] So there's plenty to do between now and seven o'clock tonight.
So the problem that's known as Dominic Hyam.
[Caller] No way we can get the medical done in...
Fucking good... good question.
Leave it with me five minutes. I'll come back to you.
- Will do. Thanks. Cheers, Shaun. - Cheers. Bye.
Fucking hell.
We've got a "Houston, we have an Apollo 13-type challenge."
Dominic Hyam is in Glasgow on international duty.
[Parkinson] You think the agent might have thought of telling us that.
Do you know what I mean?
So we just agreed terms with the final piece of Phil's jigsaw
- with Blackburn, so we're really excited. - [Message tone]
But he's just joined up with the Scotland squad, and he's in Glasgow.
So we're trying to work out how we get a medical done
for a player who's in Glasgow
when we need him in Manchester, and we're in North Wales.
We've got a three o'clock slot on standby.
Yeah, but I don't think there's gonna be a chance
- to get him down from Glasgow to here. - No.
What I'll have to do is say, "Right. What do you want to do?
Got a chance to sign a contract..."
- Yeah. - I don't want this on camera, by the way.
[♪ Elevator music playing]
Summer transfer window finally closed. Deadline day is always very busy.
[Salt] Right, the latest of the deadline-day recruits then, Dom Hyam.
Wrexham fans saying, "I think the deal's fallen through."
No, it didn't. 11:00 p.m., Dom Hyam, the last in the building.
[Fay] It's a summer transfer window to end all summer transfer windows.
Fourteen players in, 19 players gone.
Those three additions on deadline day, they are huge.
We have never seen anything like Wrexham's summer transfer window.
They have quite literally signed a whole new team.
[Fay] Spent, what, more money this summer
than they've spent in the previous 161 years of the club combined on players.
[Harvey] We spent a lot of money this year, but many of the teams
that we're competing against have had years of building their current squads.
So, the money we've actually spent is only trying to catch up
with the position that they're already in.
We are different. You've gotta compete on a level playing field,
but without that investment over an extended period of time,
it is a real challenge.
[Williamson] We brought in 14 players.
And then, at the same time, you're trying to quickly bring new people in
and get them acclimated.
Just needed a wee bit more, Sheafman.
[Jones] This is almost like a brand-new team for people to get their heads around.
I get jittery spending so much money.
We need to do it to compete, but I can't let go of the old fan in me.
I can't... I'm like, "Oh, God. What if it goes wrong?"
[Bob] You can have great players,
but that doesn't necessarily mean you have a terrific team.
I don't know whether or not they're gonna be real team players,
or are they gonna be players who are looking for their own glory?
They just want the ball so they can try and score with the ball.
Time will tell. Time will tell. But, yeah, I'm nervous.
[Parkin] Time! Now get yourselves a drink.
Back at the Racecourse to take on QPR.
[Fay] QPR now. I-I think what they've got
is that sort of maverick, mercurial flair player
that QPR have always had.
You know, they are known for having unpredictable forwards.
I'm expecting a real battle.
[Reynolds] Colin, let's grab a photo of the three of us here.
It's like, that's the one you want. It's like, with that behind you.
- [Hanks] The sun just came out. - This way, though. If you go this way.
Thank you.
- Do you see Millie there? I can't tell. - Yes. She's here.
What's up, Millie?
- How you doing, Millie? Doing all right? - How are you, Ryan?
- Yeah, been good. - Yeah?
- Georgie Evans left. - I know.
He's on my shirt as well.
- I know, George is-- - I love Georgie.
- We called him Gorgeous George. - How did you know that?
- I do. You call him that too? - I call him it too.
I did not know that. I'm not kidding.
[Reynolds] The Queens Park Rangers match. Well, for starters,
we spent, um, I don't know, the GDP of all of Canada on players.
What's going on, guys? Nice to meet you.
What's going on? Welcome.
- Dom. How are you? - How you doing? Nice to meet you.
There are so many new faces everywhere you look.
Like, everywhere.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you as well.
- What's your name again? - Reuben.
Oh, Reuben. Nice to meet you.
Gonna need cheat sheets.
You know, even Max Cleworth went through puberty.
So I... It took me a minute to realize,
"Oh, that's Max."
[Griffiths] So, yeah, fascinating game, this, Wrexham against QPR.
Both done a lot of business in the transfer window
and are bedding players in, and that also is intriguing, isn't it?
[Whistle blows]
[Griffiths] QPR continue to look strong here.
In the box, a real scramble, and Okonkwo can't get there.
Then we showed up here, and, uh, we get a little bit of a spanking.
[Griffiths] Well, Kone drills a shot.
Um... That left a mark. A red mark.
Just reminding you to breathe.
- Fuck, thank you. - Just reminding you to breathe.
[Griffiths] He's one-on-one with Okonkwo.
He chips it. Brilliant goal.
[Ryan's friend] Is your stomach just Swiss cheese?
I don't have a stomach anymore. I switched to a colostomy bag.
It's super efficient. I totally recommend it.
[Griffiths] And the referee blows the whistle.
- [Whistle blows] - Frustration for Wrexham.
[Fan] We didn't defend too well.
We had £20 million worth of players on the bench.
I know they say they gotta blend the team together,
but they could've put at least two or three on. They've been training
- for two weeks together, maybe? - Yeah.
[Fan] And I just think Parkinson, sometimes he needs to change his tactics.
But to lose at home... It used to be a fortress for us, this ground.
Losing 3-1 at home to QPR. Not much of a fairy tale, is it?
[Williamson] So that was bad.
We're sitting in 21st position right now on the table,
and you suddenly go from hoping to have ambitions of being competitive
to hoping you don't get relegated.
Last season, we went all in, and of course, we're still all in.
But having spent so much money, yes,
but also time, energy,
emotional... [chuckles] ...uh, output,
the question to us is, "Is this where we wanna be?"
We've got one win, one draw and three losses.
That is not where we wanna be.
[♪ Foreboding music playing]
[interviewee] I just give my opinion.
[Producer] And I'd rather you did.
[Interviewee] Oh, yeah. There's no filter with me whatsoever.
[♪ Mischievous music playing]
I'm just Trina the cleaner. You know?
So I've worked for Wrexham football ground for about four years, I think.
Never even been to Wrexham's ground until I started working here,
and then just fell in love with the place, the people.
It's like having another family. It's a really good place to work.
I've only ever been to one game here, but I'm never coming again, ever.
Because my luck, 13,000 people in the stadium,
who sits right next to me?
Only my fucking ex-husband.
Wow. Couldn't write it, could you?
In this football club, I say I have no luck, none whatsoever.
Even if I fell into a well full of cocks, I'd come up sucking me thumb.
But no, they'd have to pay me to come and watch another football game.
I'd rather just stay at home and watch it.
Worst part is definitely the public toilets
when we have to do that.
When we've won the cups and different things like that,
the changing rooms... How I didn't kill the boys, I don't know.
Yeah, smelled like a brewery days after,
and then Ollie Palmer throwing his lettuce everywhere.
[Players] We are going up, I said we are going up!
That really annoyed me.
I've met a lot of good players
and some that have left, you know, they still get in touch.
Will Boyle, when he left, he messaged me,
said I was the heartbeat of the club, which was lovely.
Sunday morning. What have the lads left for me?
Oh, it's not too bad.
Oh...
QPR, well. A bit of a...
Uh, yeah. A bit of a disappointing game, I'd say.
I think QPR deserved the win yesterday. I think we were very slow.
[Softly] God...
They were shit. [laughs]
- I gotta say it. They were absolute shit. - [Producer] Get it off your chest. Go on.
Um, but they had plenty of opportunities. Um, it just wasn't our day, unfortunately.
Obviously, we've got a lot of new lads that are just coming together.
It's gonna take them a while to get used to playing against one another, isn't it?
You know, you've gotta...
You've gotta work it out, and I'm sure Phil Parkinson will do that.
Just want to see 'em win,
and just show everybody in Wrexham that they actually can do this again.
They've just got to believe it.
And that's all down to Phil and his team.
I think Phil's an absolutely gentle, gentle man.
He's very kind.
So maybe they should just send me in to shout at 'em, eh?
And sort 'em out.
[Laughs]
My gob never shuts up, though. That's the problem.
Phil... Phil Bennett calls me "Gobshite."
[laughs]
Yeah, I'm sure Monday morning, the lads will be back in,
and they'll be raring to go.
[Lawn mowers drone]
Better than what I could've wished for. So chuffed. Uh, it's amazing.
Everyone knows Mr. Wrexham.
Me and all me friends, we thought he needed a tribute to him.
And we said we needed something permanent.
Then the question was, where to put it?
And there's only one place really fitting for Joey.
Got together with Wayne, and we raised the total to get all this done,
and I think it's perfect for Joey,
and... [chuckles] ...hopefully, he's here forever.
Well, he always will be anyhow, like, but yeah.
[Frank] He's out on the pitch there, isn't he?
Just giving the fist wave to the fans, like he always did,
and full of passion.
Yeah, just come to see this today. Family's proud of it.
Just feels emotional, yeah.
And I brought me son and me grandson.
Everyone's happy.
It's unbelievable.
Um... It's nice to know every time you're gonna come into town now,
that's the first thing you're gonna see before you come in here.
It's just a proud, proud moment.
[Frank] You see all these tributes,
it brings it all home that he's no longer around,
but just nice to know how much he was loved by everybody, really.
[Thomas] Well, it's the first time I've seen it.
It's really like Joey, isn't it?
I... I think he's there on that wall,
and the most important thing, "Mr. Wrexham."
Joey is Mr. Wrexham, and he always will be.
That is a magnificent tribute to someone that is
probably the greatest person that's ever walked this planet.
I love him.
[Mac] Can't go anywhere in Wrexham
without being reminded of who and what we've lost.
But, you know, losing is a part of the game, just like in life,
and how you deal with losing is what defines who you are.
Joey Jones showed us what that looked like.
And his legacy lives on with every player who puts on that Wrexham shirt
and reminds everybody that the only thing you can do is
give them everything you got.
- [Photographer] One, two, three... - [friends, family] Joey!