Image source, Getty ImagesWrexham defender Aaron James has joined National League North club Warrington Town on loan for the rest of the season.
James, 19, has made a total of eight senior appearances for Wrexham and has scored one goal.
"Aaron has done well when he's played in the first team," Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said.
"We felt the time was right for him to get sustained first-team action at Warrington Town."
Image source, Getty ImagesPhil Parkinson has won two successive promotions with Wrexham since 2023
Club legend Waynne Phillips believes Wrexham can achieve a Wembley final as well as promotion this season.
It would be a fifth trip to the north London stadium for the Welsh club who won the FA Trophy on their first visit in 2013 but have since suffered three consecutive defeats under the famous arch.
Wrexham, 3rd in League One, travel to Port Vale on Tuesday, looking to secure a home quarter-final against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Trophy.
Even though promotion to the Championship remains the priority for the Dragons - and with team changes expected against Port Vale - Phillips says Parkinson's side are capable of achieving a double celebration at the end of the season:
"We waited so long to get to Wembley, we ended up going there two or three times quite quickly and I don't think the fans would turn down going back again this season but the priority is the league," said Phillips.
"I think second place is the place that's going to be up for grabs, Birmingham, I think, will be champions but we're still in the mix in the hunt to finish in second place but why can't we go and do the double, promotion and a Wembley final - three games away?
"There's been lots of changes in the EFL [Trophy], I would not be surprised if there's another 10, 11 changes again from the team that won down at Crawley on Saturday, but Phil Parkinson has the luxury of a very big squad and is able to do that and play two different teams, one in the league and one in the Cup.
Meanwhile Wrexham have been active during the January transfer window, bringing in strikers Jay Rodriguez and Sam Smith as well as winger Ryan Longman.
Despite speculation of a move away, striker Ollie Palmer remains at the club but midfielder Anthony Forde has been released.
"I'm so used to seeing Wrexham score late winners on the pitch, I thought it was going to be late action in the transfer window but there wasn't. There was a lot of talk after the new signings and what signings they've been, coming into the club on Thursday.
"Sam Smith looks a real player, Jay Rodriguez says it all, and Ryan Longman, they came in the back end of last week. I was, like many other fans, expecting some movement through the exit door, Ollie Palmer being one of those names mentioned, but obviously nothing was done on that and to have six strikers of the highest quality going into the last 17, 18 games of the season is a luxury for the manager Phil Parkinson."
Image source, Getty ImagesElliot Lee says the carrot of playing at Wembley will ensure Wrexham field a strong side when they travel to Port Vale in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday (19:00 GMT).
The last-16 encounter was due to be played in January but was rescheduled due to adverse weather conditions around Vale Park.
Victory over the League Two side would put Wrexham just two wins away from the final, which will be held at Wembley on 13 April.
"The mentality down from the gaffer and everywhere at the club is that we want to win every game," said midfielder Lee.
"It'll be a strong team whatever team [manager Phil Parkinson] puts out on Tuesday.
"We're all looking forward to it. If there's a chance to play at Wembley and win some silverware at the end of it, who's going to turn that down?
"We've got a strong squad now. All of the lads are chomping at the bit to play and that's another chance for the lads to prove how good they are and hopefully get another win."
The winner of the third-round tie between Port Vale and Wrexham will face Parkinson's former club Bolton Wanderers at home in the quarter-finals.
Image source, Getty ImagesWrexham striker Ollie Palmer is keen to remain at the Stok Racecourse, despite interest from League One rivals.
The 33-year-old has remained a key member of Phil Parkinson's squad this season having been part of the side that won back-to-back promotions to return to the third tier.
Wrexham's double swoop for frontmen Jay Rodriguez and Sam Smith last Friday is understood to have prompted enquiries over Palmer's future.
Parkinson currently has seven strikers in his squad with the new signings joining Paul Mullin, Steven Fletcher, Jack Marriott, Modou Faal and Palmer on the books, while Sam Dalby is out on loan at Dundee United.
Yet Palmer is intent on staying in north Wales having played a major role so far this season, starting 26 of Wrexham's 29 league games.
Palmer has been a popular figure at the club since arriving in a then-record deal from Wimbledon in January 2022.
He has so far scored 44 goals in 148 appearances across three divisions.
Palmer - who in October agreed to extend his Wrexham deal until 2026 - was not involved in the weekend win at Crawley, where Rodriguez and Smith made their debuts.
Parkinson said after the game he would not rule out further business having also added Hull City wideman Ryan Longman to his ranks during January.
But it is likely he will have to trim his squad before the deadline with the club having 23 senior outfield players on the books - one more than the maximum allowed to be registered with the EFL.
Midfielder James Jones joined Burton Albion on Friday.
Image source, Wrexham AFCSam Smith says he "couldn't turn down" the opportunity to join Wrexham during the January transfer window.
The striker sealed a move from League One rivals Reading to the Stok Racecourse on Friday having scored 11 goals in 25 league appearances for the Royals in the opening half of the season.
And while Smith admits it was a difficult decision to leave the Berkshire side, the 26-year-old says Wrexham's trajectory under Phil Parkinson at present was a pivotal factor in his decision to move to north Wales.
"I think everyone is aware of Reading's situation. It's an amazing football club and I just feel for everyone involved there," said Smith.
"But when an opportunity comes up like this and with everything going on there, it was something I couldn't turn down.
"The project they're building here, I think everyone would want to be a part of it.
"We've got a big squad and a good squad, we're going to need everyone if we want to try and get promoted."
Smith made his Wrexham debut in Saturday's 2-1 win at Crawley Town having only completed his medical during the early hours of Friday morning.
After the triumph at Crawley, Smith revealed he spoke with the club's Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney prior to his switch to Wrexham.
"Yeah they [the owners] have [been in touch] which is quite surreal," added Smith.
"I'm excited to be here with the project and everything that's going on."
Image source, Rex FeaturesPhil Parkinson admits Wrexham could yet add to their squad before Monday's transfer deadline (23:00 GMT), but says the club are happy with the business already completed in the final days of the window.
The north Wales side were determined to bolster their forward options and brought in Sam Smith from Reading and Jay Rodriguez from Burnley ahead of Saturday's 2-1 win at Crawley Town.
Following the triumph over Rob Elliot's side, Parkinson said he would hold talks with Wrexham board member Shaun Harvey to discuss the status of the squad.
"We're going to have a good chat because we've had a very hectic few days," said Parkinson.
"Shaun Harvey is with us and well decide where we go in the next few days.
"At the moment, we're just assessing a few things. You never say never but this week has been a good week for us in the transfer market, and it'll give all of the lads a lift."
Strikers Rodriguez and Smith both made their club debuts at Crawley on Saturday afternoon as goals from Matty James and Elliot Lee earned the visitors a crucial three points at the Broadfield Stadium.
And Parkinson could not hide his delight after adding the duo to his ranks midway through the campaign.
"I know everybody was getting frustrated that we hadn't got a striker in, none more so than us, but I can assure you it wasn't for the lack of trying," added Parkinson.
"To prise Sam Smith away from a club where he's their top scorer is not easy. Credit to everybody who work exceptionally hard, we've got two players in the building who are going to be big signings for us.
"To get the option to bring Jay in was too good to turn down really. He's got nous, and you saw that today in moments. He'll produce key moments for us as we go along."
Image source, Getty ImagesPhil Parkinson does not believe Paul Mullin's shin injury is serious, as the Wrexham striker awaits results of a scan.
Mullin, 30, was not included in the matchday squad as Parkinson's men secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Crawley Town on Saturday afternoon.
"It's just a minor problem with Mulls," explained Parkinson.
"I said 'until we get that scan, I don't want to put you at risk because we've got a lot of football to play'. Hopefully it's nothing serious, I don't think it is. It just wasn't quite right.
"When you've got players like Jack [Marriott] and Fletch [Steven Fletcher] and the options we've got, there's no need to risk a player.
"They were right with the lads in the dressing room, and all of the lads who didn't make the bench like George Evans and [Jacob] Mendy, right with us, that's what we've always been about.
"We've got a lot of games left and everyone's going to be utilised."
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo was an unused substitute against the Red Devils - with Mark Howard stepping in for the former Arsenal stopper at the Broadfield Stadium.
And Parkinson admits Okonkwo needed to be taken out of the limelight after being rushed back following a spell on the sidelines with a wrist injury earlier this season.
"With Arthur, he's not been quite right since he's come back. We probably put him back in too soon and he probably needed to come out," added Parkinson.
"These next couple of weeks are really important for us. Mark is a cool head and played like the experienced goalkeeper we needed today.
"We just said in the dressing room, we've always been about the squad and the group. It was typified by the lads who weren't in the team today."
Image source, Getty ImagesElliot Lee feels Wrexham's January signings have been pivotal in ensuring the club continues to go in a "great direction".
Phil Parkinson's side have recruited Ryan Longman, Jay Rodriguez and Sam Smith during the winter window as they bid to secure a third successive promotion.
The trio all featured as Wrexham secured a dramatic 2-1 win at Crawley Town - with Lee scoring the winner in the fifth minute of added time from a Longman cross.
And midfielder Lee - who has scored seven goals this season - believes further additions to the squad will only improve Wrexham's chances of gaining promotion from League One.
"It was a great end to the match. This team never stops and I think we got a well deserved three points today," he said after the triumph over the Red Devils.
"The club's going in a great direction and we've all got the same target and the same goal.
"So keep on bringing in better players because better players improve players around them. We all have one goal in mind.
"We brought in Sam, Jay and Longy and it's three great additions to the team. If there's more to come then great because it helps the club and everyone. It gives everyone a motivation in training, you see better players coming in, it ups training.
"We've got a really strong squad in there. If it gets added to again then brilliant."
Image source, BBC SportYanto: Last night demonstrates the difference between complacency and commitment. Paul Mullin has missed so many chances this season and from my perspective, he missed a sitter last night. All players need to reflect and put this right.
Andy: Too many "old heads" playing low risk football. Wrexham need an injection of talented youth in midfield and up-front, we need players who bring a bit of energy and flair. We need to be more creative.
Dave: I think the squad is the strongest it's been for a long while (with the obvious influx of cash), although I think a new goal scorer is needed as Mullin's form has dipped.
Ralph: Phil Parkinson has not done Wrexham any favours playing these non-performers like Palmer, Mullin, O'Connor and McConnell. They're long past their sell-by dates. If Parkinson was a player on the pitch he would've have been dropped a long time ago. Very poor player management.
Jeff: Elliot Lee is is our top scorer this season with six goals, while the league's top scorer has 15. We need to buy a reliable goal scorer and quick, five days left. Super Paul Mullin is finished.
Alfresco: We need a proven goal scorer up-front, it's as simple as that. I don't want to see us sign anyone with "potential", we need someone who is scoring goals now. I'm not interested in a "project" player. We need goals, now!
Jimbo: Do we really need to sign more players, we have an abundance of talent throughout our squad. We have a brilliant defence, great midfield and potentially a great strike force. We just need to get Paul Mullin back to his best by starting him a bit more.
Elwyn: We must get a striker if we want to challenge for automatic promotion. Paul Mullin has not hit the heights prior to his injury, Ollie Palmer has never been prolific and Steven Fletcher is 37-years-old. Although Fletcher has been in a rich vein of long-term form, he isn't the solution, Phil Parkinson never plays him for one reason or another.
Image source, Getty ImagesWrexham manager Phil Parkinson described his team's performance as "nowhere near good enough" following their 3-2 defeat to Stevenage at the Stok Racecourse.
A first League One home defeat of the season leaves the Dragons third in the table.
Mid-table Stevenage become the first team to complete the league double over Wrexham this season, with Parkinson left questioning a lack of fight from his players.
"Nowhere near good enough. We were second best, certainly in the first half, both goals we conceded were far too easy," said Parkinson.
"Obviously we weren't playing great and we accept that, but we've built this season on being strong, resilient and defending as a team. We've been working hard to keep the ball out of our net and really give ourselves a platform to win games.
"We've got to get back to doing the very basics on a football pitch well. If you're not playing well for whatever reason, you still need to give yourselves a platform by fighting, blocking shots and competing all over the pitch, in those elements we were way off our best.
"There wasn't enough fight bar two or three players in the team. It was a very disappointing night and we've got to reflect quickly on that."
Parkinson highlighted the importance of delivering a response when Wrexham travel to struggling Crawley Town this weekend.
"We've got a bit of soul-searching to do before Saturday," added Parkinson.
"We will use this defeat as motivation and make sure that the team picked for Saturday will fight tooth and nail for the badge."
As the dust settled on the Hollywood Derby II, Wrexham announced their first signing of the January window.
The capture of Ryan Longman from Hull City saw Phil Parkinson fend off interest from Championship club Oxford United to land the winger.
It follows the confirmation of new deals for Jack Marriott and Jacob Mendy.
But is there going to be any more business for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElehenny to sign off before the window closes next Monday?
And, if so, where do you think the squad needs strengthening for dreams of a third straight promotion to stay alive?
Have your say here , external
Image source, Getty ImagesNew Wrexham director Kaleen Allyn has revealed her family had turned down previous opportunities to invest in football clubs before coming on board at Wrexham.
Allyn was named as a new executive director last week and was in Wrexham for Thursday's Racecourse clash with fellow League One promotion hopefuls Birmingham City.
She attended the game alongside father Eric Allyn. The family owned a global medical device company before selling for $2bn in 2015 and have since turned to private investment.
They took a minority stake in the club in October with plans to help co-chairmen Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney continue with the club's ambitious plans.
They include a new 5,500 new Kop - with an ability to expand – the new plans for which are set to be revealed at the start of next month.
Speaking to the club's media ahead, Allyn confirmed "terrific" meetings regarding the stadium development, as well as plans for a new academy base and investment into the women's team, adding: "There's so many exciting things going on".
Explaining her family's background, which includes investment into community and businesses around their home in New York state, Allyn said: "We've been involved in a lot of social partnerships. The ethos of our family is investing in great business and uplifting really resilient communities.
"We have looked at football clubs before we never felt that emotional tie - but the heart of Wrexham is the town and the community.
"So being able to invest in that from the football club, but also the Kop and the Gateway project, things that bring the community into the club, is what we're passionate about and is what we've done in upstate in New York.
"Bringing two things together and finding ways to uplift and putting the spotlight on the community is what we're passionate about."
Image source, Getty ImagesDefender Dan Scarr is hoping to secure a regular place in Wrexham's starting XI after featuring against Birmingham City.
The 1-1 draw was Scarr's first League One start since 16 November in a 1-0 defeat away against Stockport.
The 30-year-old admits he has had to be patient waiting for opportunities since joining the club from Plymouth Argyle in the summer.
"It's tough coming in having not played for a couple of months," he said.
"The training has been good and the staff keep me prepared, it's tough coming into a game like that but it's the type of game you want to be playing in."
Wrexham extended their unbeaten run at the Stok Racecourse to 15 games after Thursday's draw, and remain five points behind League One leaders Birmingham.
On Tuesday they host Stevenage in a final home league match until March, and Scarr is confident they can continue their push for promotion to the Championship.
"We need to build on this point [against Birmingham], we've got another home game and hopefully we can take it to them," Scarr added.
"It then puts us in a strong position leading to these away games - if we can put in a performance like we did in the second half and if we can play like that away, it puts us in a good position."
Image source, Getty ImagesWrexham manager Phil Parkinson has hailed Max Cleworth's "class" after his performance against the "best striker in the division" in Birmingham's Jay Stansfield.
Cleworth, 22, was part of the Wrexham team which stopped Stansfield from adding to his tally of 12 goals this season during their 1-1 draw in League One.
Stansfield, also 22, was signed by the Blues for around £15m from Fulham last summer, while Cleworth has been a mainstay of Wrexham's teams since Phil Parkinson took over as manager in the National League in 2021.
"A lot of people were talking about Jay Stansfield before the game, but maybe they'll be talking about Max Cleworth after the game because I thought he handled him brilliantly," Parkinson said after the game, dubbed by some as the 'Hollywood derby'.
"I'm not going to say too much because the transfer window is still open," added Parkinson.
"But I'm so pleased for Max, he's a player who's grown with us, he really has. We through him in the deep end in our first ever game - he's played a lot of football for us and his development has been great, and tonight was a real class performance against probably the best striker in the division."
Wrexham will be looking to extend their unbeaten home form on Tuesday night when they face Stevenage, with new signing Ryan Longman in line for a potential debut.
