Wrexham

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Ollie Rathbone spoke of the “really special” atmosphere at the Stok Racecourse after making his first league start for Wrexham.

A crowd of 13,341 – Wrexham’s highest home attendance since 1980 – saw Phil Parkinson’s side go top of the League One table with a 3-0 win over Shrewsbury Town.

“I’ve played quite a lot of games at this level now and atmospheres like that don’t come along very often,” Rathbone said.

“It’s why I came to the club – it’s a special time to be a part of it.”

Wrexham, playing in English football’s third tier for the first time in 19 years following promotion last season, are unbeaten after five games.

But midfielder Rathbone, a summer signing from Rotherham United, is not surprised by Wrexham’s start to the season.

“It can’t be underestimated how big a step up this is but with the squad of players I don’t think you can expect much less to be fair.

“After five league games you have a taste of what the league offers in a lot of different ways and I think we’ve handled everything really well.

“We won’t get ahead of ourselves but we’ve played Bolton away, Peterborough away – two teams that have been in the play-offs the last couple of years – and I think we performed really well against both of them.

“In the home games we’ve done just our job.”

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Wrexham’s Tom O’Connor has happy memories of the last time his team faced Shrewsbury Town.

The sides meet in a League One cross border derby at the Stok Racecourse on Saturday.

O’Connor scored the only goal of the game as Wrexham won in an FA Cup Third Round tie at Shrewsbury in January.

“It was a little bit of an upset going there when we they were in League One and we were in League Two,” O’Connor told BBC Sport Wales.

“It was nice to knock them out – we know what it means to the fans.”

Wrexham are unbeaten in their opening four league games and lie second in the table, and O’Connor said: “It’s been a good start.

“Not many people knew how we would get on in this league so we’re very pleased to have started like that.

“But it is only four games in so hopefully we can keep it going.

“Three clean sheets out of four – we’ve had to work hard at times but it’s a team effort and the lads in front of us put in a shift.”

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It may be early in the season, but Wrexham are already showing signs that they may be capable of doing something special once more in 2024-25.

After successive promotions for Phil Parkinson’s team, some observers suggested this campaign may be about acclimatising to life in League One.

Yet a return of 10 points from Wrexham’s first four league games – in their first season at this level for 19 years – is almost as encouraging as it gets.

We asked you what you have made of Wrexham’s early-season form – and who you think has been the star performer.

Here are some of your responses.

Gareth: They've doing very well since Phil Parkinson took the reins and [with] the quality players he's brought in. Phil Parkinson for me is the unsung hero of Wrexham AFC's success.

Matt: [George] Dobson in midfield has made a massive difference! His work-rate, leadership and combative style is driving the team this season and proving to be our best signing and standout performer so far.

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Tim: The summer additions to the squad were well planned. Recruitment of quality players in every position has created competition for places, and Phil Parkinson has achieved that whilst still maintaining a supportive environment. There is motivation to reward the fans and this positive cocktail of elements has got the whole club performing brilliantly.

John: No doubt, Wrexham can challenge for promotion again this year, but I think the quality and depth of the league will prove too much unfortunately. It's a surprise to see both promoted teams at the top of the league so soon, but alas, it's very likely that the honeymoon will end, probably Christmas time, for both teams. Wrexham will finish mid-table.

Will: [Max] Cleworth definitely the star for me, so consistent, we never have any issues defensively on his side of the pitch. Plus to top it all off he’s scoring goals.

Martyn: Man of the season so far is Phil Parkinson. Last season I felt he didn’t always know his best starting XI but we’ve bought intelligently and Phil seems to be managing the competition for a starting place well. We will have a very good XI out for 90-plus minutes in every game. Top stat so far is three clean sheets. Let’s get more possession.

Timothy: Cleworth just gets better and better - how much is he worth? Dobson is like a League One Roy Keane and [Jack] Marriott is making it very difficult for Parkinson to drop him.

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Alun: Dobson is the missing link - works so hard and is everywhere allowing the defence to be solid and the others who have quality to go forward with purpose. The good thing so far is that most of the new signings haven't had much of a chance yet and most of them are proven League One/Championship players. The subs each game are so strong as well!

Catherine: What a start to the season! But let’s not get carried away and start picking players out as this is a whole team effort. Max Cleworth is a young lad who is starting to show us his abilities, Elliot Lee is a little magician on the ball and [Paul] Mullin will start scoring soon. The future looks bright but a long way to go yet.

Barry: I watch Wrexham on iFollow from my home in Spain and love the way the club have improved over the past three years under the helm of Ryan [Reynolds] and Rob [McElhenney]. Promotion this year, why not? The defence is now very solid with the new additions and the goals are flowing. Well done Phil Parkinson. Come on you Reds.

Karl: The team is taking each game as it comes. This sensible approach is giving us momentum which is crucial early in the season, rather than playing catch-up. I feel we can compete with the squad we have. Maybe another striker coming in would be the icing on the cake.

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Former midfielder Waynne Phillips says Wrexham are capable of competing with any team in League One this season.

Phillips is now a pundit for BBC Radio Cymru and was at Peterborough United last Saturday to see Phil Parkinson’s men win 2-0 to go second in the table.

“This team is certainly more than capable of being a threat to all other teams in this division this season,” Phillips told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“It’s not me getting carried away after four games this season – I was saying these things before a ball was kicked.

“The shape of the team was terrific and when they had to deal with pressure they did that fantastically well.”

Wrexham are loving life in League One right now.

Four games in, unbeaten since their return to the third tier and currently second in the very early standings.

Safe to say manager Phil Parkinson will be as happy as all the Dragons fans at how August has gone.

With the chance to go top when rivals Shrewsbury visit the Racecourse at the weekend, it's little wonder former Kop idol Waynne Phillips is sticking with his pre-season prediction of challenging for yet another promotion.

But in the games so far, which player has impressed you the most?

Jack Marriott's goal at former club Peterborough at the weekend made it two for the season and suggested he could have a bigger impact this year.

Max Cleworth is also among the goals, as well as being part of a backline that has kept three clean sheets in a row.

Is it one of the old favourites that has caught your eye, with Ryan Barnett, Ollie Palmer or Elliott Lee stepping up again?

Or what about one of the new signings, such as impressive midfielder George Dobson who looks to have really added something to the middle of the park for Parkinson's side?

Wrexham fans, we want to hear who you think deserves some early season praise by sending your views here, external.

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Jack Marriott believes the fierce competition for places in Wrexham's squad has been a pivotal factor in their impressive start to the League One season.

Phil Parkinson's men beat Peterborough United 2-0 to move up to second in the table - with Jack Marriott scoring against his former club before Max Cleworth netted his second goal of the campaign to seal victory over the Posh.

And Marriott, 29, feels the squad depth Phil Parkinson has at his disposal combined with the determination of players to prove their worth on a weekly basis have been crucial to earning Wrexham 10 of the 12 points on offer so far this term.

"It's [squad] really strong. For every position we've got someone who can step in and put in a good performance for the team," Marriott told BBC Sport Wales.

"I think it keeps everyone on their toes, everyone wants to work for each other.

"The lads coming on, we all want to do our best for the team, whether that's coming off the bench or playing from the start, we're all fighting for the same goal.

"I think we've had a really tough start to the league and we're just going into every game with the work ethic and desire to put in a performance, and that's getting us results."

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Phil Parkinson believes his side's summer transfer window signings can help continue the "Wrexham story".

The Red Dragons brought in Mo Faal, Ollie Rathbone, Dan Scarr, Lewis Brunt, George Dobson, Seb Revan, Callum Burton and Arthur Okonkwo in the transfer market.

And Parkinson feels the additions will help Wrexham cope with the gruelling demands of the 2024-25 League One campaign.

"The transfer window is always a difficult one because some you miss out on, some you get," Parkinson said.

"I'm pleased with the people we've brought into the building to carry on this Wrexham story.

"When the games come thick and fast in the weeks to come, we'll make changes.

"We know we've got really good players to step in and we're enjoying working with the group and there's more to come from us."

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Wrexham's impressive start to the League One campaign continued with a 2-0 victory over Peterborough United.

Max Cleworth and Jack Marriott both netted against Darren Ferguson's side as the Red Dragons moved up to second in the table having claimed 10 points from the 12 on offer so far this season.

And boss Phil Parkinson could not hide his delight with the impact of his goal scorers against the Posh.

"Mulls [Paul Mullin] isn't quite ready yet, he's getting there, that's the best he's felt when he came on today, I felt he was so sharp," said Parkinson.

"Jack and Ollie [Palmer] have got the shirts at the moment, the other players have got to wrestle them away from them.

"It was a real quality goal, great movement from Jack and a good finish.

"I keep saying to the front two, what we're pleased with at the moment is their work for the team, and key moments come on the back of that, and that's why we're winning games at the start of the season."

Cleworth's headed effort in the 39th minute was his second goal of the season.

And boss Parkinson feels the 22-year-old has the ability to play at an even higher level than League One.

"I'm obviously pleased with Max, he's got all of the attributes to play at this level and above because he's so athletic and so calm," added Parkinson.

"He's adding goals to his game as well which we always knew was there.

"He's got such a great leap on him and he's very difficult to mark on set plays and that was a great finish."

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Sam Dalby has joined Dundee United on a season-long loan from League One side Wrexham AFC.

The 24-year-old has played for several sides, turning out for the likes of Leyton Orient, Woking, Southend, and Wrexham.

Announcing the deal, the club described him as "a confident finisher also adept at bringing team-mates into play".

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Wrexham’s next League One opponents Peterborough United are managed by Darren Ferguson.

Ferguson, son of ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, played for Wrexham between 1999 and 2007 and captained the Dragons.

He could have become Wrexham’s manager when Denis Smith was sacked in 2007 but instead began his managerial career with The Posh.

“Darren is obviously a very good manager,” Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said.

“I’ve come across Darren a lot in my career and he's a great guy. He’s a good football man and is obviously steeped in football tradition with his family.

“He was a good player as Wrexham fans know and he’s gone on to do well in management.”

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Wrexham have made seven permanent signings during the summer.

Manager Phil Parkinson could add another name before the window closes while a few current members could be loaned out.

“Possibly one or two will be going and maybe the chance of one coming in. We’ll wait to see on that,” Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales.

“Like I’ve said before it’s got to be a carefully chosen addition to what we’ve got.

“The lads have had a good start, but equally we’re not getting carried away with that.

“There is budget to bring in another player if we feel the right player is there to compliment what we’ve got.

“If that happens then of course someone will go so there’s a couple of options for our players to go.”