Wrexham AFC massively hit the jackpot with £300k star and these 5 others | OneFootball

These six have all had massive parts to play in the Red Dragons' history over the years

Wrexham have been one of the most upwardly mobile clubs in the country of late, with the Welsh side bouncing up through the leagues thanks to the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

The Hollywood pair have overseen back-to-back promotions since taking over at The Racecourse Ground and are already in the mix at the top end of League One, as their meteoric rise through the EFL continues.

The Red Dragons have signed a number of top stars along the way to help them get to where they want to be, as they make headway back in the Football League after 16 years away.

Obviously, there was life before the new owners took charge, so we will be looking back to the turn of the century for six top signings the club have made in recent history that really hit the mark.

Ollie Palmer

Since joining from AFC Wimbledon in January 2022, Ollie Palmer has experienced nothing but success with Wrexham and he continues to do the business up top in the current day.

The forward is yet to finish below second in any season with Wrexham and has been worth every penny of his reported £300,000 fee from the Dons, as he nears the 50-league goal mark for the club.

With his power and aerial ability up top, not only does the 32-year-old offer a direct goal threat of his own but his ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play cannot be underestimated, with his performances being absolutely vital to Phil Parkinson’s game plan over recent years.

James McClean

As soon as James McClean made the £250,000 move to Wrexham from Wigan Athletic last summer, the whole of League Two took notice of a club who were obviously not planning on hanging around in the fourth tier.

Having graced the Premier League for five seasons with Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, the winger has quality in abundance, and made an immediate impact at his new club, with 13 goal contributions en route to promotion last season.

The Irishman continues to have an impact in the third tier, with his tenacity and quality deliveries from the left-hand side causing havoc time and time again on his return to League One.

Ben Tozer

Anyone who had seen Wrexham play over the previous three seasons will have seen the missile-like throw-ins from Ben Tozer, which cause mayhem in the opposition penalty area and can have a devastating effect.

The 2021 arrival from Cheltenham Town cost a reported £200,000, and more than repaid that price tag, with over 100 league appearances for the club in the National League and League Two, before leaving the club to join Forest Green Rovers in the summer.

An ever-present in the successful National League campaign in 2022/23, Tozer was a reliable presence wherever he played on the pitch, with his ability to play midfield or fill in further back offering another level of flexibility throughout the squad.

Carlos Edwards

Wrexham looked to the Caribbean for stars back near the turn of the century, with Carlos Edwards, Hector Sam and Dennis Lawrence all joining the club after a successful trial period in 2000.

The tricky winger went on to make himself a cult hero at The Racecourse, with his magical feet proving too good for the fourth tier, as he helped the Welsh side earn promotion to League One back in 2002/03 with 15 goal contributions that season.

The exact transfer fee for the EFL legend is disputed but is thought to be somewhere in the low six-figure mark, and with over 150 appearances for the club to his name, there is no question he is a deal that was worth every penny.

Dennis Lawrence

It would be remiss to not include Dennis Lawrence on this list, with the Trinidadian playing over 200 times for the club two decades ago, after following in Edwards’ footsteps in making the move across the world from his homeland.

The gargantuan defender was an absolute colossus at the back during his time in a red shirt and missed just three games over the course of the 03/04 and 04/05 seasons, such was his indispensable nature to the club at the time.

Once again, Wrexham got their money’s worth from a player they bought for peanuts, and as well as keeping the ball out of his own net, he was more than capable of making moments happen at the other end, with 14 goals throughout his Red Dragons career.

Lee Trundle

When he signed for just £50,000 from Rhyl back in 2001, Lee Trundle’s dream of becoming a professional football player had come true at the age of 24.

It didn’t take long for his new employers to realise they had a talent on their hands, with a bicycle kick against Walsall marking his first goal in the Football League, and setting the standards of what was to come from the original street footballer.

The Liverpudlian had the most magic feet and played with a sense of freedom that most footballers can only dream of, with his highlights reel filled with spectacular flicks and tricks on the biggest stage.

The forward would go on to net 27 times in 94 league appearances for Wrexham before joining Swansea City in 2003, but not before earning promotion from the fourth tier, with 21 goal contributions across the season.