Part 69: Chapter the Tenth: Down to the wire.
Chapter the Tenth: Down to the wire.April 1, 2018-May 6, 2018
That last spate of games was awful, but things look a little better for the last half-dozen matches. We've got Bradford away as they try to lock down a playoff spot, and Bournemouth at home where they try to hang onto their own playoff spot after a poor run of form. Beyond those two we'll travel to 22nd ranked Oldham where we should be able to beat them even playing away; 17th and 18th placed Shrewsbury and Coventry, and 10th placed Notts County.
I'd like to see a bit more gumption from you guys.
… This is some type of conspiracy, right?
At Oldham, April 7, 2018
League One
This is the match that we need to win. Oldham is in the relegation zone, they're by far the easiest opponent we'll be playing. If we want to get promoted, we absolutely have to beat them.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attacking
Starting 11: Taylor, Peters, Todd, Lewis, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Rogers, Tench, Poole, Harper, Shirra, Rainey, Coulson.
We look better from the start, but our best chance goes begging when Lewis misses a wide open goal in the tenth minute. Oldham weathers the storm, and starts looking dangerous. They score in the 22nd minute, and then again, and we're we're sinking at the half. We batter Oldham to start the second half, but can't score. Then Harrison puts the team on his back, halving the deficit with a 58th minute goal and drawing us even in the 60th. Each goal was assisted by Mujkic. We have the better of Oldham for the rest of the game, but can't find a winner. It's an unfortunate draw, but heartening to see the team finally play well again even if it did require us going down two goals. We stay in second place, two back of Sunderland with a game in hand, and a point up on Bradford with a game in hand.
Man of the Match: William Harrison.
Oldham 2-2 Wrexham
Daniel Thomas just returned to full health, so this is not the problem it could be.
I'm surprised that Harrison isn't in the team of the week.
vs. Bournemouth, April 10, 2018
League One
Bournemouth is sixth, and seeking to hold onto the final playoff spot. Since we failed to beat an Oldham team we really should have we can't rest for a second. Our opponents have hit the skids even worse than we have, though, going from a 95 point pace at midseason to winning just four of their last fifteen league matches.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Taylor, Tench, Lewis, Poole, Smissen, Harper, Simpson (c), Bailey, Rainey, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Rogers, Thomas, Curran, Holland, Shirra, Gorman, Coulson.
The game starts and Bournemouth sets about hacking down our players left and right, leaving Harrison, Harper, and Bailey sprawled on the pitch at points during first half. They're too eager to beat us about the head, and we take the lead on an own goal by Bournemouth's right back just after the break. That's not the final goal of the match, though, as the ref misses a blatant offsides that lets Bournemouth equalize. After that tough to stomach call we can't get anything going for the final twenty minutes, and are lucky to not concede and lose the match. The draw leaves us a point behind Sunderland, and only two up on both Blackpool and Bradford, with four matches left in the season.
Wrexham 1-1 Bournemouth
Bailey's been uninspiring for the last month and a half, going from brilliance to dross and taking down our offense with him. He's still been very good for the season, but hasn't regained the sublime form he had when we were crushing all comers.
vs. Shrewsbury, April, 14, 2018
League One
OK, seriously, we have to start winning some matches. Shrewsbury is a bottom half side, and we're at home. We can't afford to keep dropping points if we want to avoid the playoffs.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Taylor, Tench, Lewis, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Rogers, Thomas, Todd, Harper, Shirra, Rainey, Gorman.
The posts deny us twice near the start of the game, seeing off attempts by Bailey and Coulson. Harrison has yet another goal disallowed, this time he was offsides by a step at the most. Bailey has the goal at his mercy for a second time, and misses. Shrewsbury makes us rue our ineptitude in front of the goal, scoring just before the break. We finally get a shot on target and past the keeper when Gorman levels it in the 75th minute. It's looking like a draw when Shrewsbury takes the lead on a defensive lapse in the 87th minute, and we fall out of second place. But a Harrison stoppage time goal allows us to save the point, leaving us in second on goal differential. We're behind Sunderland by three points now, and must focus on finishing second before we could even consider capturing the league.
Man of the Match: Justin Bailey
Wrexham 2-2 Shrewsbury
Down goes our most reliable centerback for the rest of the season. This game sure does want to make things interesting.
vs. Bradford, April 21, 2018
League One
This is the most important game of the season. If Bradford tops us, they're at 78 points, and it's likely that one of Mansfield or Blackpool passes us in the standings. If we beat them, we stay in second place and have one less competitor for our automatic promotion spot.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Taylor, Peters, Todd, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Rogers, Tench, Curran, Harper, Shirra, Coulson, Read.
Bradford gets a single shot off in the first half, but it's enough to put them ahead until Mujkic can make it one-one. We continue to pile on the pressure, but we can't score before a scary moment sees Tom Taylor go down, forcing me to bring on 16 year old Jonathan Rogers. Mark Holland gives us the lead in the 73rd minute, and it's one we don't relinquish. Harrison continues his feast or famine ways, failing to score on more than one opportunity, and Adrian Read continues to make no argument for more playing time when he can't tap in the goal that would put us ahead by two. Mujkic gets us that third goal, capping a brilliant performance that sees us move to the top of the table for the first this season as Sunderland falls.
Man of the Match: Mateo Mujkic.
Wrexham 3-1 Bradford
Well, that's not too bad.
But that is. Higgs is still five days from returning, and we've got a game in seven. I'll have a hard time deciding whether to start him or Rogers against Notts County.
At the very least we'll be in the promotion playoffs. It seems at the moment as if no one wants to win the league, I can't believe after winning just two of our last ten games we're in first place.
Smissen and Tench have been wildly variable in their recent performances. We really need to find some better fullbacks this offseason regardless of what else happens.
I don't want him doing an iota of exercise before the next match.
I'm “under fire”? I know we haven't played great the last couple months, but we're on pace to earn back to back promotions. Ingrates.
You need to discuss this right now?
It's entirely possible he gets moved over the break. He's only got a year left on his contract and I can't afford to let him leave for nothing.
At Notts County, April 28, 2018
League One
A win here could seal an automatic promotion spot. Notts Co. is finishing out a decent but unexceptional season, they don't have any chance of making the promotion playoffs so this match is merely an opportunity to play spoiler against us. Higgs is getting his first start since his injury, despite only just having been cleared to play by the trainers. I may love young players but I'm not putting our season in the hands of a sixteen year old.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Todd, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Rogers, Thomas, Curran, Harper, Shirra, Rainey, Coulson
It's an even first half, we earn three half chances but can't make anything of them. It doesn't matter, Gorman scores a sensational goal in the 61st minute to put us ahead. We're able to cling to that lead, and it ends up being the margin of victory, keeping us at the top of the table and securing our promotion into the Championship. For all the tumult of the last two months we still have a chance to win the league.
Man of the Match: Matthew Poole
Notts Co. 0-1 Wrexham
Only one thing left to do, and that's win the league. So long as we match whatever Sunderland does, we'll add that title to our trophy case.
Our stadium will likely need some upgrading, I believe that Championship and Premier League clubs are not allowed to have standing room only seating. We have a grace period to change our seating plan, which we'll probably want to use seeing as those upgrades will be expensive if the team is footing the bill.
About time Mujkic wins the award, he's been brilliant all season.
He's probably right that he can do better. I look forward to seeing it.
But what about Bailey! He has 21 assists in league play and the second highest average rating!
Oh, they're both in the running. Man, this is like Sophie's Choice, except it's which of my players I want to praise instead of which of my children I'm forced to leave behind. So, same thing, right?
Gee, thanks! But I hope you don't mind if we hide you on our way to the league title.
At Coventry City, May 5, 2018
League One
Coventry avoided relegation by winning their last match, so they no longer have anything to play for. We still have a shot at winning the league, so we better be the more enthusiastic squad out there. Let's finish this season on a high note, let's take that title. Richard Cobb and Neil Sinclair are both starting for Coventry, I bet they wish they were still Dragons.
Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Poole, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Taylor, Thomas, Lewis, Harper, Shirra, Rainey, Read.
We keep gifting Coventry possession, and it bites us when Coulson is intercepted and Coventry score on the break. We are profligate, wasting our chances, and at the half we're losing while Sunderland is locked in a draw. I pull Coulson, who's been awful recently, and tell the boys to get out there and finish strong. Bailey is the man of the moment in the 64th minute, netting the equalizer, but Sunderland have pulled ahead in their own match. We don't stop fighting for a second goal, keeping Coventry on their heels, but miss chance after chance until Harrison finally scores in the 90th minute as stoppage time opens. The goal puts us level on points with Sunderland and ahead on the table thanks to goal differential. Minutes later we walk off the field not just victors but champions, for the second year in a row.
Man of the Match: Mateo Mujkic
Coventry 1-2 Wrexham
That's a cherry on the cap of a great season.
Meanwhile, Tackleford gets to spend a third straight season in League One.
That was a better season than I could have possibly hoped for. The real problem now is that our young players are starting to get too big for their britches, and seeking to move onto bigger clubs. Holding onto as much of that talent as we can, while reloading ourselves, is going to be vital if we want to attain my goal of reaching the Premier League within the next two years. Still, it beats the heck out of the fight for a playoff spot I expected at the start of the season. We also finished 22 points up on hated Tackleford, meaning that A Tartan Tory wins this years contest. Let me know what you'd like me to do.
Board VotesI'm going to leave voting open until the next update to let everyone have a chance to toss in their two cents. Below is the information you'll need:
We're in very strong shape financially. We've got over £1.6m in the bank, and if we do sell Todd in the offseason we're going to be swimming in cash. We've also got several sponsor deals coming up for renewal, all of which should bring us much more cash than we earned when they were first negotiated.
Our expenditures are up moderately from the previous year, largely due to
Our turnover is up year over year, the sale of Upson easily matched what we had previously earned from deep FA Cup runs. It can be expected that our income will only increase in a higher division thanks to much better TV revenue, greater fan support, and increased ticket prices.
VOTE 1: Wage Budget
(Smoothly) Our current wage cap puts us at £42k/wk and £2.2m/yr, which if we were using all of it would place us in 13th amongst League One teams. If we were in the Championship, however, you can see that same wage cap would have us at less than half the salary of the cheapest club in the division.
I would like to see the wage cap raised so that we can at offer contracts that are competitive with at least the lower spending Championship clubs, either at £100k/wk and £5.2m/yr or at £150k/wk and £7.8m/year.
A) You haven't even used the budget we gave you so far! You can have a little more, but that's it. (£50k/wk, £2.6m/year)
B) You're right that we'll have to spend more, but we're concerned about ramping up salaries too quickly. (£100k/wk, £5.2m/yr)
C) We need to spend money to make money, but we're still just a small club from northern Wales and can't compete with the big London clubs. (£150k/wk, £7.8m/year)
VOTE 2: Chris Todd
(Stannis Baratheon-esque-ly) Chris Todd is being a prat and agitating for a move to another club. He's still one of the best young players we have, and we have him under contract for two more years. I do not want to sell him, I don't want to set an example that malingering will get players transfer listed. Obviously, everyone has a price, if we're blown over by an offer we should accept it. Tottenham offered us £5.25m for him in January.
A) That's right, show him who's the boss. (Don't sell Todd for less than £10m)
B) We agree that we should only accept bids that help the team, but we think it might be time to sell if we can get the right amount of cash. (Accept offers above £5.5m for Todd)
C) If he doesn't want to be here we don't want him to be here. Get paid, get out. (Sell Todd for less than or equal to £5.5m)
VOTE 3: Mateo Mujkic
(Smartly) I would like to extend Mateo Mujkic again, and up his release clause. I'm asking permission to go outside the team's wage structure to do so. If you haven't noticed, he's been one of our very best players this year, with 15 goals and 14 assists in 34 matches.
A) He's already going to be making almost £5,000 a week next year, and we're comfortable with the £10m minimum release clause. (No special dispensation to re-up Mujkic)
B) We agree that he's important, but remember that he's just one player. (Can spend up to £7,500 wk on Mujkic)
C) We want top dollar for that kid, make sure we get it. (No wage structure for Mujkic)
VOTE 4: Scouting Range
(Assertively) We're no longer slumming it in the lower leagues. It's time to start acting like it. I would like our scouting range expanded, so that we can look to bring players from across Europe to Wrexham, rather than relying on finding talent from solely the U.K. and Ireland. If you vote yes, I would also like to bring on five new scouts to spearhead our hunt for continental talent.
A) Absolutely not. You want people who speak Spanish, Italian, and French to come to this club? Disgusting. (No change in scouting range, no new scouts)
B) Of course. Now that we're in the big time we need to start using every bit of talent we can get our hands on. EuRail passes and new laptops for everyone! (Allowed to scout European countries, may hire up to five new scouts)