Part 60: Chapter the Second: A brief reminder that we are still minnows.

Chapter the Second: A brief reminder that we're still minnows.
August 1, 2017-September 1, 2017

We've still got a month left in the transfer window, but barring the addition of a heretofore elusive fullback I'm pleased with the team we have. That we're spending less than we did last season is also quite pleasing, we don't have any players who are being overpaid and my holding the line in contract negotiations on promotion salary increases kept our wages from inflating this summer.



I'm still not finding any fullbacks that fit the club. Hopefully this spate of injuries isn't repeated during the season.



And this is why it's so important that we signed him to a new contract right after getting promoted. We don't have to sell him if we don't want to for the next two years, and he can just deal with it.




That doesn't mean I want him sulking and being unhappy, so I'm pleased that he realizes he's being a brat. That's a lot of self-awareness for an 18 year old.

At Crawley Town, August 5, 2017
League One


Crawley is expected to be about as good as we are this season, and are deserved favorites as we're playing away for our first match. I want at least a point from this match, we've yet to get off to a hot start in my tenure with Wrexham and I'd like to try how that feels on for size.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Todd, Lewis, Thomas, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Fox, Smissen, Poole, Harper, Price, Coulson, Baker.

Our first season in League Two couldn't have any better a start when Harrison puts us on top after 10 minutes. Chris Todd equalizes for Crawley, though, and I have to say we seem to be witnessing many more own goals than we had been before the midpoint of last year. I'm not sure if a patch tweaked the settings or the random number god has just decided to embarrass fictional footballers more often. Crawley takes a three-one lead after two more late goals, and despite one answering blast by Harrison it's Todd's folly that proves the difference. I'll have to keep waiting to see how a fast start would feel.

Man of the Match: William Harrison




Crawley 3-2 Wrexham

Two Premier League clubs are interested in Gary Petit, which means we make a £40,000 profit on him. While it's not a huge amount in itself these deals can provide a sizable boost to our balance sheet when they happen in large numbers, and we're still poor enough that this much money is helpful to our bottom line. The screencap of this has gone missing, so you'll just have to take it on faith that he wasn't actually abducted by aliens.



We only sold 300 more tickets than last year but the price was hiked up to £375, so we made a whole lot more money than we did last season. That and Sky Shadowing wasn't skimming off the top.



I think they're getting into a habit of expecting victories versus higher division clubs.

vs. Hull City, August 8, 2017
Capital One Cup, First Round


I don't understand why fans are cautiously optimistic. Yes, we have played well against higher division sides. Yes, this match is at home. But just look at that Hull team:



They're just playing a higher class of football than we are. It's not that I think we're doomed in this game, but if we do pull off a victory it'll be after Hull takes 25 shots and can't find a goal while we pick up one on a counter attack.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Todd, Poole, Smissen, Harper, Simpson (c), Bailey, Coulson, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Fox, Thomas, Lewis, Holland, Price, Gorman, Baker.

Hull batters us from the start as I expected, and we're giving up so many opportunities that I have to pull our defense in even further. Higgs is spectacular in the first half, making several stunning saves, and holds a 8.1 rating after the first. The pressure finally gets through to us in the 52nd minute, when Poole accidentally opens the scoring on behalf of Hull. They don't take their boot from our neck, and while the scoreline looks more impressive for it they didn't need two goals in the final ten minutes to beat us soundly.




Wrexham 0-3 Hull



Another tidy profit turned. I'm also in the process of moving two U18 players, Fulton and Sinclair, whose contracts are up next June and who aren't our best prospects at their position.

vs. Preston North End, August 12, 2017
League One


We've lost three straight games and four of our last five. It's time to snap this stretch of poor play. Preston North End, please roll over and die for us.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Todd, Lewis, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Fox, Thomas, Poole, Harper, Price, Coulson, Baker.

This match is immediately different in tenor from the Hull. The game, as the kids say, was brought, and we take the lead on new signing Mark Holland's first goal. Preston threatens throughout, our defense unable to prevent them from getting great opportunities, and we're fortunate they can't score. Holland seals his man of the match honors along with the match itself in the 82nd minute. Preston finally scores a few minutes later, but it's too little, too late.

Man of the Match: Mark Holland.




Wrexham 2-1 Preston



Good. Now stop hurting yourself, you idiot.



Did you read the title of the last chapter, Leyton Orient?



Boo. Agents are the worst. Now I have to give Smissen a new contract six months earlier than planned. He gets a £350/wk raise.

vs. Leyton Orient, August 19, 2017
League One


Leyton Orient has spent most of their recent history bouncing between Leagues One and Two, much like Wrexham had. They flew too close to the sun the last two years, getting promoted to the Championship and then relegated, and the resultant mess has seriously damaged the club's current prospects. They're a good team to face off against, and they can watch us on our way up while we ignore their descent back into mediocrity.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Todd, Lewis, Smissen, Simpson (c), Holland, Bailey, Coulson, Gorman, Harrison.
Subs: Fox, Thomas, Poole, Harper, Price, Rainey, Baker.

There's more than one Premier League manager in the stands today watching Chris Todd. He puts on a performance that will confirm their notions of his quality, taking the man of the match award. The whole team plays their best game of the young season, and we coast to a two-nil victory that sees Leyton only get two shots on target. Almost every player will have praise coming to them at the next film session, but new signing Gorman reacts poorly to my calling him out for having a poor game.

Man of the Match: Chris Todd




Wrexham 2-0 Leyton Orient



You little twit. Just because I called you out for underperforming?



The situation hasn't changed? What? No wonder you were available on a free transfer. No one can put up with your temper tantrums. Enjoy a time-out in the reserves, you upjumped, preening, snot-nosed narcissist.



It's a dangerous world out there, this is why I work inside at a job that requires no physical activity.




More sales, their contracts were expiring at the end of next year and I didn't have a space for them on the senior team. That brings us to a total of £150,000 for those four players, none of which we paid a penny to sign originally. Just wait a few years, we'll be making even more money off of flipping youth prospects.



I'm going to be irritated if I have to bring Gorman back into the team before he's had a proper time out because of injuries.

At Mansfield, August 26, 2017
League One


The one nice thing about having already bombed out of the Capital One Cup is that it really reduces fixture congestion early in the season as a lower league side. We're able to spend much more time practicing, and the new additions have more opportunity to gel with their teammates before being on the pitch together.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Counter
Starting 11: Higgs, Tench, Poole, Lewis, Smissen, Simpson, Holland, Bailey, Price, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Fox, Thomas, Curran, Harper, Holt, Rainey, Baker.

This game is a tale of two halves. We're the clear winners of the first half, but despite two clear chances and two half chances we can't put one over the goal-line. Mansfield plays like a team possessed in the final half hour when Price is hurt and Harrison subbed out, and while we only give up one goal despite being under bombardment it's still enough for them to take all three points.




Mansfield 1-0 Wrexham



This is our last piece of business of the window, I'm slightly disappointed we couldn't get more for him. We take a slight loss from having him on the team given his salary over the last two years.



Market's closed, and our team is trimmer. We've gone from 45 players on payroll to 38, and I'll have to be more aggressive in restocking our youth team next winter to keep it up to snuff.



Not a bad start, but also not a good one. The loss to Hull doesn't bother me, it was going to be a tough match no matter what, and with better luck we probably would have taken at least a point from Mansfield. Still, it's three losses in five matches, we'll need to do much better if we're going to win promotion.