WINNER TAKES IT ALL!
THE EASTER Monday showdown between Wrexham and Notts County has been circled on the calendar for a while now. It’s a fantastic game for the profile of the National League. You don’t get games like this too often.
What is riding on it, being live on BT Sport, the size of the clubs, it has everything. I think it’s a game a lot of people are going to be interested in. I can’t wait.
Wrexham, of course, have a game in hand despite being knocked off top spot on Good Friday. In the past, I’ve felt there has been a mental block when it comes to the really, big games.
I’ve spoken to Wrexham fans on this and they don’t necessarily agree – but it’s my opinion.
I think back to the FA Trophy final they lost on penalties to North Ferriby United.
Or when they were beaten by Eastleigh in the play-offs, the two games in recent seasons against Dagenham & Redbridge they had to win but didn’t, the FA Trophy final against Bromley – and, of course, last season’s mad-cap play-off semi-final loss against Grimsby Town.
They’re a different animal now. They have adapted to playing in front of such a big crowd every week and seem to handle the pressure better than ever. That has been a big turning point.
The scrutiny the club is under can’t be underestimated. Owned by two big-name actors, the documentary, the money that has been poured in – they’re there to be shot at.
Early on, I felt the spotlight couldn’t have been much brighter with all the talk of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney getting involved. Once they’d turned up in person to watch them against Maidenhead, that settled down.
Now everyone is used to them being there. If Ryan Reynolds walks in now it’s probably almost routine for Wrexham fans rather than hysteria we saw at the beginning of their tenure.
The levels both teams have reached this season are remarkable. Someone tweeted me at the start of the season saying Wrexham would score 100 goals. I said, ‘No chance’. He has reminded me every week since!
Notts are over 100 goals too and they’ve both racked up a century of points. But the most staggering stat is Notts have only lost two games and defeat at FC Halifax on Friday was just the third time Wrexham have been beaten.
To me, at this stage of the season, that is the biggest testament for the heights they’ve hit. It’s impossible to play well every week. But they’ve both found ways to win. It reminds me of my time at Celtic. It’s all good when you’re playing at home in front of a big crowd. But when you go away to smaller clubs in the division and up against a side that is treating it as their cup final, you have to deal with that.
There is already huge pressure and expectation for the players at two massive clubs. If this was the Promotion Final, it would easily get 60,000 fans.
We know we’ve got big clubs in this league but the magnitude of all of these ingredients and the stage of the season we’re now at, makes this game even tastier. Neither can really afford not to get promoted, however that comes. My only worry is for the team who don’t win the league. To have to go again through the play-offs is going to be even tougher.