Good Bye and Good Luck Juan

The announcement by Juan Ugarte that he has to call time on his career is sadly predictable and embodies the frustration we have suffered over the last couple of years.

Ugarte's return was, with hindsight, a triumph of wishful thinking over common sense, and most fans have long felt it was a terrible mistake, but who wasn't excited when he returned by the prospect of him getting back to form and returning to his previous goalscoring form? I don't think you can blame Denis Smith for gambling on the return to fitness of the best goal poacher we've had since Andy Morrell, especially as he waited until he'd been given the go-ahead by the medics before offering a contract. However, the writing was on all the wall long before Ugarte's last appearance, when he came on at Stockport this season and looked horribly off the pace.

What a huge shame for Ugarte to have to give up such a promising career. His genuinely moving open letter on the club website shows the measure of the man and we can only hope that he finds satisfaction in whatever he does next, and never forgets that he will always be welcome in this corner of North Wales.

Grimsby vlog

Brian Little at Grimsby

Grimsby Town 1 Wrexham 0

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Experience is the Key

Well, Brian Little's transfer policy is laid pretty bare now; bring in as much experience as possible to try to get us through. If there were any doubts as to whether that is what he intends, they're laid to rest today by the arrival of Danny Sonner and Paul Hall, two players who have a combined age of seventy-one, have represented a total of twenty-three clubs and have played in 1,111 club games and earned over fifty caps between them.
Factor in the purchase of Phil Bolland and Gavin Ward three days ago, plus the identity of his other signing, Sam Aiston, and Little has brought in half a side of thirtysomethings in an effort to stabilise the side. There's certainly logic to it: the squad's confidence has collapsed so having a core of new players who have seen it all before to steady the ship seems wise. No-one will argue against the hasty nature of this rebuilding either; even the most cautious Wrexham fan will have wanted to see root and branch revision of the team.
Of course, the question is whether the new men still have the legs to deliver the goods. Of particular interest is Hall, whose main attribute as I recall when he caused us numerous problems for Rushden and Diamonds was his pace. The problem is that was at the start of the decade, and he was the wrong age of thirty then. Assuming Father Time has cut down on his speed, how he has compensated for that, and how his compatriots have aged, may decide our Football League future.

Llanelli 4 Wrexham 2 a.e.t.

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Chesterfield 2 Wrexham 1

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Desperate Times

You realise you're in dire straits when throwing a defender up front feels like a step forwards!
When Steve Evans went into attack against Rochdale we did make the ball stick a bit more up front; there were flicks an alert striker could latch onto (let me know if you find one!)
It was good in a way to see someone up front who might actually win some of the long stuff we've resorted to pumping up the pitch for the last couple of years, and there might be mileage in the tactic, but it's merely a sticking plaster rather than a solution to the problem of our total lack of creativity. I'd like to see how Proctor and Roberts would fare with a bit of decent service.
A couple of weeks ago I speculated about whether the type of raw, aggressive target man we had in Jim Steel in the Eighties was extinct. I don't think they are, on reflection, and I'd love to see Brian Little find one. There was speculation in the summer that we were after John Murphy, who went to Chester. He'd do the job, I reckon, but then anyone who can discomfort centre backs and keep the ball in the other side's box a bit more would be a big step in the right direction.
He doesn't have to be six foot three, although I think that would help! We only have to remember Andy Morrell to realise that a striker can get under defenders' skin to great effect without being huge. While we naturally remember his goalscoring exploits in the 2002-3 season most clearly; don't forget that he established himself in the side as a willing lieutenant for apparently more potent finishers.
When Lee Trundle was tearing it up during his spectacular opening spell as a Wrexham player, it was Morrell's enthusiastic running which distracted the defenders and helped to make him look good, while Lee Jones was quick to credit Morrell after his record-equalling five goal salvo against Cambridge United.
In term of style the closest we have to Morrell is Marc Williams, but I'm not sure I want to see him over-used this season. That's no comment on his ability as I suspect he has the potential to be a very good player for us. However, I feel he's at the stage of his career where he'd be best served by getting carefully-regulated exposure to senior football rather than being lobbed in at the deep end and charged with saving our bacon. We have no right to demand so much from him when more experienced players have failed to do the job, and putting pressure on him after every goalless game, replacing him in desperation if he can't swiftly come up with the goods, or subjecting him to the fans' frustrations could damage his development.
No, we need the new Jim Steel, and we need him now!

Big Spender

Brian Little would be entitled to ask his defenders what U.E.F.A. coaching courses call "The Carpenters Question", namely "why do butterflies suddenly appear every time the ball's near?"
While there are clearly problems all over the pitch, there's a pressing need to address defensive matters: no team leaks goals regularly and gets results. Our defence is made up of players who have achieved plenty at this level of the game; not only do we have a current international, a member of the Wales squad from last season and the current player with the most appearances for us to choose from, but we also have the captain of a side that got into the play-offs last May. Clearly the issue is a matter of confidence, not experience or ability.
So how can this be sorted? New blood's the obvious answer, but there are possible solutions in the existing squad which might make a difference.
The most attractive one's off the agenda for a while, sadly. Danny Williams plays with authority and heart, and though I prefer him in the centre of the pitch under normal circumstances, there are anything but normal circumstances! Surely he'd make a difference at the back with a bit of no-nonsense defending, but that's not going to happen any time soon.
I'm loathe to see Mike Williams or Gareth Evans throw in with the instruction to save our season, as I think that would be asking too much of either youngster, but another neglected defender at our disposal might be able to make an impact.
Remember that the back four which held firm at the end of last season and dug up out of trouble was Spender, Pejic, Evans and Valentine. Simon Spender has only featured under Brian Little as a late substitute in his first game in charge, and he deserves the chance to show what he can do. After all, you'll never complain about a lack of fight from the full back, and spirit seems to be the attribute we need at the back these days.
Spender's tenacious, enthusiastic and able to get up and down the line too. I accept he has his limitations, but who doesn't in League Two? More importantly, he has not been part of the huge loss of confidence we've suffered of late. When the first team squad is struggling with a collective fear of failure, what better point to throw in a player who is champing at the bit to get back on the pitch and show what he can do?
Mike Carvill's another player who might be given more of a whirl too. He certainly isn't tainted by failure, having had little chance to impress this season. Where his best position is in this circumstance is a problem; when we're unable to get proper service to the strikers another little attacking player is in danger of being by-passed. However, he clearly has the scrap in him to compete, plus pace and a neat turn of foot. At the very least it's worth having him on the bench, from where he made a couple of decent little vignettes at the start of the season.
Likewise, when Conall Murtagh is fit he is worth giving a go to. The midfield has hardly covered itself with glory this season, and while his premature exposure to Nigel Reo-Coker against Aston Villa and subsequent injury have left him looking like The Racecourse's forgotten man, anyone who saw his contribution to the victory at Port Vale, not just in terms of his performance, but also the coolest debut penalty you could hope to see, will have had their appetities whetted.
Oops, did I say “ The Racecourse's forgotten man”? Don't even get me started on Levi Mackin!

Sums it up!

As Brian Little was talking to the press after the game about his exasperation a single word was written on the whiteboard behind him: "Help."

Wrexham 0 Rochdale 2

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A week's a long time in football

I had to write the programme notes on rochdale early so the printers could have their hols and the world looks a bit different now! i wrote it after the bury game when things were looking up and i was feeling bullish about us ramming keith hill's words down his throat. Somehow i don't feel so confident about it now!

The Grimmest Looking Tunnel In Football!

It'll be nice when it's finished!

It's a very welcoming club, Rotherham. Everyone very friendly (well they should be when we're in town-I'll bet they were rubbing their hands together with glee as we arrived!)

The ground's a bit odd though! It was always basic, but since we've last been there there's a snazzy new stand-at least that's how it seems at first. It's not finished though, and apparently never will be! Halfway through finishing it they decided to move to a new ground down the road, so they've stopped building it! Half the seats are in place, and in use, but that's it. And we thought the old Mold Road Stand was an eyesore!