HERE IS PART ONE OF THE COLD END'S VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SEASON PREVIEW WHERE I CONCERNTRATE ON THE CURRENT TOP THREE IN THE BETTING WHO ARE WREXHAM, STOCKPORT COUNTY AND NOTTS COUNTY.
CURRENT ODDS ARE VIA BET365.COM
WREXHAM - CURRENT ODDS 10/3
Many Wrexham Fans will be thinking that this could this be the season they return to the football league they left in 2008. The Red Dragons were purchased by actor's Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney last November after 98.6% of the club's supporter's trust voted in favour of the take-over. They officially took over the running of the club in February with a documentary following the events of their take-over and the forthcoming season in production.
Former Colchester United, Bradford City, Hull City, Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson has recently been appointed manager.
Since relegation the Welsh club have reached the play-offs four times losing in the semi-final in 2011 and 2012 followed by a final defeat to rival's Newport County at Wembley in 2013. They lost at the quarter-final stage in the 18/19 season.
They have made some impressive signings for the forthcoming season with I would say the pressure now on (before a ball has been kicked) Parkinson to deliver a return to the football league.
Shaun Brisley has signed after spending the last two seasons in the football league with Port Vale. The 6ft 4 inch centre-back has also played for Macclesfield Town, Peterborough United, Carlise United, Notts County as well as Scunthorpe United, Leyton Orient and Northampton Town on loan. He has made 182 football league appearances which includes 39 in the Championship in 11/12 and 12/13 whilst he was with The Posh.
Liam McAllinden, 27, has signed after a one season spell with League Two side Morecambe. The striker came through the academy ranks at Wolverhampton Wanderers whom he helped win promoted to the Championship in 2014. He has also played for Exeter City, Cheltenham Town, FC Halifax Town and Stockport County as well as a whole host of clubs on loan.
Although a centre forward he is not a prolific goal-scorer. In total he has made 179 appearances across League's One, Two and the National League scoring only 30 goals which equates to a goal every 5.9 games.
He scored a goal for The Shrimpers in their League Two play-off semi-final victory over Tranmere Rovers last season but didn't feature in the final.
Striker Jake Hyde, 31, has signed from FC Halifax Town for an undisclosed fee. He scored 12 goals in 27 games for The Shaymen last season. During the 19/20 season he was with Woking and netted 16 goals in 32 National League games. He came through the academy ranks at Swindon Town spending time on loan in non-league's top divsion with Weymouth before a move to Barnet in 2009 who were then in League Two. He has also played for Dundee in the Scottish First Division during the 11/12 season where he scored 6 goals in 26 games as well as York City and Stevenage in League Two.
Centre-Back Harry Lennon, 26, has signed a one year deal in North Wales with an option to extend. He started his career in the Charlton Athletic youth teams playing 40 times between 2013 to 2018 before moving to Southend United where injuries saw he only played 39 times over his three season spell with the club.
The most eye-catching signing for Wrexham and I would say non-league football in general for the past few seasons in Paul Mullin. The 26 year old striker spent last season with League Two side Cambridge United where he was named EFL League Two player of the season and won the League Two Golden Boot scoring 32 times in 46 games helping his side to promotion to League One. His goals broke the record for League Two and the Cambridge United club record for goals in a season. Mullin was born on Merseyside and played youth football for Liverpool before moving to Huddersfield Town where he was unable to break into the first team. He went on to play for Morecambe, Swindon Town and Tranmere Rovers. Prior to last season's record goal haul he had played 210 times in the football league scoring 41 times.
Some Championship clubs were reportedly interested in signing Mullin so the fact he has joined Wrexham indicate the ambition of the Welsh club and their current spending power.
PREDICITION -WITH THEIR SPENDING POWER THEY WILL BE THE TEAM EVERYONE WANTS TO BEAT. IF MULLIN FOLLOWS ON HIS FORM WITH CAMBRIDGE UNITED HIS GOALS MAY WELL HELP THE WELSH CLUB TO THE TITLE BUT IT CERTAINLY WON'T BE EASY - THEY WILL NOT RUN AWAY IN FIRST PLACE LIKE SOME PEOPLE ARE PREDICTING.
STOCKPORT COUNTY - CURRENT ODDS 10/3
County finished in third place last season and were subsequently knocked out narrowly 0-1 in the play-off semi-final against eventual winner's Hartlepool United. Club legend Jim Gannon surprisingly left the club in January 2021 to be replaced by Simon Rusk who joined after coaching with Brighton & HA's under 23 side for six years. During his playing career he represented Boston United, York City and Crawley Town amongst other clubs - He is a UEFA Pro Licence holder which is the highest possible coaching licence you can hold.
Will Fish, 18, has joined on a season long loan from Manchester United. The highly rated centre-back has been capped a u17 and u18 level for England and played one game for The Red Devils last season coming on as substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He was a regular in United's under 23 side last season which is a real achievement for someone so young. He was also Captain for the team on seven occasions and also played for the United u21 side in their EFL Trophy 6-0 win against Salford City.
Midfielder Tom Walker, 25, spent a large proportion of last season on loan with County playing in 21 National League games. He also played five times for Notts County on loan. The left-wing back joins from Harrogate Town and counts Bolton Wanderers, Bury, FC United of Manchester, Salford City and AFC Fylde as former clubs.
They had paid an undisclosed fee for Barrow striker Scott Quigley. The 19/20 Vanarama golden boot winner helped The Bluebirds win promotion to the football league. The 28 year old made his name with Welsh side The New Saints before a move to Blackpool in 2017 which never really worked out - He only ever made 9 League One appearance for The Tangerines. He spent time on loan with Wrexham, Port Vale and FC Halifax Town before joining Barrow in 2019. In total he has scored 35 times in 78 league and cup games over the past two seasons.
Goalkeeper Ethan Ross, 24, joins after leaving League One side Lincoln City this summer. He played in the academy systems for Arsenal, Cambridge United and West Bromwich Albion were he signed as a professional in 2015.He spent time on loan with Redditch United and Worcester City before joining Colchester United in 2018 where he spent time on loan with Maidstone United. He joined The Imps in 2020 and spent much of last season on loan in the national league with Weymouth.
Winger Ben Whitfield, 25, helped Torquay United reach the play-off final last season but was injured towards the end of the campaign so missed the Wembley showpiece. He was The Gulls player of the season in 2019/20. He joined AFC Bournemouth from Guiseley in 2014 and subsequently spent time on loan with Kidderminster Harriers, Yeovil Town and Port Vale.
PREDICTION - TITLE CHALLENGERS AND WILL MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS
NOTTS COUNTY - CURRENT ODDS 7/1
The Magpies have finished 3rd and 5th since relegation from the football league. Former AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley was maanger up until March 2021 but left to be replaced by Ian Burchnall who started his coaching career aged just 22 whilst at the University of Leeds where he went on to be part of Leeds United and Bradford City's academies. In 2012 he was appointed as Assistant to Brian Deane with Norwegian club Sarpsborg 08. He went to be assistant and manager at Viking before becoming the now Brighton & HA boss Graham Potter's succesor at Ostersund. County beat Chesterfield in the quarter-final of the play-offs before losing to Torquay United at the semi-final stage.
Midfielder Matt Palmer, 26, joins from Swindon Town. He has played 195 times the football league including 47 games in the Championship whilst with Burton Albion between 2016 to 2018. He has won promotions with The Brewers, Rotherham United and Swindon Town.
Former Manchester City academy midfielder Aaron Nemane arrives after a two season spell with Torquay United. The 23 year old was born in France and spent time on loan with Rangers, Go Ahead Eagles in Holland and Tubize in Belgium whilst with City.
Another former Manchester City academy player Ed Francis has joined from League Two side Harrogate Town. He was Captain of City's team in the 2017 FA Youth Cup Final against Chelsea. He signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2019 for an undisclosed fee from where he joined Harrogate where he made 20 football league appearances last season. He can play as a central defender or a defensive midfielder and has been capped by England at u16, u17, u18 and u19 level. His favoured position is midfield where County plan to play him - I expect him to be one of the stand out players in the division for the 2021/22 campaign.
Joel Taylor has moved from league rival's Chesterfield. The left wing back played in 16 National League games for The Spirerites last season. After coming through Stoke City's academy ranks he has also played for Kidderminster Harriers and Chester.
Defender Kyle Cameron is another player to depart Torquay United. The 24 year old former Newcastle United apprentice was a first team regular for The Gulls in the last two seasons. He has been capped by England at u16 level and Scotland at u17, u19 and u21 level.
Midfielder Frank Vincent, 22, joins after a four season spell on the south-coast with AFC Bournemouth where he spent time on loan with Torquay United, Scuthorpe United and Walsall. He has also represented QPR and Barnet at academy level having been born in Hackney, East London.
PREDICTION - NOTTS COUNTY WILL NO DOUBT BE THERE OR THERE ABOUTS COME THE BUSINESS END OF THE SEASON.
COMING SOON - PART TWO - CHESTERFIELD, GRIMSBY TOWN AND SOUTHEND UNITED
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