All language subtitles for Welcome.to.Wrexham.S03E03.WEB.h264-ELEANOR.en[cc]

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths]
Seconds left. Still 1-nil.

Jones is through
against Morgan. Jones!

- Wonderful save by Morgan.
- [fans cheering]

Wrexham win the Genero Adran
League's promotion play-off.

They will play next year
in the Genero Premier League.

[Hughes] Oh, proved a hundred
percent that we can do it, you know?

Girls can play football.
We can just... just smash it.

So that is what we did on
that day with everyone watching.

[cheering]

It went off in style, didn't it?

Last season
was really important for us.

But what we do wanna do is
give it the platform that it deserves,

and I feel that that game
on the Racecourse,

and, subsequently, then
promotion at the end of the season,

has gone some way
to giving it that platform

that I feel that
women's football should have.

[McElhenney] We fully
and wholeheartedly believe

that this is a club that can become
the best women's team in the world.

♪ Straight to the top ♪

[Clair] Let's get it sorted. Touch
out, straight in, quick as you can.

Go!

[Owen] Going into
the coming season,

we do have to go into a league
that is significantly stronger

than the league we
were in previously.

I think there will be a target
on our backs.

But if we want to be
the best team,

we've gotta be competing
with the best in this country.

♪ Don't forget
Where you came from ♪

♪ Don't forget
What you're made of ♪

♪ The ones who were there ♪

♪ When no one else
Would care ♪

♪ Don't be afraid to cry now ♪

♪ Even when the world
Comes crashing in ♪

♪ Don't forget to sing
When you win ♪

♪ Don't forget to sing
When you win ♪

[sighs]

Good morning.

It is... What time is it? [sighs]

It's ten to 08:00.

So, we are just leaving home.

- Gonna take Nancy to nursery.
- Hooray.

- [Davies] Are you ready to go?
Let's go. - Yeah.

So we're going into
the Adran Premier League,

which is the top league
in women's football in Wales.

What that means then
is we're going from

what was a regionalized league
into a national league.

Semipro, to us, certainly means
the standard is actually gonna raise,

and it's gonna
raise significantly.

[Hughes] We have the gym tonight

before training
for Wrexham football,

which usually we train
on a Tuesday or Thursday.

Things feel like they're
really kicking up a gear.

- [Jones] Yeah.
- And that's a good thing.

I guess us going for semipro
does have that added pressure

because we've got the facilities
to be the best.

So it's going to show
that on the pitch now.

They've moved
stadia now to the Rock,

and which is a significantly
more sophisticated setup.

[Owen] We've also
brought in Zoe Clair,

who's the strength
and conditioning coach.

Open your hips up then. Drive
your arms, drive your arms.

Get them knees nice and high.

[Owen] We've brought in
Lindsay Morris, our sports therapist.

Go back, open your groins out
there and right over the gate.

But what it also means

is that we're gonna be paying
the players to play.

Let's go! Two v. one!
There's the ball! Play!

[Hughes] We get paid.
I mean, don't get me wrong.

It's not much, but it's more
than I've ever been paid before.

And, um,
with my work-life balance,

I'm now doing part-time
at the prison.

So, let's get this day started.

Players have
essentially got two jobs now.

♪ She's a hardworking woman
She's so clean ♪

♪ A hardworking woman
She's so neat ♪

[Owen] They've got full-time
jobs outside of football.

They've got school.
They've got university,

but the football side of it
now has moved from recreational.

It's... it's gone
into employment.

Shall we start with
the new website launch?

Yeah.

I think I'd be lying
if I said it's been easy.

♪ She's working so hard ♪

I go from match day to
marketing meetings to mum mode.

You know, sometimes
multiple times a day.

We've asked last year when
they were in the amateur status,

could we pay them?

The answer was no by rule.

And then in this league,
there's...

You have limits on what
you're allowed to pay them.

Just another one of the really
fun UK regulations in football

that hold you back from doing
some of the things that you wanna do.

[Clair] Ready? Let's go.

[Ker] If they were to win
the Adran Premier,

that would see them go into
the Women's Champions League.

[Owen] Champions League
is a European competition

where clubs who win
their respective leagues

in their domestic countries

then go compete with the clubs
in other countries.

I don't think it's gonna be
quite so easy this new season.

It's gonna be more challenging
for you guys.

Much more competitive,
isn't it? You know?

I don't think you can expect to be
going 12 games unbeaten this time.

Yeah, no. A hundred percent.

[Ker] The challenge is that
they've come out of a division

which they absolutely
dominated last year,

uh, and into a division
with a couple of other big fish.

[Owen] Cardiff and Swansea

generally tend to be the top
two teams within this country.

[person] So, Swansea.
First game of the season.

God, could you have had
a worse draw than that?

[Jones] I know.
For first game of the season,

first game back in the prem,

to play six-time champions
is something that... [chuckles]

...you don't really want,
but we've prepared well,

and I think we're
more excited than anxious

to show people what Wrexham
Women are made of really.

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths] Well, good afternoon,
everyone, and welcome to the Rock,

home to Wrexham AFC Women
who welcome Swansea City,

last year's Genero
Adran Premier runners-up.

It is an historic afternoon
for Wrexham

as they make
their first appearance

in the National League
since 2015.

I would hope that,
um, Wrexham wins today.

[fan] I think they've got
really good defenders,

and I think it will be really hard
for Wrexham to get through it,

but I'm sure we'll succeed
and get through it.

♪ Oh, you better start running ♪

♪ Oh, you better start running ♪

♪ Oh, you better start running ♪

♪ The lion is coming ♪

[Griffiths] It'll be
Swansea City to kick off.

Today's teams, Wrexham will
have Delyth Morgan in goal.

I'm Del Morgan,

and I'm a goalkeeper
for Wrexham Women FC.

[Griffiths]
Swansea first to react.

Ball forward.

Stacey John-Davis
almost clear in on goal,

but Delyth Morgan
had read the threat.

[Morgan] And you've gotta
be crazy to be a goalkeeper.

It's a really mentally tough
position as well.

If you make a mistake, nine
times out of ten it's cost a goal.

[Griffiths] Then there's a long-range
shot! Good save by Morgan.

Del is the bedrock on which the
women's team success is based.

I mean, ultimately,
you know, they say,

"Attack wins games
and defense wins championships."

[McElhenney] I would put her up
there just as important as Rosie

because the second most important
thing to winning football games,

beyond scoring goals, is not
allowing goals into the net.

And, um, Del stopped
so many sure goals last year,

um, to-to secure promotion.

[Griffiths] Morgan clears
towards Hughes.

Keeps it in really well.

Looking for the intercept, but
Rosie Hughes picks it up again.

On to Pritchard.
Pritchard's in the area!

Pritchard scores!

Rebecca Pritchard scored
Wrexham's first goal

in the Genero Adran Premier.

Played the year
for Wrexham Ladies

while doing
my first year at uni.

And then after that,
I did one year at Everton,

and they released me
at the end of the year.

One of the big things was my...

[Griffiths] Looking to cross
dangerously. She does so. It's spilt!

It's a goal for Swansea City.
Wrexham have conceded.

Swansea City
are back in the game.

[Morgan] If I made a mistake
at the start of the game,

that was it. I was gone.
I couldn't deal with it,

and I was just awful
for the rest of the game.

I really suffered from, like,
weak mental toughness.

And I remember that day
when I got released by Everton.

I was devastated.

But I look back now, it's
actually the kick that I needed.

[Griffiths] It looks as if
Delyth Morgan evening is over,

and it'll be Charlotte Bolland
to take her place.

I think I've learned over the
years to not be so harsh on myself,

'cause it caught me out
when I was younger.

[commentator] Well,
with Morgan off the pitch,

Swansea need to press
on their advantage.

And here's Chivers.
And she scores! Brilliant goal.

Great goal for Swansea,
but what a blow for Wrexham.

Come on, girls! Come on!

Come on, you.
Keep your head up, yeah?

[Griffiths] Pritchard.
Pritchard can shoot.

Into Hughes.

Can she turn?

And then finish
by Hannah Keryakoplis.

Swansea City fail to clear
and pay the ultimate price.

Yes! Come on.
Don't leave me hanging.

[Griffiths]
There's just seconds left.

Can Swansea pull themselves
back into it?

Swansea looking to shoot...
Oh, it's deflected!

And in!

A cruel deflection,
and it's three all.

And that's the final whistle.
A wonderful game.

[reporter] All right.
How do you sum that one up?

To be honest, I'm actually
not disappointed that we drew.

I came here thinking, up
against a really difficult team,

that, ugh, we might try
and keep the score down,

and we just kept
keeping the lead.

We've just made one of the best
teams draw, get one point.

That means we're sitting
at the table close to them.

I'm so happy, and I'm
proud of all of the team.

We've just smashed our first
opening game on our home pitch.

I think we did an amazing job.

[fans cheering]

Hi, I'm Dan Rowe
from Andy's Man Club.

[Dan] How you doing, boys?

- All good?
- Yeah.

- Good to see ya. Hey, Dan.
- How you doing, pal?

[Dan] Andy's Man Club are
a men's peer support group.

We support men's mental health
and suicide prevention.

The idea was,
"Come along, have a brew,

have a biscuit and have a chat."

I couldn't conceive a world
in which people

- talked about how they felt as a bloke.
- [member] Yeah. Yeah.

When I came,
for the first month, I cried,

just 'cause I couldn't articulate
why I was struggling so much.

But this is exactly the room to
say, "No, I'm having a shocker."

- Yeah. - I'm really low
and I'm barely hanging on.

I'm guessing the honesty
from other people in the circle

probably will coax it out of me
a little bit more with a bit of luck.

You find sometimes
just listening is enough.

Yeah.

[Dan] Ten years ago,
life was really good.

I was healthy. I had a good job.

All these kind of aspects
that stereotypically would say

that life was going well.

All that changed
when Charlie was born.

He was struggling
with breathing,

and he was rushed
to intensive care.

I wasn't ready for what I...
For what I saw.

He was hooked up
to all the machines.

He had wires coming out of
everywhere. He had a breathing tube.

I'd gone into becoming a dad
convinced that I had one job.

My job was to protect my son.

I felt like I'd failed.

I felt like it was my...
I felt like it was my fault.

For the first six months of
his life, he was in the hospital

and I couldn't look at him
without feeling guilt.

And that stopped me
bonding with my son.

I'd want to feel the dad
that I thought I was gonna be.

But all I felt was
I couldn't connect with him.

[Dan] We often feel
quite weak, don't we?

By coming and asking
for help as blokes.

And that's one
of the big things,

and feeling like we're a burden
to our family and our friends

if we do talk about, um, things
that are really worrying us.

I got to the point
of feeling just hopeless.

Feeling that the world
would be better off without me.

If I'm honest,
I didn't see how sitting,

talking to a group of strangers

would have any benefit for me.

Just felt like, well,
it's a sign of I'm giving up

by coming and turning up
at this place.

But actually, it's the opposite.

I walked through the door
of Andy's Man Club,

and that was day one
of me starting to get better.

If I'm honest, I felt probably
a one percent improvement,

but it was enough to commit to
going back the following week.

There you go. There you go, pal.

I've been attending
six years now,

and now I have
the privilege and honor

of actually working
for the charity.

For me, Saturdays are
the highlight of the week.

Watching you play football

- on a Saturday morning...
- [Charlie] Yeah. Yeah.

...and then going to watch
Wrexham in the afternoon.

It's something that
I look forward to all week.

Go on, Charlie.
Have a run, mate.

Have a run. Oh, well played.

I'm now the dad that I wanted
to be and I'm so grateful.

I'm indebted to Andy's Man Club.

- Yes! Well done, Charlie.
- [clapping]

- [chattering, indistinct]
- [whistle blows]

[yelling, indistinct]

[onlooker] Good save.
What a save.

My name is Sam Kotadia,

and I'm the first team
sports psychologist for Wrexham.

Well, I've worked with Phil
Parkinson for about 20 years,

helping players understand
their minds better.

Because if we... If we got a better
handle on how our minds work,

we're gonna bring, you know,

a better performance
on match days.

Sitting in fourth,

it's really important
that we're on top of our game.

[player] As soon as
you make a mistake

and your mind
starts working again,

all that happens
is you end up making

- another mistake, and
another mistake. - Spot on.

If I'm constantly in my head,
I'm wasting energy.

When a player's mind
is less busy,

they're going to bring
more mental strength,

more freedom, more energy,
more dynamism to the table.

[Kotadia] It's about
not second-guessing yourself

or thinking like you're
doing something wrong.

Look in your direct experience,
when you've had your best games,

and I bet you, you haven't
been willpowering and saying,

"Come on, I got this,"
you've, uh, potentially just...

Just free, almost.

- Free. Freedom.
- Yeah.

[Kotadia]
My approach to mental health

is helping players focus on
the action, not the outcome.

And always measure success
on what we're in control of.

Minimal thinking
is so important.

Less is more before matches.

People see these athletes or
they see actors or performers,

and they're seeing
the performance.

They're not seeing
the thousands of hours

that went into not only working
on that particular craft,

but also working on the anxiety

and stress
that comes along with it.

- Yeah.
- And that is a huge...

a huge part of it.

[Rich Fay] Wrexham took the piss
at Grimsby Town, didn't they, really?

I think it was the most comfortable
performance of the season so far.

- Stockport away this weekend.
- [Nathan Salt] It's a biggie.

Stockport County!
We're coming for you.

[all] ♪ We're coming for you ♪

Stockport County have been
a bit of a theme.

A worthy rival for us. They were
promoted the season before us.

Despite that, we actually shut them
out the last two times we faced them.

So we're feeling pretty good
about our chances.

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths] An absolutely massive,
massive match for both sides.

- [whistle blows]
- [fans cheering]

Ball worked back to O'Connor.
Good ball. Was it in line for Lee?

Brilliant first time ball!
Mullin back to him, Lee!

Edge of the area, left-footed!

It's straight at the keeper.
Brilliant move by Wrexham.

[Parkin] Crossing!

[Griffiths] That was a chance.

He works it wide.

O'Connor now
in the center circle,

turns, glides forwards smoothly.

It's a poor, poor pass.
Not sure what he saw there.

[Parkinson] Why was Tommy
trying to go through the middle?

[Griffiths] McClean, in a bit of
space, chips it in looking for Mullin.

That's not a good ball.

[Parkinson] What the fuck's
going on there?

They're not getting
their service right.

[Parkinson] Come on!

Hinchliffe goes long.

It's Lee chasing back,

and that's a good burst
by Collar.

He gets in the box.
Now, can he deliver?

He can! And it's in!

And Wrexham will be horrified!

Completely against
the run of play,

in the 20th minute,
Stockport County take the lead.

We got caught out
with one long kick.

You know, I can't understand why
Boyley's not in the fucking channel.

He's not marking anybody.
He's left it to fucking Elliot Lee.

He should be running
on to Boyley.

[Griffiths] Back to Tozer.

[Parkinson] Simple! Simple!

Barnett wants the diagonal.

[Parkin] Yes, Barnett,
yes, Barnett!

[Griffiths] Tozer looks that
way and then goes the other.

[Parkinson] Fucking hell, Toz.

Oh, dear. And he chips it
into the crowd

and they're not
on the same wavelength at all.

[Parkinson] Pull on
the fucking angle!

We gotta get that rhythm again.

That goal's just knocked
the wind out of us.

How many of those loopy angle balls
have we played? Do you know what I mean?

[Parkin] How many times have
we played it fucking backwards?

[Parkinson] Play forwards!

There's been some
sloppy passing by Wrexham.

[Parkinson] Uh-oh.
That's fucking ridiculous.

Ooh, Tozer's misread it!
Olaofe one-on-one!

[Parkin] Go on,
get on top of him!

[Griffiths]
He shoves off Tozer.

2- nil!

Oh, my goodness me!
Tozer recovered well,

but Olaofe sidestepped him
nicely and slotted it home.

I didn't see this coming.

[Griffiths] Of course, the beauty of
Wrexham is we do have goals in us,

and there's a lot of resilience
in this team.

Southam-Hales clears it.

O'Connor fighting for it again,
but he heads it to Barry.

He's driving down through
the middle. That's great.

He beats Hayden.
Brilliant footwork!

And now he's taking on Tozer.
Beats him and scores

a magnificent goal!

- That is brilliant from Barry!
- [fans cheering]

Stockport 3-nil up at half time.

And Wrexham have got a bit
of a situation on their hands.

[Boyle]

[Parkinson] All right, no one
say one more fucking word.

That is one fucking pathetic
fucking performance,

let me fucking tell you.

From one...
From one to fucking 11.

If I'm telling a player
to be more confident,

I'm telling them
that they're not confident.

So, ultimately,

it's creating that
dressing room, where,

you know,
there's an element of patience.

Or there's a need
to just get back

to focusing on certain
key processes.

Um, so, I think under pressure,
when things aren't going well,

a simple action...
focus... is the best.

Because it just gets the mind
back onto the here and now,

and what needs to be delivered
based on the match.

[Parkinson] We had many
situations like this.

Hell, have we, right?

But now it is about
fucking people showing

bollocks and fucking character.

And we play proper
fucking football for 45 minutes.

And if we get beat, we get beat.

If we get one back, we might
make a fucking game of it.

But we come off with a proper
fucking Wrexham fucking performance

where we're fucking at it.

We're not fucking looking
at each other

and fucking blaming each other.

Come on.
We are better than that.

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths] Let's see if Wrexham
are able to raise their game.

Sarcevic's first touch
takes him backwards,

so he goes back to Touray
on the halfway line.

Fed down the flank. Lovely
ball round the corner by Barry.

Now here's danger as Bailey
plays the return ball.

Barry cuts into the box
left-hand side...

Olaofe with a header...

Hat trick!

Olaofe scores the hat trick.

A diving header, and, well.

I can accept getting beat.
No, I really can.

But it was the first time

there was a feeling
where we didn't fight.

...the far post.
Madden must score! Does score!

Wow, Wrexham losing
5-nil at Stockport.

Far cry from our recent
form at home.

Well, we're gonna have to take
our medicine today, boys,

because so many fundamentals
weren't right today, weren't they?

[Kotadia] Players are always gonna
be disappointed when they lose.

That's just part of
the fabric of football

and competitive sports.

So, the players at Wrexham,

you know, give themselves space
to feel that disappointment.

It's part of
the human conditioning.

When you're playing
professional football, it...

Everything is amplified.

But we've had a lot of fucking...
Great fucking days, great fucking wins.

This is the fucking bad one
of the highest fucking order,

and we fucking move on together
on Monday morning

and get ready to fucking go.

All right, boys.

Let's get out of here
as quick as we fucking can.

[Griffiths] And with that, Wrexham
dropped to seventh place in the table,

barely hanging on to
the playoff positions.

That return trip's
gonna feel much longer

than this morning's journey

for the disappointed
Wrexham fans.

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths] What are
the games we've got here?

Wrexham Women
playing at the Racecourse,

a competitive match
for the first time.

Mia Roberts is the daughter
of ex-Wrexham

and Wales International,
Neil Roberts.

[Roberts] My dad was
a professional footballer,

so I don't remember football
ever being something

that wasn't part of my life.

And, yeah, that's when
it sort of hit me, like,

I'm about to step foot on the
Racecourse just like my dad did.

- Let's go, Robbo.
- [fans cheering]

[Roberts] It was
unbelievably special.

And to have my dad there.
And share it with him.

That's... Yeah,
it's very special.

To be honest,
I feel like I've had,

like, one of the best years
of my life, and I'm only 19.

I feel like I've peaked.

And so I don't know how
I'm gonna top this.

[Ker] One of the challenges
of success is that,

as you progress up the pyramids,

you can't always keep
the same team together.

One example is Mia Roberts,

and who has been
a brilliant servant to the club

and is a very popular and
well-loved figure around the place.

Ultimately, did not
make the cut for this season.

[Roberts] When I was
released from Wrexham,

from my side of things, it was a
case of, sadly, me just at home

and seeing on Twitter
that a number of girls

had been offered contracts.

And obviously, my name wasn't...
wasn't there,

and I wasn't aware that
any of that was going on, sadly.

- [Neil] Have you got pins?
- Yeah.

There you go.
My favorite scarf, that one.

I'd obviously applied
to go to uni

during the season
when I was at Wrexham.

I think, at first, when I got
released I-I did feel a bit,

"God, what have I got going
for me now?" sort of thing.

Yeah, I know that
sounds a bit odd, but, em,

but then, yeah, you know,
uni was there to sort of...

to give me another
purpose, I guess.

- Come get a drink. Yeah?
Come on, then. - Let's go. Yeah.

When you get released, the
reason for it at the end of the day

is you're not good enough.

I think to be told that about
something you've done since you,

you know,
you could practically walk,

that's ridiculously difficult.

I think, at first,
you start thinking,

"Am I good enough to even play?
Should I continue playing?

Do I... Do I bother?"
It was really difficult.

Um, you know, I'm very lucky

that I've got a really great
group of friends and family

around me to support me
through anything like that.

And obviously, in particular,
my dad who, weirdly,

went through a really, really
similar situation.

[Neil] I think, you know,
being released,

use it as a positive now.

It's part of football and...

You know, I'm gonna miss it
so much and whatever,

but, you know, as much as
it was, you know, a surprise,

and I sort of expected to walk
into the squad this year,

you know, like I say,
I'm not regretful or anything.

I... I had some of the absolute
best experiences of my life.

You know, who's to say I won't
be there again in a few years' time?

You know, you never know,
do ya? So...

- [Neil] Yeah.
- So we'll see.

Yeah, as long as you stay
out of the pubs and in the gym.

[Roberts chuckles, laughs]
Yeah, true.

It's like anything, you know?
You get knocked back,

you can either stay knocked down
or you can get up

and try and fight
ten times harder.

The sort of ambition
last year was...

was to be playing
Welsh Prem Football.

And, you know, sadly, that
hasn't happened with Wrexham,

but, you know, who says it...
it's not still a possibility.

- I'm proud of ya. Very proud.
- Thank you. Thank you.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

[fans cheering, singing]

[Griffiths] Great atmosphere
building here

at the Rock,
as Wrexham prepare to face

the dominant team in Welsh
Women's Football, Cardiff City.

[fans cheering]

[Dale] Pressure ramps up again
even more now, okay?

They'll have that burning desire
to go and do it again.

[Griffiths] Kehoe turns.
Excellent play.

Kehoe shoots. Had a second
opportunity, and she scores.

Fuck me.

It's obviously
gonna be difficult

because of the teams
that you're playing.

It's gonna be competitive.

[Clair] We weren't successful
against Cardiff,

but we got to treat it
as a new fresh start this week,

and hopefully get those
three points away from home.

[Griffiths] It's Aberystwyth
Town Women against Wrexham.

In what's a crucial game,
even at this stage of the season.

Good touch by Gibbard as well.
Pritchard's after this,

and Mathias can't get it
in the clear.

Hughes pokes it and it's in.

[fans cheer]

We've shown we're not here

to just be a name in the mix.
We're here to actually compete.

[Griffiths] Plays a cute
ball. Carra Jones.

Great chance. Left foot.

1- nil to Wrexham.

- [fans clap] - [Griffith] Great finish
by Carra Jones.

You know, we're aiming
for top four at least.

So, uh, the top-two
space would be even better.

[Griffith] The final whistle. A
superb performance by Wrexham.

[Lili] There is a long way to
go, but here we are, you know?

The sky is the limit.

[fans cheering]

[David] We start working
at 20 meters.

- Let's go.
- [players chattering]

Next on my to-do list is
the signing of the goalkeeper,

because obviously
Foster's decided to retire.

[Davison grunts]
Where's all the balls at?

[Johnson] And with all
due respect to Mark Howard

who was doing really well
and he's a fantastic player...

[Davison] Do your thing
and get his hands going.

...we identified that probably
it'd be better to go

for a younger goalkeeper.

[Davison] Couple of balls there,
Liam lad.

Come on, young'un.

[Johnson] Fortunately,

and I'd seen this goalkeeper
play for Arsenal,

and I said to Phil, "There's
a goalkeeper at Arsenal."

I said, "I don't think we've got
a chance of getting him,"

but I said, "He's the one."

[Davison] Yes, we're off.
There we go.

- [Okonkwo grunts]
- [Davison] Good lad.

[Ker] Young goalkeeper
on loan from Arsenal.

Had played in League Two before.

He'd been at
Sturm Graz in Austria,

uh, and the previous season
won the Austrian Cup there.

You know, watching
his videos and stuff,

you see him playing
in front of large crowds,

putting on very
impressive performances.

And you've got a feeling
that this is a seriously

accomplished young goalkeeper

who's got a bit
about him in a way that,

you know, you don't
often find in 22-year-olds.

And so, "Get me Okonkwo,"
was the cry.

[Davison] Service.

- [Okonkwo grunts]
- [Davison] Probably wanna be central.

[Okonkwo] My name is Arthur
Okonkwo, and I play for Wrexham.

[Davison] Yes.

One of my friends from school,

his dad introduced me
to football.

And I just saw football as,
go have fun, get back home.

But, you know, when
I got to maybe 14,

then they started talking
about scholars and... and pros

and it becomes more serious.

I think that's...
that's the age when I knew

that I wanted to be
a... a professional goalkeeper.

[Davison indistinct]

Good.

[Okonkwo] Wrexham called.
And when I first arrived,

I was like... [groans]

[players shouting] Ooh!

"I'm not too sure."

[players shouting]

[Okonkwo] Uh, I know they came
from the National League,

and, um, they had huge exposure.

I said, "Look, let me speak
to the manager.

Let me speak to
the goalie coach."

I always make my moves
with how I feel.

[players shouting]

[Davison] Great save, Arthur.

When Phil spoke to me I knew
this is the right move for me.

[podcaster 1] All right.
Let's talk about

our new signing, Arthur Okonkwo.

[podcaster 2] We've got him from
Premier League giant, Arsenal.

What a huge signing.
Massive statement of intent.

[podcaster 2] You'd like
to think he'll be top drawer,

and this could be
a real game changer.

I knew nothing of it until
the manager pulled me and said,

"We've got a chance
of signing Arthur."

[Davison] Well done, mate.
Here we go.

- Rock and roll.
- [sirens wailing]

Good lad. On it.

[Howard] He just said, "I don't
know where he is fitness-wise.

You're playing. You're playing
well. We're on a good run.

Just crack on.
It is what it is."

But obviously, the Stockport
game changed a few of that.

Uh, but yeah,
that's goalkeeping.

[Griffiths]
That's a good burst by Collar.

He gets in the box.
Now can he deliver?

He can. And it's in.
Olaofe, one-on-one!

He shows up Tozer, 2-nil.
Horrible mistake.

Olaofe's in the box, left-hand
side. Tozer has a block.

Olaofe with a header.
Olaofe scores a hat trick.

No, not at all.

I actually don't think

I could have helped
any of the goals.

Uh, I just think it was
a bad team performance,

and often goalkeepers are
the ones that are the fall guy.

Then the gaffer said that...

After that game,
he just pulled me and went,

"Look, I'm just
gonna give Arthur a try.

I'm gonna give him that bit of
experience and see how he copes.

And then it's up
to him then." And...

Initially, your reaction is
frustration, but I let in five goals.

And I hold my hands up and let
in five goals, not good enough.

You're never gonna argue
and change those decisions.

You just get on
with it and adapt.

I think a lineup change
can help the team's mentality,

because football
by nature is unpredictable.

And having unpredictability
in your face,

it helps build resilience.

[fans chanting]

[Griffiths]
The big news, I suppose,

is Okonkwo coming in.

[Kotadia] It invites a
freshness and a freedom

- into the squad and the performance.
- [fans chanting]

[Griffith]
Huge kick by Okonkwo.

Hayden wins a good handle.
Mullin, overhead kick.

- Goal! Paul Mullin!
- [fans cheering]

[Griffith]
Turned it upside down!

His first goal of the season!

He's going nuts in front of us!

Mullin is back.

[fans cheering]

[Griffith] Good layoff
on the edge of the area,

but Tracey can't shoot,
so he helps it on one.

Tabiner hits a good strike!

Oh! What a save that is!
That was a goal all the way.

[fans cheering]

[Ker] After the Crewe game,

we found our footing.

Winning or drawing
our next five league matches,

with Arthur proving
a very good thing in goal.

[fans cheering]

[Griffith] Great save
by Okonkwo! What a save!

- [fans cheering]
- [Griffith laughs]

Are you ready?

[Ker] So after those five games,

we're in third place
on 27 points.

But guess who we've got
to play next. Notts County.

[vehicles passing]

[fan 5] Big day. Bit nervous.

It's, uh,
Notts County v. Wrexham.

Over the years,
it's been nip and tuck.

Two good teams. Simple as that.

I mean, I've got no problem
with the rivalry

because of that mutual respect,
obviously, from last year.

Uh, but, yeah, hopefully
we're gonna win... win it 2-1.

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths] Notts County.
Here we go.

Our old friends and rivals
from the National League.

[Parkin] I think,
in the scheme of things,

I think it's
a massive game today, innit?

For the rival the last two or
three years we've had with County.

They'll want revenge

for their last game
against us last year

with the penalty save
from Foster.

[fans cheering]

[Ker] We both got promoted
at the end of last season.

Uh, they've actually started this season
in League Two slightly stronger than us,

uh, beating Accrington Stanley
3-1...

and then Swindon Town 3-1,

who we only managed
to draw with.

[fans cheering]

[chattering]

[McElhenney] I'm not a
hundred percent sure, obviously,

but I'd like to believe that
that's Notts County Zone.

- Really?
- [McElhenney] Mm-hmm.

As Notts County Zone knows,

he's one of my favorite
Twitter accounts...

- I follow him on Twitter. Yeah.
- I follow him too. I love him.

And he's probably gonna
say something about the fact

that we're obsessed with him.

- And the answer is, yes, I am.
- Yeah.

- I'm obsessed...
- I'm obsessed with Notts County.

- Yeah. It's a...
- It's an incredible club.

[fans singing]

Disney+ is wank.

[McClean]

[fans chanting]

I try not to think
about competition too much,

'cause that puts
too much pressure on myself.

The easiest way I think
about it is just

trying to be as good
as I can be.

[fan 7] It's gonna
be rocking today.

This is a massive game,

and Wrexham need us as
a 12th man today behind them

to cheer them on
and keep them going.

This will be a good game.
Come on, boys.

3- 1, Wrexham!

2- 1, Wrexham!

Definitely Notts for the win.

I'm definitely thinking
3-1 Notts. Hundred percent.

[James] I feel like there's
definitely an increased pressure

because everyone
wants to beat us, really.

And we want to sort of prove
to people that, yeah, we sh...

You should want to beat us,
because we're all right. [laughs]

[fans chanting]

- [fans] Red army! Red army!
- [fans] Red army! Red army!

- Red army! Red army!
- Red army!

[Parkinson] Yeah, listen, boys.

Just remember, everybody right
bang up for it,

but in control.

We keep 11 on the pitch.

We're ready for the war,

but we do it with a nice,
cool fucking mindset,

and we concentrate
on the job at hand.

Let's fucking go.

- Come on, boys.
- [players] Come on, boys!

[Parkinson indistinct]
Come on, son... Come on, my son.

[Griffiths] It's Notts County
against Wrexham.

It's the side that got
the most points in history

against the side that got the
second-most points in history last season.

It's everything you could want
in a football match, eh?

[commentator 2]
This is such a huge game.

I mean, they're gonna be
looking for revenge

from last season, Mark.

[Griffith] We're about to get
underway here at Meadow Lane.

The referee gives the go-ahead,
and off we go.

[fans] Wrexham! Wrexham!
Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham!

It's a hard place to come.
Uh, we, we know that.

I think these games are...
are being ready for...

for a kind of tactical battle to
be ready for the physical battle.

- That's a late tackle.
- [Parkin] What about the yellow?

That's got to be a yellow.

...that are given
correctly to them.

[Griffiths] And there's some
struggle off the pitch now.

- [fans clamor]
- [commentator 2] A yellow for both.

It's a yellow.

...trouble,
and Cannon fouls it.

[Parkinson] Fucking settle down!

- [fans shouting]
- [commentator 2] Foul given. Yeah.

[fans shouting]

[Parkinson]

[fans shouting]

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths]
Now County start again

from the back.
Back to square one.

Up against Mendy.
That's how he is.

Langstaff bursting past Mendy.
Can he keep it out?

Good work by Mendy.

I said to the lads
before the game,

you know, there's a tactical
game plan to stifle them.

You know, they're a team
with a lot of attacking players

who are not necessarily great
without the ball.

[commentator 2] Excellent
tackle, though, by O'Connor.

[Griffiths] But Mendy gets around
the back of Jodi... Jodi Jones.

Can he cross? Sanderson's open
Ooh! Sails in!

- Oh! What an escape that was for County!
- [commentator 2] Ooh!

The setup's been great, innit?

Just gotta keep doing exactly what
you've done with the cool heads.

So just... In our minds,
just be ready to start quick.

- Stevie, anything? - Let's fucking
get up the pitch. Let's play.

[commentator 2]
Mullin now kicks out, support.

Pull back. Lee has
a chance. Hits it!

- Ooh! What a save. What a save.
- [fans] Ooh!

[commentator 2] And he's
poked it wide. And Lee,

edge of the area, cuts in on
his right foot. Will he hit it?

He floats it in.
Mullin's shot blocked! Dalby!

It's hit the keeper!
I mean, that's unbelievable.

[Parkinson] Just keep
playing the game, boys! Come on!

[Griffiths] Now, here's danger.
Chipped in nicely to O'Brien

who pops it back behind Crowley.

The odds are Cameron
will hit this. Blasts it!

- And, oh, good hands, Okonkwo.
- [commentator 2] What a catch.

[Griffiths]
Cameron smashed that,

and Okonkwo held it really well.

But that was, uh,
a nervous moment for Wrexham.

[fans cheering]

Yeah, do it. Do it.

It's up to Ollie, then,
to come on and freshen us,

uh, when you've had three games
in seven days. It can be key.

Come on, my son. Got 4,000
fans fucking singing your name.

[fans] Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!
Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!

[Parkinson] Be the fucking hero.

[commentator 2]
Palmer for Dalby.

[fans cheering]

[Griffiths] So, Okonkwo with
the goal kick. Right-footed.

Drills it, looking for Palmer.

Through ball clear as here come
Wrexham again. Lee now.

He's got McClean outside him.
He cuts inside.

Good ball to Mullin in
the area. Back to McClean.

♪ Are ready for the... ♪

[Griffiths] He's got Palmer
at the far post.

Hits the goal line.
Swings it towards Palmer.

Takes deflection. Corner.

- [music continues]
- [fans cheering]

[Griffiths] Seventeen
and a half minutes left.

[Parkinson] Come on, Ollie.
Hit one in the fucking net.

[Griffiths] Steps up, swings
it into the six-yard box.

- Good header clear by Baldwin.
- [fans cheering]

Cannon battling on the edges
as well. Noted down for McClean.

Cannon in support.
Wrexham got a spare man.

Here is Cannon. Lee wants it.
Gets it edge of the area.

Shifts it onto his right foot.
Can he hit this?

He's gonna... keeps going into...
Lee drills it. Shot deflection!

- [Griffiths] Yeah! It's in!
- [fans cheering]

[Griffiths]
Elliot Lee drives it!

It's hit the Wrexham player.
He's lying on the floor

and span into the net.

[Griffiths] And Wrexham take
the lead in the 74th minute!

[music continues]

[Fans] Allez, allez, allez, oh!

Allez, allez, allez, oh!
Allez, allez, allez, oh!

Wrexham!

[Griffiths] ...once.
Tozer has to drill it away.

Poor clearance now.
Wrexham are open here.

Ball fed to McGoldrick,
edge of the D.

- Hits it! Great save! Okonkwo!
- [fans] Oh!

- [Griffiths] You beautiful,
beautiful man. - [fans cheering]

[reporter 2] It's a team effort, but
Arthur made a great save as well.

His handling, everything about
him today was assured, wasn't it?

[Parkinson]
Arthur was flawless today.

[commentator 2] And here
Okonkwo takes that comfortably.

[Parkinson] Arthur's, uh, been
an important signing for us so far,

and I think he's
gonna get better.

♪ 'Cause this is
About to get wild ♪

[Ker] It's a step up in the quality
of people we've had for a long time.

[Griffiths] Palmer gets up. It
bounces to Mullin, edge of the area.

Brings it down.
Pokes it! Palmer!

It's across, and he hits it!

- Get in!
- [fans cheer]

[Griffiths] 2-nil! 2-nil!

Ollie Palmer strikes!
His fourth goal of the season!

[fans cheering]

[commentator 2]
Expert finishing by Palmer.

And Wrexham are
two up at Meadow Lane.

Look at those fans there, Mark.
They're going wild.

[fans chanting]

[Palmer] Yeah. Of course, you've
got to remain professional.

You've got to remain
focused in the game.

And the boys did that very,
very well today.

- [fans cheering]
- [whistle blows]

[Griffiths]
And there is the final whistle.

And that, Jay, is a win,
my friend. That's a big'un.

Uh, that's the performance
of the season for me, Mark.

[fans chanting]

[commentator 2]
Two-nil away from home.

What a result.
What a performance.

[fans chanting]

[Parkinson] Yeah, well,
we've come to one of our rivals.

We were right up there,
and we've taken three points.

So obviously it's a really
important three points for us.

[Palmer] Yeah, look at the top
three now. Stockport, Notts, Wrexham.

I think it's a great advert
for League Two,

and I also think
it's a great advert, you know,

for what's come out
of the National League.

And, you know, it's a
fantastic three points for us.

[fans chanting]
Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!

[Kotadia] What makes a successful
athlete is someone who applies himself,

they work hard.

It's really important to be
comfortable with uncertainty

because of the nature
of sport and life.

And mental resilience,
having a strong mind

comes from not minding change.

And that's how we build
consistent performances.

[fans cheering]

[fans chanting] Wrexham!

[McElhenney] We've got a team
right now that does not give up.

I mean, one of the things
we keep saying now is,

"Never leave a Wrexham game."

[fans cheering]

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Because we, we just have this
ability to come back in the end.

And that just shows a sense
of resilience and perseverance,

um, that you have to
have in this sport.

You put in a
hundred percent effort

to extract a 1% improvement.

And that 1% improvement is kind
of what keeps us going forward.

And to give
a hundred percent knowing

that you might
only get 1% back is...

that's the true
courage of it all.

- That's the work.
- Yeah.

[Parkinson]
Brilliant, boys. Well done.

That's right up there, boys,

in terms of
performance level and run.

You know, there's some
great jewels out there.

You know, Mendy and Macko
against their two wingbacks.

Most assists in the league.

Jacob, you saw him off today.
He couldn't get past you.

But that is a
great win for us, boys.

We're not gonna get too carried
away and shout and holler,

'cause we're gonna meet these
again, but magnificent display.

Stevie.

Just against a really good team.

You know, give them credit.
They're a fucking good team.

And it was an absolute fucking
class tactical performance, lads.

Top drawer. And get the
fucking points in that game!

- [Parkinson] Get in there, boys!
- [Parkin] Let's go, boys!

[fans chanting] Wrexham!