Wrexham

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Phil Parkinson confirmed Ben Sheaf has resumed full training ahead of Wrexham's Championship contest with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The midfielder made his long-awaited return to action in the Red Dragons' 2-1 win over Southampton on 19 September but missed the matches against Derby County, West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End due to a groin issue.

Long-term absentees George Thomason and Max Cleworth have also joined in with training this week, although they are unlikely to be available until after the November international break.

"Sheafo is back in training today, full training," Parkinson said.

"Thommo and Max did part of the session. So it's a huge lift for everybody to see those boys out there.

"It really thickens up the numbers in the squad and it's good to get those lads back on the training pitch."

Last season's top scorer Josh Windass was withdrawn after just 15 minutes of his side's 1-1 draw with Derby earlier this month due to an ankle injury.

It is an issue that has kept him out of the games against West Brom and Preston, and the 32-year-old is also set to miss the fixture with Blackburn this weekend.

Wales international Nathan Broadhead has not featured in any of Wrexham's past eight Championship matches and has been sidelined with a thigh injury since mid-September.

Liberato Cacace has not featured for Wrexham this term and is continuing to recover from his latest calf injury.

"Josh has got a boot on to protect his ankle at the moment," added Parkinson.

"I think it's at the weekend that comes off and then Kevin [Mulholland, head physiotherapist] and his team can then really start assessing the ankle and look to progress Josh.

"Broady is out on the grass still doing his fitness work. The next stage for him is striking the ball, because it was a thigh injury.

"Libby is in the gym at the moment but that's more of a long-term injury."

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Wrexham returned to winning ways with an impressive 4-1 victory over Preston North End last weekend.

Phil Parkinson's side face Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers in their final four games prior to the November international break.

So what have you made of the campaign as a whole so far? And do you think the Red Dragons can now truly ignite their play-off bid?

Send us your views here.

Ian Hunt and Ian Mitchelmore on speculation around Wrexham's boss, and a crucial weekend win over Preston North End in the Championship.

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Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson was pleased with the "fighting spirit" his side showed to come back to draw 1-1 at Derby County.

Parkinson's side host West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday before Preston North End's visit to north Wales next Saturday.

What do you make of how things have evolved so far this campaign, and what lies ahead?

Let us know what you think by clicking here.

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Phil Parkinson praised Ben Whiteman's "most complete performance" for Wrexham after the midfielder scored his first goal for the club in a 4-1 win over former side Preston North End.

Whiteman, 30, was booed by Preston's travelling supporters at the Racecourse Ground following his controversial departure from Deepdale in August.

But the former Preston captain responded by scoring Wrexham's second goal in an emphatic victory.

"All you can do is do your talking on the pitch and he did that today," said Parkinson.

"It's probably his most complete performance he's had for us and I'm so pleased for him.

"He's a great lad, he cares a lot. It's a good day for Ben Whiteman."

Preston accepted a bid from Wrexham for Whiteman in August after the midfielder told then manager Paul Heckingbottom he had "played his last game" for the club.

"Ben at the time was told that if a bid came in, they'd respect his wishes in terms of he fancied a fresh start," Parkinson added.

"We put a bid in and they accepted it and that's it.

"It wasn't a money thing for Ben, I can assure you of that.

"He just had been at Preston a long time and he fancied a fresh challenge and that's the way football is."

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Phil Parkinson says Wrexham's focus must be solely on their own performance as they look to return to winning ways against the Championship's bottom side Preston North End today (15:00 BST).

The Red Dragons head into the contest on the back of a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.

The Lilywhites have had more serious struggles this season, having gained just four of the 30 points on offer so far in the league.

And while there is some uncertainty over how North End will approach the match under new boss Graham Alexander, Parkinson feels Wrexham must concentrate on their own game.

"With Graham, he's played 3-4-3 at Bradford City, and he's set up that way straight away at Preston," said Parkinson.

"He had a lot of success at Bradford in terms of that shape.

"They were a bit unlucky against Millwall, and they got overpowered a bit against Birmingham.

"He's probably still getting to know all of his players and looking at their strengths and weaknesses.

"But I think from our point of view, whoever we're playing, whatever position they are in the league, it's about ourselves.

"Come five o'clock, the areas we've spoken about with the group, we want to see that improvement in our performance to give us the best chance of getting back to winning ways."

Parkinson has managed against Alexander - who led the Wrexham manager's former club Bradford to promotion from League Two in 2024-25 - on numerous occasions.

Ahead of the meeting between the sides at the Racecourse Ground, Parkinson praised Alexander for the work he did at Valley Parade.

"Graham's a top manager," said Parkinson.

"He had a couple of disappointing ones before he went to Bradford, but he did a brilliant job there, and he's very well respected for the job he did.

"He's left them top of the table, and him and his staff are great, but of course it's always competitive on the touchline.

"After the games, we've come across Graham and his staff a lot over the years, and they're good football people."

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Matty James says he is continuing to manage his back injury but hopes to be on the cusp of a return to action for Wrexham.

The midfielder missed recent Championship games against Derby and West Bromwich Albion after receiving an epidural for an ongoing back problem during the international break.

But having returned to training since sustaining the issue, James feels he is now nearing a comeback to match action.

"It was just a minor one," he said of the injury.

"It's not been too long in terms of training-wise, but I had to have an injection before the Derby game, which ruled me out of them two games.

"I've started doing some individual work now, and I'm back on the grass, so we'll see how I react."

The 35-year-old added: "I feel alright, to be fair. It's an ongoing thing that I've had for a few years, so it's manageable. I'm quite relaxed about it.

"It's just making sure that when I come back, I come back properly and I'm not in too much discomfort."

While there is uncertainty over James' availability for Saturday's fixture with Preston North End in north Wales (15:00 BST), boss Phil Parkinson said he does not expect any of his injured players to return against the Lilywhites.

James, Josh Windass, Ben Sheaf, Nathan Broadhead, Max Cleworth, George Thomason and Liberato Cacace have all been absent of late.

On his side's injury situation, Parkinson said: "That, at the moment, is not going to get any better as we go into a free week next week.

"We're just focusing on the players we've got available and how we can make the team a stronger and more impactful one going one way, and more secure in certain situations defensively."

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is still targeting a spot in the play-offs after the Red Dragons' "disrupted" start to the Championship season.

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Wrexham will seek to get back on track as they welcome basement-boys Preston North End to the Cae Ras on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Red Dragons conceded twice late on to slip to a 2-1 home defeat to West Brom on Tuesday and lie 17th, three points clear of the drop zone.

North End have made their worst start in over a century and were thumped 4-0 at Birmingham on the same night and have taken just one point from their past four matches, losing both under Graham Alexander without scoring, to sit effectively five points from safety after 10 games.

• After their 2-1 win in December 2025, Wrexham could enjoy back-to-back league victories over Preston for the first time since January 1980.

• Preston have only won one of their past eight league visits to Wrexham (D4 L3), a 5-0 victory in the 1998-99 campaign.

• Wrexham have won just two of their opening 10 Championship matches so far this season (D5 L3) – their total points haul of 11 is one more than at the same stage of last season, however.

• With just four points through their opening 10 Championship matches so far this season (W1 D1 L8), Preston have made their worst start to a campaign at this stage since 1924-25, holding an identical record that season during which they were relegated from the top-flight.

• At 28 years and 51 days Wrexham possess the oldest average starting XI in the Championship this season.

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Graham Alexander says Phil Parkinson has done an "unbelievable job" at Wrexham ahead of Preston North End's trip to the Racecourse Ground on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Red Dragons are bidding to respond to Tuesday night's disappointing 2-1 loss at home to West Bromwich Albion when they host the Lilywhites this weekend.

Ahead of the contest in north Wales, Alexander - who was named as Paul Heckingbottom's successor at Deepdale in late September - described Parkinson as a "fierce competitor".

"He's a competitive manager, a successful manager. He's done an unbelievable job at Wrexham," said Alexander.

"Winning is hard, I've said that many times. It's what he's done all over his career.

"I know him reasonably well; he's a fierce competitor. We've had some good battles over time; we've not been the best of mates on the touchline.

"I've met him a few times off the pitch, and we've got the utmost respect for each other.

"I know how he thinks, he knows how I think, we both want to win."

North End head to the Racecourse Ground as the Championship's bottom club, having won just once this season.

Alexander - who made more than 400 appearances across two spells as a player for the Lancashire club - has overseen defeats by Millwall and Birmingham City since taking charge last month.

The former Scotland international has urged Preston supporters to keep faith with his side - who have collected just four of the 30 points on offer so far this season.

"I'm not into these big statements that promise this and that. I'll never be that guy. I just want to get outcomes," he added.

"There's a lot of work ahead of us. Just be faithful with us, believe in us, and that will be enough.

"That's all I require from the fans. I know their support for this club and their love for the club is there year in, year out."

Aled Williams
BBC Sport Wales

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The reaction from Wrexham supporters following their Championship defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion summed up their frustration.

A brief chorus of boos rang out at the Racecourse at the conclusion of a game in which the hosts blew a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 against the Baggies.

Manager Phil Parkinson accepted that criticism of himself and his team's performance would follow a second home loss this campaign.

Although Wrexham are only three points short of the top eight, their campaign is yet to take off.

"I think it was frustration at a disappointing home performance," former Wrexham midfielder Barry Horne told BBC Radio Wales Sport of the boos at full-time.

"When they were chasing the game, Wrexham ran out of ideas, and I think that was the frustration from the crowd."

It is a view shared by another ex-Wrexham midfielder, Waynne Phillips.

"That's what happens when a team doesn't play well," Phillips told BBC Radio Cymru.

"But they have to turn off the noise, and Phil Parkinson has proved that on many occasions that he can do that very well.

"They will look back on this game to see what they could have done better, and there are a lot of things they could have done better."

That next game is again at home on Saturday against Preston North End, a side sat bottom of the table with only one win so far this season.

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Wrexham sit 16th in the table before Wednesday's Championship action, with a point more than they mustered at this stage last season.

"Wrexham aren't a million miles away from where I expected them to be at this stage of the season," Horne added.

"I expected them to be mid-table within striking distance of the play-offs and that's more or less where they are.

"The worry is that you can't say they are playing well, and the problem that Wrexham have got is that this is a very, very difficult league."

Horne, who represented Wales 59 times, feels Parkinson is still searching for his best lineup.

The Wrexham boss made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Derby County on Saturday, with forward Josh Windass ruled out with an ankle injury.

Injuries have forced Parkinson to do without defenders Max Cleworth and Ben Sheaf, midfielder Matty James and forward Nathan Broadhead.

"I'm pretty certain in saying Phil Parkinson, unusually for his time at Wrexham, doesn't know what his best team is," former Wales captain Horne added.

"When Wrexham have climbed through the divisions and have done well, he was pretty much certain who seven or eight starting players were going to be.

"This season there's only a couple of players who have played nearly all of the games.

"The rest it's just been a mishmash, constant turnover, especially in the midfield positions where Phil Parkinson can't seem to find the best combination.

"Players can't find any consistency as they're not getting a run in the team, which doesn't help. And there's just a lack of creativity there.

"[Ollie] Rathbone and [Callum] O'Hare were busy early on - they tried, and they were energetic, but they just weren't producing anything.

"Defensively, Wrexham are okay, but for the two goals, they switched off. Could they have done better? The answer would be yes."

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson says the club need to stick together after the Red Dragons blew a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 against West Brom.

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Captain Dom Hyam said Wrexham were "hurting" after their "frustrating" defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion in the Championship.

Kieffer Moore's stunning strike put the Red Dragons ahead midway through the second half before the Baggies hit back with two late goals to win 2-1.

"We worked so hard for 70 minutes of the game to give two goals away at the end, it was really frustrating," Hyam said.

"There's enough experience on the pitch to see a 1-0 win out, especially at home.

"If we're not going to get the second goal then we need to be resolute and work even harder than we did to preserve the lead.

"We're hurting and it's frustrating, but the good thing with football is that there's another game on Saturday.

"It's tough to take right now but we're professionals and we go again. When the chips are down we need a good performance."

Wrexham host bottom of the table Preston North End on Saturday.

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Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is relishing facing West Bromwich Albion under the Racecourse lights on Tuesday night (19:45 BST).

The Red Dragons are 15th in the table before the game against ninth-placed West Brom.

"We've always enjoyed the games under the lights at the Racecourse," Parkinson said.

"There's a special feel to them – the pitch is that little bit slicker with an evening game and it's an interesting game."

Parkinson's side will be looking to secure back-to-back home wins for the first time since February.

Wrexham beat Southampton 2-1 in their previous home game last month before the extended international break.

"It seems like a long time ago since we played Southampton," said Parkinson, whose side drew 1-1 at Derby on Saturday.

"It's good to be back on home territory. The atmosphere at the Southampton game was brilliant in terms of the galvanising effect.

"We'd come into the game on the back of a high-profile defeat [at West Ham], which you can't hide away from, but every supporter played their part.

"We use the saying about the supporters being the 12th man – that was certainly relevant that day."

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A late Ollie Rathbone goal salvaged a point for Wrexham away at Derby County on the return of the Championship.

That draw was a fifth in nine league games for Phil Parkinson's side, who find themselves 15th at this early stage of the season.

We asked whether you were concerned with Wrexham's sluggish start, or if you were still optimistic.

Here is what you had to say ahead of the Tuesday fixture against West Bromwich Albion.

Martin: We are in roughly the same position as last season. No need to panic, there's no rush ho get to the Premier League. Better we get there late and healthy than early and weak.

Al: Our performance as a team is below par but two things I can't see helping us right now are panic or radical change. I think everyone is working hard to improve results, time will tell - that's sport.

Chris: With the exception of Millwall away, we haven't been able to dominate games for sustained periods. It's getting there but we need to be able to take the lead and lock out the opposition with the confident play and more goals. We're serial winners and need to maintain this as an attitude to move to the next level. Our work rate and commitment is phenomenal can't fault that at all.

Peter: Given the amount of injuries we have suffered this season, I think that being in the middle of the table is a fair assessment. I am cautiously optimistic and hopeful that once the injuries subside that Wrexham can move forward and make a mid-season push.

Andy: Very predictable at the moment and devoid of ideas. Functional performances that may keep us in the Championship, but won't get us in the promotion spots or play-offs.

Mike: Injuries are testing us at present but the squad as a whole lacks pace and is too old. Will be happy to survive this season, get the new Kop open and reset.