Wrexham have developed a happy knack of delivering Hollywood endings since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney first rode into town.
Who can forget the stoppage time Ben Foster penalty save against Notts County during the National League title race? Or even the recent flurry of late winners over the recent festive season from Steven Fletcher?
With that in mind, the smart money was surely on the north Wales club reserving yet another memorable finish for a League One clash with Birmingham City that was being shown live on both sides of the Atlantic.
Not this time. Though the lack of a fairytale finish wasn’t for the want of trying and, in true dramatic Wrexham fashion, it was the team’s heroic captain James McClean who, just 36 hours earlier had been involved in a car crash, that came closest to supplying the sort of ending only scriptwriters with the most vivid of imaginations usually dare to suggest.
McClean, having produced a typically energetic display despite being left with a bandaged arm by the previous day’s crash, collected a raking pass out wide just as the clock at the Tech End reached 90 minutes.
The control was instant, the Irishman barely breaking stride in bringing the ball down before then taking another four or five steps to steady himself and deliver a quite exquisite cross at pace.
But for the most delicate of flicked touches from City defender Ben Davies in the six yard box, the diving Steven Fletcher would surely have applied the finishing touch that such an inch-perfect delivery deserved.
Steven Fletcher almost scored a late winner from a McClean cross (Molly Darlington – AMA/Getty Images)
With that went Wrexham’s hopes of claiming a 13th home win of the season. Nevertheless, there was still plenty to savour for the hosts from a hugely entertaining 1-1 draw, not least the bravery and dedication displayed by McClean just a day after his Audi suffered substantial damage, including a smashed windscreen and crumpled roof, in the crash near Wrexham Golf Club.
“Tonight typified Jimmy,” said manager Phil Parkinson. “At 9am on Wednesday, we get a call to say he’s been involved in an accident and he can’t leave the scene of the incident until the police arrive.
“He then needs medical assistance, has to go in and see the club doctor. We’re writing him off at this stage (regarding the Birmingham game). But then, halfway through the team meeting at the training ground, he walks in, with his boots over his shoulder, and says, ‘I’ll be fine’.
“Jim even trained on Wednesday, as normal. Mad, really. But that’s just typical of Jim. There’s no dramas with him.”
McClean’s determination to lead Wrexham on such an important night will not have come as a surprise to anyone. His determination and battling spirit has been evident since joining the club in August 2023.
It’s why Parkinson handed the 35-year-old the captain’s armband in the summer following the departure of Ben Tozer and Luke Young.
Even so, to put in a shift like he did against the League One leaders so soon after such a worrying experience speaks volumes for his character.
Birmingham certainly made clear in the early exchanges that there would be no favours coming his way. After Lyndon Dykes had barged the Irishman over the touchline in an aerial duel, the Scotland international followed this not long afterwards with a crunching tackle that rightly drew a free-kick.
McClean was clearly not fazed, immediately getting to his feet with a smile and then producing the sort of all-action performance that explains why he played 103 times for the Republic of Ireland between 2012 and 2023.
Even before the 90th minute cross that nearly brought yet another late winner for Fletcher, McClean had come as close as anyone to restoring Wrexham’s lead with a flicked header from a corner that Ryan Allsop did brilliantly to claw to safety.
There was a mountain of defensive work, too, to go with that attacking threat. As shown below he covered nearly every blade of grass down that left flank and an 80 per cent pass completion rate isn’t to be sneezed at, either, especially in a game played at such a frantic pace.
McClean played his part in arguably Wrexham’s most complete performance in weeks, particularly in the second half when Birmingham were pinned back for long periods.
But it was his work before the break when City were in the ascendancy in the wake of cancelling out Ollie Rathbone’s early strike that perhaps was the most important.
Never was this more apparent than when McClean threw himself in front of a fiercely-struck shot from Alfie May that, thanks to his intervention, brought nothing more valuable than a corner.
“You need players who thrive in big games,” adds Parkinson. “Jim certainly did that against Birmingham. That cross he put in for Fletcher near the end, wow, that was just such high quality.
“The defender (Davies) did brilliant, just to nick it off Fletcher’s head. Fletch was just about to head that in. Football doesn’t change, you need strong characters in the dressing room if you’re to be a top team.
“Jim is so tough. A couple of weeks ago, he had a scan on his hamstring. There was a split in the tendon, which could easily have ruled him out for weeks. But we had a meeting with him, me and Kev Mulholland (Wrexham’s head of medicine).
“The risk was explained to him but Jim just said, ‘That’s fine — I just want to keep training and playing’. He’s a machine, exactly what you want from your captain.”
(Header photo by Molly Darlington – AMA/Getty Images)
