FC Halifax Town boss Pete Wild takes a surprise swipe at Wrexham and their players after suffering a loss to them in midweek.
Wild was left furious at his side’s defeat to the Welsh outfit at The Shay, claiming that his side had “dominated the game from start to finish.”
The Shayman manager’s comments, made to the Halifax Courier, came shortly after the final whistle with Wrexham ending Halifax’s 8-match home winning run whilst also boosting their own promotion hopes.
Wild went on to bemoan the amount of money Wrexham have spent on wages, something we’ve seen many managers and owners do, with Paul Mullin, the match-winners, no doubt the target of his frustration.
Wild said: “We’ve dominated the game from start to finish, with and without the ball.
“We’ve made them (Wrexham) look distinctly average, with all the money and all the clout they’ve got and we’ve basically run them off the park tonight.
“Somehow they’ve had two shots at goal and scored two goals. But obviously when they’re paying silly money for centre forwards then that’s what it gets you, which is ludicrous but it is what it is.”
Speaking after the game, Manager Phil Parkinson said: “After a draw at home with a bit of a flat performance to come out and see over 1000 fans was absolutely brilliant.
“They stuck by us when we went a goal down and made a huge difference.
“I’m humbled by the support tonight, I really mean it, I want to thank every supporter who came down and supported us tonight.
“The lads showed great character tonight and it’s a great win because Halifax have such a good home record.
“It could have gone one or two ways, but it went the right way and we got back in the game in terrific fashion.
“We played like the home team when it was 0-0 and we deserved the three points.
“The quick free-kick showed our intent that we wanted to win the game and what a great finish it was from Paul Mullin.
“I thought he was back to his best tonight; he held the ball up well, ran the channels and got the crucial goal.
“I’m very proud of the performance today and let’s enjoy the feeling because the lads deserve it.”
Paul Mullin said post-match: “I can’t remember who I said it too, but I said I’m going to score the winner and take my top off.
“Sometimes in football you just get a feeling and thankfully that happened today that feeling became reality.
“To celebrate with the supporters was great because they were the ones behind us when we went a goal down so to give it back to them was equally important.
“It was unbelievable support again; we went one nil down and they were the ones cheering us on in a moment where we were in despair.
“They gave us a massive lift and it was a great moment to share the victory with them.
“There’s no better feeling than scoring a late goal in front of 1200 travelling fans and it’s a big boost for us going into the weekend.
“Whilst we’re unbeaten at home we need to go out and play with a lot more expression on the front foot and get after teams.
“The fans are here to help us, and we need to repay that and get more points at home.
“We need to get more points at home, we need to start getting that run going and we work hard every day to try and achieve that.”
Twitter users reacted as the Halifax boss takes a surprise swipe at Wrexham and their players after Tuesday’s loss…
Pure unadulterated salt. That’s football, Pete
— Robert Williams 🏴 #UTST (@WxmRob) November 24, 2021
— Werdna Strebor 🏴 (@PopeyeMcRoberts) November 24, 2021
@WrexhamCookie: absolute nonsense. I know I’m obviously biased and so is he but I thought we were the better team especially in the second half.
@r77ulr: Halifax were the better team, we were poor for 70 minutes. Our substitutions and change of formation changed the game.
@WrexhamCookie: Thought we were poor first half but came out better 2nd. We were creating chances and well on top when they scored.
@joeroberts1995: Was I watching a different game? They weren’t that good were they?
@TomiCaws: No mate! And we had a lot more than two shots. Draw would have been fair but he’s talking rubbish.
@davebaff: @FootballCliches adjudication panel, can you dominate “without the ball”…?
@tonywhilding88: they did not dominate the game from start to finish, we had a lot of possession and were our own worst enemies giving the ball away, they are a good side and he’s being bitter.
@Zatherton3: Somehow they have had two shots on target and scored two goals.’ Mind boggling that la it’s a fkin mystery 😂
@rogers01_tony: Jealousy is a sad, sad trait.
@capaled: distinctively remember us having more than 2 shots at goal
@Tom___Young: There’s been plenty of games in the past when this has been in reverse. Wrexham dominate game concede 1 shot on goal and they loose 1-0. Nice to see it going our way for a change. Roll on Saturday!!
@DavidLe20960040: Didn’t his keeper turn in the first, his club fleeced us at the turnstiles and on the food 🍲 and 🍺. Now as some 💷 to strengthen his squad, bless 🥲
@DaveGOwen: He wants to decide if he is criticising Wrexham for winning on an average performance or Halifax for losing on a better than average performance
@Johns_100: Oil Money Wrexham rattling the national league
Meanwhile, Grimsby Town owner Jason Stockwood voices a National League concern that has been echoed by many and also calls for change.
The Mariners chairman and joint majority shareholder has called for tighter financial restraints to protect against ‘inequality’ outside of the EFL.
He reckons that his fellow rivals have been splashing the cash to try and breaking their way into League Two, which is especially made harder with only two promotion places.
“I’m personally delighted about the competitive nature of the National League this year, with a number of “big” clubs vying for promotion out of what is the fifth tier of English football,” he wrote in his latest Guardian column.
“The gamble which the Deadpool and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia stars are taking in the National League, asking fans to “dream big” and think of the Premier League as a target, is not dissimilar to what is happening with the 24 teams in the Championship. A number of clubs are looking to benefactors to sustain financial losses while helping them win promotion – all the while knowing that only three clubs can be successful.
“The analogy with the Championship breaks down quickly though. No one buys into a club in the National League motivated by financial returns: it has to be about taking the club and community on a journey, and for that, I admire what is happening at clubs like Wrexham and Stockport County.
“Both clubs have owners who are taking significant financial and reputational risks to awaken “sleeping giants”: in Stockport’s case, they were bought by property entrepreneur Mark Stott in January 2020. I believe they want the best for the clubs and communities; these are not the kind of opaque international investors who use brokers to get them through the owners’ and directors’ test on moral and financial suitability.
“What worries me is the growing financial inequality that is becoming embedded in English football. Grimsby Town will make a significant loss this year. While budgets at our level are not officially declared, we know we are “competitive” – and we know that four or five of our peers are spending significantly more than us to get into the Football League.
“While we can boast nearly full-house attendances and improved performances at Grimsby, we are investing in the long-term infrastructure and culture of the club, and as a result, it’s likely our financial losses will be worse next year. The second-year after you drop out of the league, you lose all support payments from the EFL. For most owners at this level, there is an acceptance that the payoffs lie somewhere other than the balance sheet: most are more interested in helping our community redefine its future.
“That inequality should exist in football or society at large is neither controversial nor problematic in itself. Natural endowments and capabilities mean advantages play out in all walks of life. The issue I and many others have with inequality is when it is patently unfair.
“While I love the excitement that glamorous owners bring to football, there needs to be strong financial parameters enforced around lower-league clubs, particularly around the pay structures and bonuses for each division. Clubs being able to underwrite big losses is a gamble that often does not pay off over time.
“It also creates unrealistic expectations among fans of clubs about the kinds of players they can attract, and leads to wage inflation for the whole league. This kind of market distortion is bad for the football pyramid as a whole.”
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