Wrexham player Aaron Hayden sends message to fans mocking the club

Wrexham player Aaron Hayden sends a message to fans mocking the club and their new found fame due to the new Netflix series.

The 25 year old defender says one of Wrexham’s motivations this year is ensuring National League opponents cannot take the piss out of them.

Wrexham have been thrown into the limelight following the release of the documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.

Not just that but also failing to win promotion last season despite being backed by Hollywood’s Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

It has attracted a global audience and Hayden wants to make sure they do not want to provide envious rivals with ammunition.

“They haven’t said anything yet – but we haven’t given anyone an opportunity to,” Hayden said via BBC Sport.

“People can’t make fun when they’re losing so it’s important we continue doing that.”

Wrexham are doing much better this season, dropping just two points since the club saw the release of a series that explores the story of the North Wales club’s Hollywood takeover.

With just one defeat in their opening 10 games, Phil Parkinson’s side sit one point off leaders Chesterfield having missed out on promotion in last season’s playoffs when they lost 5-4 at home to Grimsby.

The same squad, with some extra additions, have another attempt at achieving a return to the Football League after a 15-year absence, the documentary has seen a big change off it.

Wrexham recently revealed that merchandise sales have go up by around 600% compared to last year, while the club’s social media following is expected to break through the 1m mark soon as the profile continues to grow. Attendances also can often hit the 10,000 mark.

🎵 Ohhh Aaron Hayden’s magic 🎵

The latest Triple A is on its way!

🔴⚪ #WxmAFC | 🎥 @amycdavies @JackGordonn53 pic.twitter.com/ywfSl0ZfRp

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) September 26, 2022

Cameras are everywhere, be in on the pitch, training ground, inside the stadium including the famous duo, staff, fans and players at the club.

Hayden is also shown, featuring in episodes showing his work out routines at home ahead of matches, while also having a self-trimmed haircut.

“Not everyone knew I cut my own hair so I guess it shows I was doing a good job of it!” says the 25-year-old, who scored in last Saturday’s 6-0 win over Torquay.

“Overall, I think the documentary’s good for the club; it gives a different insight on how the club is run and the players. Maybe people can see we’re not just footballers, we have lives off the pitch.”

Hayden adds that the dressing room want to keep focus, and that “we’ve shown we’ve continued to keep our standards high despite everything that’s going on around the club”.

More episodes to be released from the first series will see the club’s painful end to last season, from Parky’s side missing out on automatic promotion on the final day, before then being beaten by Grimsby in the final minute of extra time of the semi-final.

Hayden, who likes many in the squad to have dropped out of the EFL to sign for Wrexham, feels he made the right decision to leave League Two outfit Carlisle.

“I never took it as a given we would get out of the league last year, I had told myself the reality of the situation and that it wouldn’t be easy,” he says.

“But there are a lot of high-quality players in this side, players with high standards and a lot of experience and I think I’ve improved because of that.

“I think I’m a much better player than when I first joined and, as a team, we are showing that cohesion comes with time and it’s only getting better.

“We’re not the finished article yet, we’ve still got things to improve on, but we’re getting there.

“It’s been such a beneficial time in my career and I’m really looking forward to achieving what I came here to do.”

Going into the campaign installed as title favourites by bookmakers has not held Wrexham back and Parkinson is understandably delighted with the start made by his side, but he wants it to continue.

“The lads are enjoying the challenge, I can sense it with them,” said Parkinson.

“We have got a lot of experience from last year that we have taken into this year and I still think this team is going to get better.

“We didn’t need to make wholesale changes in the summer because obviously we came second last season and we were close to it.

“We were evolving the squad last year as we went along through the season, this year we were more settled from the start.

“Gradually the new lads have bedded in and they have fitted in well with the group.

“There is so much work to be done but it is a nice block of the first 10 games to look back on and say we are pleased with where we are.

“But we are looking to push on and that is every day down on the training pitch, and every match; going out and representing the club like we have been doing.”

Meanwhile, Parky has said they will look at the loan market if Wrexham’s injury situation doesn’t improve.

“As we go into three games in seven days, we need the numbers; we need players back and available to bolster the squad,” said Parkinson.

“As it stands at the moment, on the training pitch we are low on numbers and we want to see those players be close to contention or we are going to have to use the loan market.

“Hopefully they progress well this week and boost the numbers up for the three games.

“We want to see those players knocking on the door ready to be involved by the weekend, going into a busy week.

“If not, we have got to look at bolstering the numbers a bit in the loan market which is something we can now do. It is a market we are keeping our eye on all the time.

“We have got a good quality squad but if injuries do reduce those numbers where we get concerned, obviously we have a great option of the loan market and we will use that if we feel we need to.”

“It looks like Jacob will be six to eight weeks,” said Parkinson, who is still without injured goalkeepers Rob Lainton and Christian Dibble.

“It is a blow and we are frustrated with that but injuries are part and parcel of the season.

“You have got to deal with them; we will give Jacob the right rehab and get him back strong, and we have got good players to step in.

“Reece has joined in training this week and we are looking to get Bryce back in full training on Thursday.

“We are looking for Tom to be back involved by the end of the week as well to strengthen the numbers up.

“We need as many players available for next week.

“It is planning the week so we get those injured players as close as we can to selection; get to Friday when we look to pick the team, and look at all the options.”