01x13 - Worst Team in the League

[bunniefuu]

So I'm just making the list

of who needs to be in
for a review today.

So we've got quite
a busy morning.

- How are you? You all right?
- Yeah.

It's gonna be a busy morning.

I know, yeah. I figured out.

I hope you've
had your breakfast.

Yeah.

My name is Gemma Bamford.

I'm the first team
sports therapist

here at Wrexham Football Club.

This is my sixth season,

but it's my first season
with the first team.

Yeah, and no bleeding
last night, this morning?

- No, no, fine.
- Okay.

All right, that's fine.
I'm happy with that.

Kevin's the
head physio within Wrexham,

so I'm sort of just under him.

So we'll both do assessments,
we'll both do treatments.

And we'll both do the
rehabilitation side of things.

You got to come
and speak to me, Rhys.

Look how many people
I've got to see.

- Still?
- Don't get involved.

Go on, Gemma! Love that!

Being a female in a
male-dominated environment

can be challenging at times.

You almost have to work
a little bit harder

and say what you think,

even if you're disagreeing
with someone.

At the end of the day,
you've got a job to do.

Okay, next one on.

Certain times
are not the nicest,

you know, dealing with feet.

I don't think
anyone really wants to.

They're not the nicest area
of the body.

It's like, you know,
you just have to do it.

Every day, it's a-gettin' closer

Going faster than
a roller coaster

Love like yours will
surely come my way

A-hey, hey, hey, hey

Every day, it's a-gettin' faster

Everyone said
go ahead and ask her

Love like yours will
surely come my way

A-hey, hey, hey, hey

Love like yours will
surely come my way

Past again.
Davies takes a chance!

We're into March,

and Wrexham have just pulled
off five straight victories...

Mullin
one-on-one with the keeper!

Lifting them
all the way to third place,

well positioned for the
final stretch of the season.

As long as they can
keep everyone healthy,

they should be challenging
for a top spot come May.

Rob Lainton,

he's been absolutely
outstanding, hasn't he?

Yeah.

I don't think you'll get a
better keeper, if I'm honest.

Punched by Lainton.
Stretched really well there.

Back to Mitchell,
great stop by Rob Lainton.

It bobbles around
in the goalmouth!

Lainton stretches!
That's a hell of a catch.

- We got 18 games left.
- We got 11 at home.

One word answer:
are we going up?

- Absolutely.
- Thank you very much.

Yeah, pleasure.

So we went through
the scan with you.

- Nice and clear, yeah?
- Mm.

So the slight horizontal tear

you have the back in the knee
in the meniscus is stable.

This one here?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

So if we won
the league automatically,

I'd want to get it done
straight away.

Yeah?

And whereas
if we get to the playoffs,

I'd want it done straight
after the playoffs...

The playoff...

Get knocked out, or the final,

so that we can get you back
in the quickest time

for next season.

Gone through a few
years of bad injuries,

and stop-start, stop-start,

and I just want
to enjoy it again.

You can't let your mind go,

otherwise you won't do your job
to the best of your ability

when your head's not in it.

I won't stop doing
the things I'm doing.

Where's Dibble?
He's not got his coat.

Rob's absolutely brilliant.

I know people say

you're both fighting
for the same spot, but,

you know, me and Rob
are good friends as well.

Sorry love, off, but...

Course you can. Just me on top.

- In here.
- Go away, camera.

No, it doesn't matter.

- Doesn't matter...
- Go away!

- You can get me.
- Watch out here...

Sugar. Right.

- Oh, you're very tall.
- Yeah, very tall.

Get one of them in there.

- Look, he can...
- Who's he? Who's he?

Take a picture
of the other goalkeeper.

There, that's Rob.

He's the other goalie?

All right.

Oh, my grandsons will love this.

Rob Lainton, too.

There we go.
And who's that in the front?

- That's Shaun.
- Driver, driver.

- Oh. Is he a player?
- He's a driver.

- He's both.
- Track seat.

Is he a...

Shaun Brisley, yeah.

- What's... is he a player?
- Shaun Brisley, yeah.

I'm gonna get him.

Yeah, get him as well.

For my grandsons,
season ticket holders.

They'll be over the... oh,
he's a handsome one and all.

- Yeah, isn't he?
- Too, this.

- Handsome one. Bravo.
- You're all handsome.

See you later.

You hear that?

We're just doing team shape
across the pitch, okay?

So Rob's going to go
in that goal,

and we're gonna att*ck
towards that goal.

I've had many
setbacks in my career.

I've had... I've had bad spells
in my career,

and here at Wrexham,

I just thought
I was getting my chance,

but I'm just not playing.

How'd you feel?

You see other people
like your friends

doing well and winning.

Right tomorrow,
d'you know what I mean?

And then toes goes back.

It's... it's tough.

Why can't I play in that game?

I'm not gonna
f*cking play tomorrow.

For me, I just want
to get back playing.

It makes me even more hungry
to prove more people wrong.

It's science-based, innit?

These two guys in it, look.

Don't worry about Cam.

All three of us
have been warriors

in FUT Champs on FIFA.

So you've got to play
20 games on the weekend,

and the more wins you get,
the better packs you get.

But it's ridiculously stressful.

Never his ball.
Blow the f*cking whistle.

As you can hear by Tyler.

He's got a corner in the
122nd minute of extra time.

And you stay mentally
stable, that's the main thing.

Yeah, well, you're supposed
to stay mentally stable.

Yeah, but it's hard

when you've got to sit
in a room with these two,

'cause they can get
f*cking annoying.

My mental stability
is next to zero.

Football plays obviously
the biggest part in it.

And 22 years of age,

I don't appreciate people
telling me white lies.

I'd rather people
just be honest with me.

So he started me
in the FA Cup game,

said I was one of the
better players on the pitch,

and then I didn't start again.

He just brought me off the
bench whenever we were losing.

And now it's like
the transfer window.

I'm 22 years of age.
I want to go and play football.

And I'm not being
allowed to go out.

It's just... you know,
this job is so frustrating,

because you want
to play football.

I don't care about money
or anything like that.

I just want to play.

You know, I do try
and stay positive, lads.

Pressure is on.

Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham!

Substitution
of James... Jordan Davies.

The ball goes through
to Coulson.

Lainton with an excellent save.

And Lainton again... and the
ball's gone over the bar.

Rob Lainton puts his body...

Body on the line
every single game.

Go, Wrexham!

Really taking one
for the team there,

Rob Lainton.

Lainton's
going to have to come off

in the 62nd minute.

This isn't good.

Christian Dibble is gonna be
the man in goal for Wrexham.

Not one you want to see at all,

especially not
for someone like Robbie.

Found it so hard to come by
with injuries and luck.

Had a couple of times
this season.

It's good to see
that he's sat up.

But he looks
in some serious discomfort.

And we wish Rob
a speedy recovery.

And Dibble making his way
onto the field.

Wrexham!
Wrexham! Wrexham! Wrexham!

Wrexham!

Hey, guys.

Yeah, good.
How are you, mate? You okay?

So I'll just go over
what you CT scan shows, Rob.

Essentially, you got
a dislocated wrist, um,

which is probably
one of the worst injuries

- you can have in the wrist.
- Okay.

The goals of the operation

are to assess all the injuries
and to stabilize the wrist,

allowing you to return
to full play and full function.

It is a potential
career-ending injury.

Yeah.

But if we do our best
and it heals well

and you recover well,
I'd be hopeful

of getting you back to play
as soon as possible.

Maybe not that.

Maybe not that quick.

If you look at the
evidence surrounding this,

I'll be hoping that
we put you in a plaster cast

for your first eight weeks.

If everything goes to plan,

you come out
and start your rehabilitation,

and I would hope
that approximately

three months after,
you'd be looking at getting

the full range of movement
and improving strength.

He's inarguably the best goalie

in the National League,
a major asset.

Looks like it's going to be
about four months of recovery

and it's devastating.

The reality in sports is that
it's also an opportunity.

When Rob got injured,
that was a blow

because Rob had been
playing really well.

So Christian Dibble has come in,

and I'm confident
in Dibbs anyway.

But there is a difference,

when suddenly,
you're now the man.

Dibbs has got an opportunity

to stake a claim for the shirt.

Good, Dibbs!

As a goalkeeper,

I think you got
to be so strong mentally.

Last season,
I had a couple of bad games.

Which, you know,
everyone's got...

Like I said,
everyone's gonna have 'em.

But it was just the manner of

some of the way the
Wrexham fans were towards me,

sending me messages on Facebook,

Instagram, Twitter.

It got to a point where I
didn't want to come into work.

Like, I physically dreaded
playing in every game.

You had 5,000 fans
on a player's back

every single week,

and he wants to go out
and do his best.

And he's got that in his head

every time he steps
on the football pitch.

It's not easy.

"The season, the gaffer,
he said, "Look, come in.

Be number two and give
good competition to Rob."

And once my opportunity comes
around, I need to take it.

So I'd like to think

there isn't a number one
at this club

who is going
to start every game.

But obviously, the manager
gave that shirt to Rob,

and then obviously
when he gets injured,

I'm coming in and
I'm fighting for that shirt.

I did start fresh
to start the season.

But I had to do that,
because if I didn't do that,

then I probably wouldn't
be playing football anymore.

But it just sucked the life
out of me, really.

Would have k*lled me, but

I went into this season
knowing what I needed to learn

from the season before.

It started to get better

because I felt more confident
in myself,

you know, in terms of the fans.

I personally think this season,

I really have shown quite
a few of them what I can do,

and I've hopefully changed
their mind a little bit.

Well, here we go. Match day 34.

Wrexham squaring off against
the worst team in the league,

Dover Athletic.

They've been truly awful
this year.

Serendipitous opposition
for Christian Dibble today

as he continues to gain his
sea legs for the first team.

On the current run of form,

this game should
be a confidence builder

for the new Wrexham's
number one.

Prediction for today.

I'm hoping for 3-0.

- 4-0.
- 5-0, Wrexham.

This is Rob.

This is Ryan,
co-chairman of Wrexham AFC.

Wrexham has been
doing so well recently,

we've decided to call this
game against Dover Athletic,

which is the
worst team in the league.

And we are of course joined by

the incomparable voice of
Wrexham AFC, Mark Griffiths.

Right,
we're about to get cracking.

Just six minutes in,
Mullin blasts one in.

Another Mullin special!

Followed by James Jones,
who makes it 2-0, Wrexham.

Very cool finish by Jones.

I love this game.

Well, Mr. Co-Chairman,

it looks like
we have this one in the bag.

What a goal!

Oh, the Wrexham fans
are all applauding that,

which maybe shows that

we think this game
is not that challenging.

2-all!

Unbelievable!

Wrexham are 3-2 down.

Tozer has it...
He's in trouble here!

Dibble... it's going to be 4-2.

Dibble punched Tozer. 4-2.

And now the anger comes.

I can't believe what
I'm seeing here.

Cross comes in!

Gyasi, five.
Hat trick for Gyasi.

Dover jumps ahead
by three goals.

What just happened?

Wrexham are falling apart.

Christian Dibble
looks lost out there.

Dover Athletic haven't scored
five goals this calendar year.

But I'll tell you what,

they just scored their
fifth goal in this match.

Wrexham trail the worst team
in the league 5-2.

My word.

In a radical act of self-care,

I'm ending this episode early.

But now I'm getting texts
to turn it back on.

Goes back and that's a goal!

Wrexham pull one back.

It's getting the fans going,

and they're responding
in fair play.

I think we're going to let Mark

take it the rest of the way,

but we do want to introduce
this decibel meter

for no specific reason.

Just a reminder, this is Mark.

Here's Jarvis,
running at his man,

cutting in the box,
squares it up,

chance at a sh*t, driven... yes!

It's in!

What a brilliant finish
by Palmer!

He toe bolted it! A toe-buster!

This is madness!

We're back in this game!

Oh, well.

Davies steps up, sweeps
it beyond the wall.

Yes! Yes!

Gareth Bale!

We've got Jordan Davies!

Come on! Five-all!

We've got six or
seven minutes to play.

Wow.

Well, we are attacking.

What am I going to say
if we get another?

It's the 97th minute.
It's another corner.

Young under the bar, it's side...

Flicked on!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

- Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
- Yeah!

Just in case
you haven't realized,

Wrexham have scored!

Can't compete with that!

Everybody in the Racecourse
is on their feet!

And I think that win's in.

Oh, my God!

Wild afternoon!

It's Always Sunny in Wrexham!

Oh, yes!

There's that final whistle!

Wrexham have won this.

I love football.

- Oh, my God.
- I'm absolutely buzzing.

What... I'm hoarse.
What a game that was.

Hey!

I picked a bad time
to stop biting my nails.

I'm telling you,

they're never going to survive
to the end of the season.

They got to be down
to my knuckles by then.

Oh, dear.

And we b*at Chesterfield.

I think that's
when we started to believe

- that we had the chance.
- Yeah.

Hang on to that
for the playoffs, belief.

And how many goals have
we scored this season

in the last minute?

- Or in injury time.
- Yeah.

Which just goes to show
that we just don't give up.

They've battled
and battled back,

and the excitement,
we got to win now.

And especially last minute
like that, it's like whoa.

And isn't it lovely to
see all the people

waiting outside the club
to get autographs?

I mean,
we didn't used to have that.

They'd all be gone.

And seeing children
around Wrexham

with Wrexham shirts.

Yes. Not Chelsea or Man United.

Or Liverpool.

- Wrexham, yes.
- Yes.

It's been a lot more
popular with the students.

There's more now deciding,
the younger ones,

that are going
to be Wrexham fans.

What do you think about Mullin?

- Super Paul Mullin.
- It's cracking play, I think.

The support is just brilliant.

It's a whole mindset, isn't it,

of everybody's got
the same goal?

There's a good rapport now

between the players
and the fans.

I think on our day,
we can b*at anybody.

It's just belief, I think.

I think it's belief
in being able

to work together as a team,

seeing that
they put the effort in,

seeing that they play together,

seeing that they care.

They've got heart.
It's a difference.

In football, it is super tough,

because it's so cutthroat.

So you can be really close
to somebody,

and then all of a sudden,
they're gone.

He's gone from
one end of the country

to the other end of the country.

And then you could probably
never see them again.

I think that's why sometimes

footballers don't get
emotionally attached,

because there's so many
ups and downs with teammates,

with fans, with a bit
of everything, really.

Like again, getting attached
to a club, it's the same.

You get attached to a club,
and then all of a sudden,

you're never going to play
for the club again.

So it's tough.

Certainly, it's tough.

With the players who've
been part of this journey,

they've been part
of something special

in terms of the ownership
of the club,

the TV documentary,

some of the fantastic games
you've had.

Yeah, watching
each other's back,

looking out for each other
is important.

As a manager, you kind of
guide that and oversee it.

And you try and make sure
that they move on

to the next challenge, you know,

knowing that we've looked
after them

or looked out for them.

Yeah, from my point of view,
Campbell,

you've been great as a lad
and we're sorry to see you go,

but I think we both know
you're frustrated, aren't ya?

- Yeah.
- And you need to play.

You know,
we don't give up anybody

because we can't do loans.

We want to keep everyone 'round.

But for you,

I think with the career
you've had up to this point

where you've not had enough
minutes of football...

For sure.

I feel it's unfair to stop
you having the opportunity,

'cause that's what you need.

I appreciate that.

I think
you're a talented player.

You don't want to be
the perennial sub, d'ya?

No.

And I think that you know
you're in the position

of that could happen to you.

And I think because of
your age, you need to play.

No, I appreciate that.

So that's why we've
decided to let you go.

No, I really appreciate that.

So I wish you all the best.

Wish you all the best, my son.

Stay in touch.
We'll be watching you closely.

Nice one. Take it easy.

The best.

Make sure you do it.

- I'm going to try.
- You take care.

I will.

Do not take that smile
off your face.

I'll try my best.

- See you later, guys.
- I know you're off.

All the best, too.

He's going to his car.

Yeah, it's mixed emotions.

Obviously excited to go home,
see all my friends,

and play football.

But obviously, I'm going
to miss Giles, Frenchie,

living with them,
winding people up.

And the staff and the players.

They're a good group
of people here,

and it's just a shame
I can't be a part

of getting them promoted now.

But I've got to be a bit selfish

and think of me,
to be honest with you,

so that's the plan.

- I'm going to miss you, too.
- Good luck, mate.

All right.

We're going to just watch you
drive off into the sunset.

- Yeah? Cool. Cheers, guys.
- See you later.

See ya.