Managerless Wrexham among bookies favourites for National League title
29.06.2021
As the race narrows for Dean Keates’ replacement at Wrexham afc, the club remain in and around bookies favourites for winning the National League’s 21/22 season. Wrexham, famously bankrolled by Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, released Keates after missing the playoffs by a single point. They released a handful of the playing squad alongside Keates, and look to build for 21/22 with refreshed, ambitious personnel on and off the pitch. This led the Wrexham Leader to report Wrexham as the bookies’ favourites, alongside fellow sleeping giants Stockport County.
Both clubs tie at 11/2 to win the league, based on Stockport’s strong 20/21 finish, and a similar commitment to squad-building and upwards momentum. The club finished third this season, with the strongest goal difference in the league. One better than Sutton, the league champions, their 37 goal difference reveals the fortitude and goal-threat required to progress in the football pyramid. While some bookies even their odds with Wrexham’s, others, like William Hill, offer Stockport as favourites at 5/1 alongside Notts County.
Notts County finished fifth this season, just behind playoff winners Hartlepool. Another ambitious National League sleeping giant, County did the double on Wrexham this year with a pair of 1-0 victories, while narrowly missing out on the FA Trophy finals by conceding to Hornchurch on penalties in the semis. Ahead of their next campaign, County beefed up their backlines with centreback Kyle Cameron. Cameron’s Torquay side finished second in the league and beat Notts County in their last game of the season. This defensive coup sets County up to continue their good work through the 21/22 campaign, as recognised by the bookies’ odds.
Ranking Wrexham second, William Hill put National League returnees Grimsby Town as their third favourite for 21/22. Grimsby suffered an unfortunate end to their 20/21 campaign and were relegated from the National League after finishing bottom of League 2. However, their ten wins and 43 points would have seen them safe in the National League and would have placed them around 17th of 23. With recent EFL experience and an EFL squad, the Grimsby Mariners look like a force to be reckoned with going forward.
Still, they will have to contend with star-powered Wrexham, under new management. Any of these top National League teams may be cast as villains in Wrexham’s upcoming documentary, which fans and neutrals alike anticipate ahead of a competitive new season.
