Ollie Rathbone. Credit - WrexhamAFC
Ollie Rathbone admitted he felt like “the forgotten man at times” during a seven-month injury nightmare that kept him out of Wrexham’s first team until his dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Watford on Saturday. The midfielder revealed the mental toll of watching from the sidelines after sustaining a pre-season ankle injury followed by multiple setbacks.
“I didn’t think when I was getting to play with you on that pitch in May, the next minutes would be in December,” Rathbone told club media after his 92nd-minute strike rescued a 2-2 draw. “It’s been really tough. I had the big injury in pre-season, so I missed all of pre-season. Then I had a couple of little niggles since then that have set me back even more.”
The 29-year-old won Wrexham’s Player of the Season award for 2023-24 after playing a pivotal role in the club’s historic third consecutive promotion. He sustained the ankle injury during Wrexham’s pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia, with his only first-team appearance before Saturday coming in October’s Carabao Cup defeat to Cardiff City.
Rathbone described the extended absence as “really, really difficult” and revealed how isolation crept in despite his teammates’ support. “I felt like kind of the forgotten man at times,” he admitted. “I won’t downplay it, it’s been a really tough period for me. But I’ve worked really hard, kind of kept myself ultra professional and just got on with things, really not kicked up a fuss.”
Resilience and family support key to recovery
The midfielder credited his family and mental resilience for helping him through the darkest moments of rehabilitation. “I think you need to have resilience really, and I think when you get to this point in your career you kind of have to have that to play as many games as I have,” Rathbone explained.
“The support my family has been incredible. Because it has been really, really difficult. But knowing they obviously support (me), that’s been massive. Hopefully I can kick on from here.”
Rathbone’s composure proved crucial when Phil Parkinson introduced him in the dying minutes against Watford with Wrexham trailing 2-1. Within two minutes of entering the pitch, he struck from outside the box to level the scores and send the Racecourse crowd into raptures.
“I kind of saw it coming to me. It took a while and then obviously just composed myself and just made sure I picked the target,” he said of the strike. “All the players and all the staff seemed genuinely happy for me because they knew I’d had a difficult few months. All I want is just to feel like a part of this team and just try and help us be successful.”
Owners’ presence and Championship ambitions
Reynolds and Mac witnessed Rathbone’s heroics from the stands, though the midfielder joked he “didn’t know they were here” but “would have still tried to have scored if they weren’t here.” He added: “They’re really lovely people. It was nice. Yeah, I was nearly welling up to be fair when I was out there. I had to try and keep it together.”
The supporters’ reaction provided additional emotional validation for a player who feared his chance might never come. “It was nice,” Rathbone said of fans singing his name after the goal. “Obviously, it means a hell of a lot.”
Embed from Getty ImagesThe result extended Wrexham’s home unbeaten run to eight league matches and kept them within touching distance of the Championship playoff positions. “At the start we were kind of like just getting this new group together and you can slowly see it starting to click,” Rathbone assessed. “I think there’s a lot more to come from us in the second half of the season.”
Rathbone now faces stiff competition for midfield places but believes he proved his worth. “The difficult thing for me is that I’ve just not had a chance to play and to kind of prove myself,” he explained. “I always thought if I got a chance I’d be able to make an impact. I can just control what I can control and I got my chance today and managed to make a big impact.”
Championship experience and consistency goals
The midfielder highlighted his Championship pedigree from two seasons at Rotherham United where he made 80 appearances at this level. “That was the level that I thought that I really wanted to stay at,” he said. “Obviously this opportunity came around and I wanted to be a part of this journey. The plan was to drop down and get back up there which I helped us do.”
After November 2023, Rathbone started 30 consecutive matches through the end of last season, providing the consistency that earned him Player of the Season recognition. “I think as a player you need that consistency,” he reflected. “To be fair, I’ve not really had that consistency on the training pitch over the last few months because I’ve had hiccups, but these last three or four weeks I’ve been out there and feeling back to myself, feeling fit. Hopefully it’s smooth sailing from here on out.”
Wrexham travel to Swansea next in what Rathbone described as “a huge game, the games you want to be involved in.” He added: “We’ll go up there and give it our very best to get the travelling fans a happy, good result.”
The midfielder’s return provides Parkinson with another experienced Championship option as Wrexham push for promotion in the second half of their 46-game season. Whether Rathbone can reclaim a regular starting position remains uncertain, but his impact against Watford demonstrated the value he still offers when called upon.
About The Author
