BBC pundit jumps to Wrexham AFC and Paul Mullin's defence in response to rival supporters | OneFootball

BBC pundit Jobi McAnuff believes Wrexham AFC deserve more respect than they are getting after securing back-to-back promotions.

The Red Dragons tied up an automatic promotion spot on the weekend after putting six goals past rock-bottom Forest Green Rovers, with defeats for MK Dons and Barrow sealing the deal.

It's the first time in the club's history that it has achieved successive promotions, with their ascent from League Two following hot on the tail of a record-breaking title win in the National League.

Many Forest Green fans stayed behind after the final whistle on Saturday to applaud Phil Parkinson's newly-promoted side, despite suffering a heavy loss.

However, other supporters of other clubs on social media were less complimentary, with some claiming their success, aided by the popularity of Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham', was anything but a fairy tale.

One typical post on Twitter read: "Spare a thought for Stockport County who have managed to do one better than Wrexham and actually won League Two, without the Hollywood backing."

It's no secret that Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds have injected plenty of money into the football club since they took over.

As per the club's official website, the latest financial accounts show parent company The RR McReynolds Company, LLC, owned by the two actors, is owed nearly £9m in loans.

McAnuff hails 'hardworking' Wrexham players

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “For all the money, the documentaries and the Hollywood stuff, when you watch Wrexham play, they’re a hardworking, organised and very solid football team. They’re very well coached and very well managed.

“Yes, they've had resources to go and buy some of the best players in the league, but they have to then go and produce, and those players have done that.

“To go from promotion last year, with all the pressure and expectation which isn't easy, and to do what they've done this year, I actually don't think they get the credit they deserve.

“Sometimes it’s too easy to say they've just had all that money thrown at them. Of course, it's a factor, but you still have to go and deliver.”

An integral part of Wrexham's success yet again has been Paul Mullin, despite the star striker missing the first six weeks of the season after suffering a collapsed lung and four broken ribs on the club's US summer tour.

After grabbing a brace against Forest Green, he is now second on the League Two top scorers list with 23 goals.

The only player ahead of Mullin is a familiar opponent in Notts County's Macaulay Langstaff, who has netted 26 times.

However, as per BBC Sport, Mullin has the better minutes-per-goal ratio of 124, compared to Langstaff's 145, with the Liverpudlian having played seven fewer games.

McAnuff also praised the Wrexham striker's impressive work rate, holding him up as a shining example to his teammates.

He said: “When you talk about big players stepping up, with Paul Mullin, everyone talks about his goals and that's the first thing that is going to stand out.

“I've been at clubs where we've brought players in on a lot higher wages, and they don’t muck in.

“When I watch him play, he is the hardest worker. He runs his socks off, he leads the line, and it’s the absolute energy that he gives to the rest of the squad.

“They’re going: ‘He's our best player, but he's working as hard, if not harder, than everybody else.’”

If Wrexham are to push on again in League One, then having players in the dressing room with the right mentality will again be key.

Competing at the next level will be tough, but hopefully it will see more pundits queuing up to give the Red Dragons the plaudits they deserve.