Wrexham AFC player decision looms and AFC Wimbledon need to be on red-alert | OneFootball

Wrexham could let former record signing leave for childhood club this summer

A key figure in Wrexham’s promotion from the National League may get to return to his childhood club sooner than expected. Ollie Palmer is among the many big contributors to the Red Dragons' initial rise up the EFL pyramid in 2022-23, though he’s seen little action in League One this season as Phil Parkinson’s men seek a third successive promotion.

Since his team’s 3-2 defeat to Stevenage on January 28, Palmer hasn’t featured in a single League One contest. His only appearance since then came off the bench, playing the final 30 minutes of their 4-1 Vertu Trophy triumph over Port Vale in February.

Palmer is among the big decisions owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and management, Parkinson, must make regardless of which division they wind up in next season.

Ollie Palmer’s Wrexham contract

Like many players that have joined the club since the takeover, Palmer came to Wrexham with a wealth of experience in the higher tiers, with over 200 League Two appearances and more than 40 League One caps.

The Red Dragons signed him to a three-and-a-half-year contract for a then-club-record fee of £300,000, according to the BBC. His contract was due to expire last summer, but the club decided to extend it until the 2025-26 campaign.

Palmer had initially rejected a contract offer with Wrexham in 2022, telling the London Press on January 28, 2022: "The club agreed the figure [with Wrexham], but I had originally turned down the contract. I was saying to Wimbledon that I was very happy, but they just needed to offer me a new and long-term deal – which they weren’t willing to do.

"In the end, I had to weigh everything up and say: ‘I am technically out of contract right now, I have got another club offering me a long-term deal, and Wimbledon have gone down the road of signing younger players.

"If I hit a certain amount of games, that would have given me another year on my contract, but I wanted another year or two on top of that.

“Robbo (Mark Robinson) pulled me in before the two clubs agreed a fee, and he said how much he valued me and how much he wanted me to stay. I told Robbo how much I loved the club and wanted to stay – we had a very good heart-to-heart."

Palmer went on to say in that January 2022 interview with the London Press that: "I spoke to Joe Palmer [chief executive officer] the day before I left, and he wished me well and told me how much he loved having me. He’s been great with me, too."

On February 28, 2022, AFC Wimbledon announced on their website that Joe Palmer had stepped down as CEO to pursue other career opportunities. A month later on March 28, the Daily Mail reported that the club and Mark Robinson had parted ways by mutual consent.

Wimbledon didn't win a single League One fixture following Palmer's departure, leading to their relegation.

Ollie Palmer’s contributions to Wrexham

Together with Paul Mullin, who came to Wrexham a few months before Palmer, both players made a massive impact on the club in 2022-23, helping them edge out Notts County for the National League title.

Palmer and Mullin combined to score over 50 goals between them in that title-winning campaign, nearly half of their entire output that season (111).

Interestingly, their top three contributors statistically that campaign could all be gone by the summer despite each of them being under contract beyond this season.

Ollie Palmer lacking consistency

As good as Palmer was in his first campaign, the 33-year-old hasn’t been able to stay consistently sharp in the attacking third since then.

Despite his vast experience in League Two from seasons' past, he only netted seven goals for the Red Dragons in 2023-24, while he’s only scored three goals in League One in this campaign.

Palmer has struggled to create much for this team in the attacking third despite having a decent number of touches per FotMob in the opposition’s box (75). His role in their current League One promotional aspirations have been minimal as they sit second in the table down the season’s stretch.

He’s been strong in the air, winning 55.5% of his aerial duels in League One this season, but hasn’t been very precise with his passing (50.1% pass accuracy), while he’s not been clinical in the attacking third.

Ollie Palmer’s heart is in Wimbledon

Growing up in Epsom, about a 15-minute drive from Wimbledon, playing for the Dons was a dream come true for Palmer. At the same time, when he signed with Wrexham, he left the possibility of a return to the club open, telling the London Press: "Hopefully, one day, I can come back to Plough Lane and get a fantastic reception. The fans are unbelievable, Joe Palmer has been brilliant, and the gaffer, staff and players have all been amazing.

"AFC Wimbledon ranks at the very top of my career – it’s been the best time of my career."

The club’s current manager is Johnnie Jackson, who had this team 21st in League One in his first campaign at the helm in 2022-23 before moving up to 10th the following season, just five points outside the play-offs.

Wimbledon are currently clinging to a play-off spot in League Two, sitting sixth in the table, three points above Grimsby Town, who currently hold the final play-off spot. Meanwhile, only four points separate them from Crewe Alexandra, who are eighth, just outside the play-off spots.

Palmer could bring a wealth of valuable experience to this squad, be it in League One or Two next season. The average age for Jackson’s side this season is 26.5.

Palmer will be 34 next season and could mentor some of the team’s youngsters. Regardless of what division Wrexham are in by then, it seems like it’d be best for him and the club to part company before his contract expires.

The club has been in the hunt for promotion in each of the past two seasons, and you'd think Palmer's experience at Wrexham in these promotional races would be extremely helpful to Jackson and the Dons. It seems like a win-win for both Palmer and Wimbledon and the latter should be on red alert about re-signing him, especially given how much he cares about the club.

Palmer grew up near Plough Lane, and it feels as though he'd be much happier being closer to home.

Should he return to Wimbledon, he may not see the field as much, but you’d think he’d get a lot of joy from helping to groom some of the diamonds in the rough on the team he’s supported.