Wrexham AFC should take advantage of Huddersfield Town decision to source Steven Fletcher replacement | OneFootball

Wrexham AFC should seriously consider signing Danny Ward as Steven Fletcher's replacement

Steven Fletcher's departure has left a massive void in the Wrexham AFC squad heading into this summer, and replacing him will not be easy.

The Scotsman was invaluable to this team's meteoric rise since arriving from Dundee United in September 2023. Despite being 36 when signing with the Red Dragons, his energy and contributions, often from the substitutes' bench, were a big reason Phil Parkinson's men will soon be playing Championship football.

Finding someone who can contribute in the second-tier next season in limited action and win the fanbase over will be a tall task. At the same time, there's a player they faced in League One this past season that may fit exactly what the Welsh outfit are looking for in the form of Danny Ward.

Steven Fletcher's massive contributions at Wrexham

Even with all his experience playing in several top tiers, such as the Premier League and Ligue 1, when Steven Fletcher first came to Wrexham, it wasn't exactly a signing that blew people away.

The Shrewsbury-born attacker, though, quickly won over the team and supporters, scoring eight goals in both of his domestic campaigns at the club, while 10 came off the bench, making him one of the best super subs in club history.

Besides Paul Mullin, Fletcher is the only other Red Dragon to score a hat-trick since Parkinson took charge.

“I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to come here and fall back in love with the game! To have had the experiences and the opportunities that this club has given me has been just incredible. And this group of lads are the best that I have ever shared a changing room with,” Fletcher told the BBC when word of his departure was announced.

For someone who played just over 1,000 minutes domestically in 2024-25 (1,047 per Transfermarkt), Fletcher changed the complexion of numerous Wrexham games when they looked lost, while he brought the crowd to their feet with some of his goals.

Whoever takes his place will have to work hard to contribute at the same rate and earn the respect of many fans who were heartbroken by Fletcher’s exit.

Danny Ward can be a consistent contributor off the bench

While Fletcher will be sorely missed, another reliable squad player with a reputation for scoring goals off the bench is on the market.

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Danny Ward would be among nine players departing Huddersfield Town when his contract expires on June 30. He hasn't played a match since December 2024 after sustaining a knee ligament injury.

While he's suffered through knee and hamstring injuries in the past, he's also got over 300 matches' worth of Championship experience, scoring more than 60 goals, and over 30 assists, with many memorable strikes in big moments.

He's come off the bench 116 times in his Championship career and found the back of the net on 18 occasions.

When healthy, he can contribute in various ways. He’s got a combined seven assists in his last three Championship seasons and won 75% of his tackles in that competition a season ago, per FotMob.

He's strong on the ball, can score big goals, and knows what it's like to get a team into the top flight. He netted four times in 18 Championship appearances for Cardiff City, helping them get promoted into the Premier League during the 2017-18 campaign.

At 34, he can probably still start his share of matches, too, which may be needed given how demanding the Championship can be.

Wrexham should sign Danny Ward as Steven Fletcher's replacement

Huddersfield's loss could be Wrexham's gain as Ward checks many boxes for the newly promoted Championship squad.

Parkinson's men are short on experience at this level, and they're down a key contributor off the bench. While many members of the squad know what it takes to earn a promotion, going from the Championship to the top-flight is on a whole other level, and Ward experienced that firsthand and succeeded.

His injury incurred last year may cause some fans to hesitate, and the fact he earned an annual salary of £436,800 at Huddersfield last season, per Salary Sport. That's more than any Wrexham player earned yearly in League One, according to the same outlet.

Even if there are some risks associated with Ward, he's had plenty of time to recover from his previous injury and, like Fletcher, probably won't play more than a half-hour in most matches.

There's no reason to believe Wrexham won't go all in for another promotion next season, and Ward could be a key figure in the squad.

When you weigh the risk and reward of signing Ward, the latter emerges as the clear winner.