Rathbone’s Resilience: A Comeback Story in Wrexham’s Journey

Oliver Rathbone joined Wrexham in 2024 and, during his first season, made 41 appearances, helping the team secure promotion to the Championship. However, he faced a significant setback over the summer when he sustained a serious ankle injury, shortly after being named the club’s Player of the Season. This injury left him heartbroken, leading him to contemplate retirement, a decision he was persuaded to reconsider by his parents.

After scoring a vital goal as a substitute against Watford on December 13, Rathbone described himself as a “forgotten man”. He also netted the winning goal for Wrexham against Preston on Monday night. Following his comeback, Rathbone took to LinkedIn to share his journey, posting two contrasting images: one depicting him limping off the pitch during pre-season due to his injury and the other of him celebrating a 90th-minute equalizer in his first league appearance of the season.

He reflected on his experiences, stating, “There are 150 days between the two photos below. The picture on the left is me limping off the pitch in pre-season with a serious ankle injury. The picture on the right is me scoring a 90th-minute equaliser two minutes after coming on in my first league appearance of the season.”

Rathbone described the time in between as the most challenging of his career, filled with struggles to regain his fitness and a series of setbacks that left him feeling out of the team. He admitted to feeling sorry for himself during this difficult period but acknowledged the vital role his parents played in keeping him motivated. “I told my parents one afternoon how fed up I was and how I was close to completely sacking it off. They looked at me and said, ‘Oliver, that’s not you and it’s definitely not us.’ They made me promise to stay positive, give my all, and ensure I was ready for my chance when it came. The fact they were there to see that goal made it even more special; it only happened because of them.”

Acknowledging the emotional toll of his recovery, Rathbone expressed that he sometimes felt “a million miles away” from the pitch during his rehabilitation. He emphasized that hard work was the key to his return to form: “I didn’t think when I was getting Player of the Year in May that my next minutes would be in December. It has been really tough. I missed all of pre-season due to the injury, and subsequent minor setbacks made it even more difficult. I’ve worked diligently and maintained an ultra-professional attitude. I chose not to complain and simply focused on my efforts.”

He further stated, “Resilience is crucial at this stage in my career, especially to play as many games as I have. The support from my family has been incredible during this challenging time. It has been tough, and there were moments when I felt like the forgotten man. However, I hope to build on this momentum. All I want is to feel like a part of this team and help us achieve success.”

Currently, Wrexham sits in 11th place in the Championship, trailing Watford by just four points, who holds the last play-off spot for promotion to the Premier League. Following the victory against Preston, manager Phil Parkinson expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “I’m very pleased. It was important that we backed up the Boxing Day win and performance, and we spoke to the lads about that mentality. Tonight was about responding to a commendable performance against Sheffield United and demonstrating accountability both individually and collectively. I felt we did that well.”