Elliot Lee has been one of League Two’s top players thus far this season
The midfielder is flourishing both on and off the field, as he promotes local charitable activities. A longstanding joke in the Wrexham locker room is that Elliot Lee will continue to be active in North Wales long after his playing days are gone, whether it’s painting the walls or cleaning the bathrooms if necessary.
‘I always joke around with the lads and I always say that I’ll still be in Wrexham whether I’m kit man or I’m in the stands!’ Lee laughs. ‘I’ll still be here in 10, 20, 30 years time. I’m very much an adopted Wrexham boy now and I just love it.’
In his interview with Mail Sport, Lee is beaming as he discusses life in Wrexham, the club’s recently released Disney+ documentary series, and his season-long aspirations, both on and off the field.
‘From top to bottom, the club is just unbelievable,’ he adds. ‘The owners, the staff, the manager, the coaches, the lads, the physios, the chefs, the groundsmen, everyone. I get on so well with all of them. I go in with a smile on my face every day and all I want to do is just keep building on what we’ve already built.’
Lee, the son of former Newcastle and England star Rob, has been Wrexham’s best player this season, with seven goals from the opening eight league games. He has taken a significant step forward in his game, despite Paul Mullin’s sideline due to a lung injury. Lee scored 12 goals last season, leading to a record-breaking promotion from the National League. He is currently on pace for 40 goals. Lee credits his improvement on the pitch to his mental work with Rob Blackburne, a coach at Inner Game Academy, which has changed his perspective on the football pitch and off it. He attributes his improvement on the pitch to Rob, as he has changed his perspective on the game and his approach to games and away from football.
Lee has been one of Wrexhams best players this season having scored 7 goals in 8 appearances
‘I’m much happier in myself and I absolutely love going into training every day at Wrexham. I love playing in front of the fans. I love stepping out on the field every weekend. I don’t know if that’s more of a part of why I’m doing well because I enjoy it so much.’
Lee has gained a lot of admirers in Wrexham, and many of them want to see a mural of him painted in the city to complement the well-liked Paul Mullin illustration that is located on the side of the Fat Boar bar and eatery.
Lee has always been well-liked wherever he has gone, especially at Luton Town and Charlton Athletic, but when asked to describe the football mania he is feeling in Wrexham, he immediately thinks of one specific team to use as a point of comparison.
Because of the fervent fan support, “[my family] always compares Wrexham to Newcastle on a smaller scale,” he explains.
‘The community is so passionate that when the football club is doing well, everything’s going well, everyone’s happy and when it’s down everyone’s a bit down. The whole town revolves around the football and that’s such a great thing.
‘It was exactly the same with Newcastle. The support you get from all the people around Newcastle is so similar to at Wrexham. They live and breathe football and the football club is the heart of the community and I think that’s what’s been so special as well for my family to see.
‘It’s sort of like when my dad got all the support from all the Newcastle fans and now I’m sort of getting that with Wrexham. They’re very similar clubs in that respect.’
Lee’s situation is perfect right now, and it’s telling that much of his current joy is a result of his volunteer work in the neighborhood.
Despite his impressive performance on the pitch, including seven league goals in eight games, he is dedicated to addressing food poverty and donating to the community.
Wrexham midfielder Lee has been approached by Dom Warren, founder of surplus food charity Dom’s Food Mission, to become an ambassador. Lee, who was promoted back to the Football League in May, expressed his interest in the charity and its mission. In the last two years, Dom’s Food Mission has prevented 200 metric tons of food from landfill, redirecting it to within communities, resulting in 500,000 meals salvaged. The charity is also promoting the cause through football communities, with a slogan called Boot Hunger Out. Lee is excited about the potential of Wrexham as a squad to contribute to the cause, from signed balls for auction to securing co-chairmen Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney on board. He plans to force them to join the cause soon, with a smile often seen in North Wales this season.
The ‘Boot Hunger Out’ charity is aiming to involve Wrexham’s co-chairmen Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in spreading its message about football.
Wrexham, who were promoted to the Premier League alongside Stockport County, are focusing on charity and community. Mullin has been working with Your Space to raise awareness for autism, while captain Ben Tozer is campaigning for Leukaemia UK after his father’s death. Lee believes that the world has become a negative place sometimes, and everyone should help each other. The club’s performance on and off the pitch is proving to be a source of happiness for Lee.
