Paul Mullin injury update: Wrexham return, Phil Parkinson’s fitness status, and will he start vs Grimsby?
FLW has examined the most recent injury news affecting Wrexham’s Paul Mullin.
Wrexham’s return to the English Football League has been up and down.
The Red Dragons made their long-awaited return to the EFL last season and entered current League Two season with great hopes.
Of course, that depends on who owns the football team and what they’ve done since taking over.
Wrexham have progressed from underdogs to a team that everyone wants a piece of, and their recent transfer activity, especially this summer, means they should be competing near the top of League Two this season.
While the players adjust to the new competition, striker Paul Mullin has had to sit back and watch his colleagues play the first few games.
Here at Football League World, we’ve looked into the most recent Mullin news and any injury reports…
Mullin moved from the possibility of playing in League One with Cambridge United to the National League with Wrexham in 2021.
Many thought it was a surprise because Mullin had just scored 32 goals in 46 League Two appearances for Cambridge and was being scouted by a number of EFL clubs.
Mullin, on the other hand, followed a surprising road to non-league and hasn’t looked back since, scoring 64 goals in 84 league matches.
So, when Wrexham won promotion to League Two last season, there was speculation over whether Mullin would maintain his scoring record in the higher league. Mullin’s season was cut short after he suffered a serious injury in the club’s pre-season encounter against Manchester United.
Mullin had a punctured lung after an unintentional collision with Manchester United’s former goalkeeper Nathan Bishop, causing him to miss many weeks of football.
Mullin’s return date was never set in stone because the team was giving him as much time as he needed to rehabilitate.
Mullin spent some of his recovery time at Rob McElhenney’s home in the United States before returning to the United Kingdom.
Wrexham’s transfer dealings took a different route as the club considered replacements for Mullin and signed experienced free agent Steven Fletcher.
Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over Doncaster Rovers was notable not only for the outcome, but also for the return of Mullin in a Wrexham shirt.
The 28-year-old was named to the bench for the encounter, and manager Phil Parkinson brought him on in the 60th minute.
He looked to handle his 30 or so minutes of action well, and he is certain to play again this weekend, though it would be surprising if he started against Grimsby Town.
Mullin’s return will be welcomed by Wrexham fans and the club’s management, but the forward will not be rushed, and he may need a few more games to get back to full fitness.
After the game against Doncaster, Parkinson was asked about when he thinks Mullin will be at his best condition and he told BBC:: “Difficult question, but I thought he looked sharp when he came on.
“For 30 minutes he put a really good shift for the team. He’s a fit lad.”
Obviously, Mullin is probably a few weeks behind still, but the team will be glad he is back on the pitch, and as the games come thick and fast, it will not be long before Mullin is starting games for Wrexham once again.
