Roll up, roll up, for RobRyanRed’s End of Season awards.

Some points of order: we don’t have the budget for actual trophies, or the power to gather players together for a big ceremony and so this will have to do for the lot of them.

It’s been a thrilling season full of highs (and only a couple of lows) and so we were both spoilt for choice when it came to handing out RRR’s annual awards.

Without further ado, here are RRR’s 2022-23 End of Season award winners…

NATHAN’S PICKS

Player of the Season: Paul Mullin

It really can’t be anyone else. For as good as Ben Tozer, Luke Young and Elliot Lee have consistently been this season, it’s Mullin. In a league of his own.

Legend status secured already you feel.

Young Player of the Season: Sam Dalby

His development has been one of the most rewarding parts of this record-breaking campaign. With how nip-and-tuck this title race has proven to be, his 98th minute winner at Aldershot was absolutely massive.

Dalby didn’t kick up a fuss as opportunities were limited and I remember the whole team celebrating with him when he scored against Torquay and also against Oldham in the FA Cup. He’s got his head down and has shown a burgeoning partnership for the future alongside Mullin which is encouraging.

Goal of the season: Elliot Lee vs Dorking

This is incredibly subjective and while the pass-and-move plays are aesthetically pleasing, I am almost always looking for a rocket from distance for this award. Honourable mentions to Mullin’s hat-trick goal against Oldham, Luke Young at Maidstone and Tozer against Eastleigh.

Moment of the season: Sam Dalby’s goal at Coventry

Went there with so much hope, rather than expectation, and with the away end packed, to go ahead against a Championship side was pure elation. What followed was an epic cup tie but the limbs after Dalby scored were absolutely immense.

Best away day: Coventry

It has to be. Sheffield United was very fun also but given we won and also my preference for a one-tier away end, I’m going for Coventry.

It was an electric set-up in the away end and we blew them away in that first half. It was a sight to behold.

For hospitality, shout out to Dorking away. Owner and manager Marc White stuck £500 behind the bar of a local pub for away fans and food was top notch. Top class hosts.

Worst away day: Wealdstone

Sun was in our eyes for most of it and one of the only times we went scoreless in a game all season. Flat and forgettable. 

Decent burger outside, though.

Best atmosphere: Boreham Wood (H)

The sense of occasion was something to behold. Even when they scored inside the first minute the atmosphere never faltered and the scenes at the end will never be forgotten. Huge emotion. Huge relief. Far and away the best Racecourse atmosphere of the season.

Will be an ‘I was there’ moment for many years to come.

RICH’S PICKS

Player of the Season: Paul Mullin

It just had to be him. Not just for what he represents on the pitch, but everything he does off it. He is the embodiment of this new Wrexham spirit; a top player with the winning mentality to match, who plays with the heart as if he was born and raised on Crispin Lane.

Mullin is not only a scorer of great goals, but he is a great goalscorer too. A player who gives his all every single week and who it is so easy to take for granted given his gluttony for goals. He has dragged us through the biggest games this season and proven his worth against the very best. It was never any doubt that he’d be the man to get the goals that eventually won us the league title. 

Young Player of the Season: Tom O’Connor

I am not ashamed to admit I owe this young man an apology. I didn’t really get why we’d signed O’Connor last season, now it is hard to imagine life without him.

The midfield metronome played a key role in our strongest spell of the season and established himself as one of the most important players in the squad. Yet, his crowning moment was that makeshift defensive display against Notts County. He’s a player who can play a big part in the years to come as we, hopefully, make our way up the pyramid.

Goal of the season: James Jones vs Altrincham

There have been some brilliant individual goals, but this was total football, Parky-ball straight from the streets of Copa Coedpoeth.

A lot is made of the long-ball approach under Phil Parkinson, but his teams can play football when they need to as well. This goal was Wrexham in full-flow, quite frankly taking the piss as they tore apart Altrincham and had the tidy finish to match. Liquid football.

Moment of the season: Ben Foster’s penalty save vs Notts County

A moment so in line with a cheesy Hollywood script that if someone pitched it to you in a writers room you’d dismiss it as utter nonsense. 

The two best teams in non-league ever, going head-to-head in a title decider. A last minute penalty to swing the pendulum back in Notts County’s favour. A 40-year-old who has only come out of retirement for the last eight games in goal. 

This wasn’t Hollywood though, this was real life.

Best away day: Oldham

The best away wins are the ones you know you didn’t deserve. Oldham were the better side for most of the match, but that counted for nothing by full-time.

Most of the magnificent away following would have just been happy to escape with a point given how the match had gone, instead they got pandemonium when Mullin dispatched his last-second penalty.

Coventry is a close second, but we did actually deserve to win that one.

Worst away day: Chesterfield

It was torrential rain and I’d forgotten my coat. Yet being sat in my car for 40-minutes waiting for Nathan to arrive with my ticket was going to be the highlight.

We were dreadful and comprehensively beaten by a much better team on the day. It really burst the bubble after a good start to the season, but we’d have our revenge.

Best atmosphere: Boreham Wood (H)

We have been spoiled for momentous occasions all season, but this topped them all.

A promotion party in front of a packed Cae Ras, and an outburst of raw emotion and relief that had been bottled up for 15 years.

It was sheer euphoria when that finally whistle finally blew, but even better was being able to enjoy the minutes beforehand when it sunk in that we had actually done it this time.