Wrexham‘s latest departure, as they look to re-mould ahead of their upcoming Championship campaign, is Luke McNicholas. The 25-year-old has joined Forest Green Rovers on a permanent deal.
An opportunistic place in the goalkeeping union with the Red Dragons has been absent for a large part of two years for McNicholas. Three matches in Wrexham’s 2023/24 EFL Trophy campaign took place during the 25-year-old’s initial loan spell with the Welsh club. The goalkeeper was then bought from Sligo Rovers on a permanent basis following its conclusion, but has not featured for his parent club since.
Hit and Miss Loans
Nine impressive games with Rochdale in the National League last season caught the eye of Forest Green Rovers, who will look to stage a return to the EFL after a third-placed finish and an underwhelming play-off campaign saw The Green just miss out last season. In those nine matches, McNicholas kept six clean sheets but suffered an injury setback, discontinuing this impressive form.
As for previous loan spells, prior to McNicholas’ Wrexham stint, the shot-stopper struggled to make a recorded appearance for Finn Harps in 2021, but followed this up with an impressive 31-game season with Cliftonville the next year as well as a 38-game stretch upon his Sligo Rovers return in 2022/23.
Both Sides Of Summer Business
With an abundance of outgoings already this summer, Forest Green have also lost Ben Tozer to retirement. Emmanuel Osadebe has joined Barnet on a free deal, with Jamie Searle dropping down to the National League South with Eastbourne. Jordon Garrick, Teddy Jenks and Tyrese Omotoye have all seen their contracts expire with the National League side.
Attacking additions from Macclesfield Town, Tre Pembleton and Neil Kengni, have strengthened the Green’s squad. Yahya Bamba has gone the opposite direction as Searle, as the 26-year-old arrives from Eastbourne.
Wrexham themselves have been busy already ahead of a second division return and Championship debut. Danny Ward has immensely strengthened Phil Parkinson’s goalkeeping assets, with a free transfer materialising from Leicester City. Arthur Okonkwo will serve as a back-up option for the Red Dragons, pushing McNicholas into an obvious decision to search for game time elsewhere. The latter was excellent in last season’s League One campaign.
There has been a mass exodus of goalkeeping options for Wrexham however, as Liam Hall, Mark Howard and Bradley Foster have all seen their contracts run out.
Writer’s View
This is a perfectly sensible move for McNicholas. Wrexham’s coup for Danny Ward will see the Championship newcomers boast one of the best keepers in the division. Even if the 25-year-old somehow found himself as a third-choice option, an injury to Ward would result in Okonkwo stepping in seamlessly as a back-up.
Three appearances over two years with Wrexham has not offered McNicholas a great deal of game time. However, an impressive loan spell with Rochdale – prior to the injury – and continuous training in the Welsh side’s goalkeeping department could be massively beneficial ahead of the Forest Green move.
