Ben Foster has predicted how Wrexham will fare in League Two next season after their promotion from the National League.
In March, Foster came out of retirement to return to the Red Dragons on a short-term contract at the age of 39 amid a goalkeeping crises and helped the club become champions with a record 111 points tally.
The former England goalkeeper made eight appearances and memorably saved a 96th minute penalty against Notts County in April.
He has yet to decide whether he will stay on for next season, where Wrexham will be playing in the Football League for the first time since 2008.
But irrespective whether or not he can be convinced by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Foster is tipping Wrexham for a second consecutive promotion under Phil Parkinson.
He feels as though plenty of Wrexham’s players are of League One or even Championship quality, with the likes of Paul Mullin and Ben Tozer dropping down leagues to play at the Racecourse Ground.
Foster also pointed towards strong outings against Coventry and Sheffield United in the FA Cup, where Wrexham ran the Championship’s second best side very close over two legs.
“I think we’ll do alright, I really do,” Foster said on The Fellas podcast.
“That first day of training when I got to see them, I thought ‘ooh, there’s no way you’re National League’. I genuinely thought they’d do alright in League One, and maybe even in the Championship they’d hold their own.
“Wrexham last season beat Coventry in the FA Cup, held Sheffield United to a 3-3 draw and they scored a last-minute equaliser, and they only just narrowly lost in the reverse fixture as well. So they know how to play these types of players and they will step up their game when they need to.
“I’ve already seen a stat that says Wrexham are favourites to get promoted already. We’ve just been promoted, and now we’re favourites to go up again. I’d back that as well… I’d back that because they’re ballers.”
In the same podcast, Foster claimed all 20 Premier League goalkeepers would struggle in the National League because of the physicality involved.
He also revealed the cost of Wrexham’s insane Las Vegas promotion party trip and said the Welsh outfit wouldn’t need too many reinforcements in the summer despite releasing 11 players.
He explained: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed three players, three or four players maximum. But it’ll be real quality players that can actually improve the squad.”
Wrexham are indeed the bookies’ favourites to win the League Two title, with some offering odds of 7/2.
Stockport County are second with odds of 6/1 after losing the League Two play-off final to Carlisle on penalties at Wembley, while Notts County are third favourites.
