LUKE YOUNG committed to battle for his spot in the team, and the Wrexham captain feels he is there to stay after working his way back into Phil Parkinson’s plans.
Last season, the midfielder started 34 of the first 35 league games, missing only the 2-0 defeat at Chesterfield in August, but he was limited to four substitute appearances in the final 11 games as Wrexham clinched automatic promotion back to the Football League after a 15-year absence.
Young, a battler on the pitch, stated in the summer that he would fight even harder to get back into the team when Wrexham began the new League Two season, but he was not selected in the squad for the opening day defeat to MK Dons.
Young, on the other hand, has appeared in every game since, recording eight starts and two substitute appearances across all competitions.
The 30-year-old has started the last six games and scored his first goal of the season in last Saturday’s 2-1 home triumph over Doncaster Rovers.
There is plenty of competition in the Reds’ midfield, and while Young is relieved to be back, he refuses to be complacent and understands he must keep performing.
“It’s always disappointing not to be picked and not to be involved,” said Young, who joined The STóK Cae Ras from Torquay United in the summer of 2018 and is the squad’s longest serving player, along with goalie Rob Lainton.
“You just have to do your best to try to get back into the team.”
“Whenever I come on or play, I give everything I have and try to be the best version of myself in order to help the team as much as possible.”
“At the end of the day, it is about the team, and doing that helps the team.”
“I had to wait my turn, and I had a nice run in the team the last five or six games, but everyone is itching to play.”
“We have so much talent in the squad that you have to work hard every day in training and every game to keep your spot because people are clamouring to come in and take over.”
“It pushes you to keep performing and playing well, so as long as I keep doing that, hopefully we keep performing well as a group, and if I have to come out for whatever reason, I’ll be itching to get back in.”
“However, I’ll try to stay as long as I can.”
