On-loan Arsenal keeper Arthur Okonkwo was suffering a dismal spell between the sticks when one of Wrexham’s co-chairman took it upon himself to intervene.
Okonkwo was called in by the Hollywood-owned Welsh club following former England keeper Ben Foster’s shock re-retirement four games into the League Two season. The 22-year-old adjusted to the pressures of England’s fourth division well, but an atypical dip in individual form coincided with a poor run for Phil Parkinson’s side shortly after the new year.
Wrexham suffered a four-game losing streak, starting with a 1-0 loss to Newport County in the league and followed by a Fourth Round FA Cup exit against Blackburn Rovers and losses to Salford City and Bradford.
The string of defeats threatened to upset the club’s automatic promotion push. But during the tribulation, Okonkwo received a word of encouragement from Wrexham’s Hollywood co-chairman.
“That’s when this number flashed up on my phone, saying ‘Los Angeles’,” Okonkwo told the Athletic. “I worked out pretty quickly it was either Rob or Ryan. It was Rob, who said, ‘You’ve been great, just keep doing what you’re doing’. It was so good to get a call from your (co-)chairman, knowing he’s right behind you at all times. You don’t get that at a lot of clubs.”
McElhenney’s trust in the youngster was vindicated as Okonkwo helped secure automatic promotion to League One for the north Wales club, marking the first time in the club’s 160-year history that the Red Dragons secured back-to-back promotions.
The goalkeeper has become a firm fan favourite this season after former Manchester United keeper and National League promotion hero Foster went back into retirement following a frenetic start to life in League Two.
Okonkwo’s contract with Arsenal expired this month, and free agency is expected to inspire a swathe of interested clubs looking to procure the signature of the highly-rated shot-stopper. Wrexham fans will be hoping that their co-owner’s faith in their promotion hero will manifest into a permanent move.
Asked about the future, Okonkwo told the Athletic: “I haven’t looked too much into things at the moment. But I will, very soon. It is about looking at all my opportunities and seeing which is the best for me. I’ve loved it at Wrexham and they will stay in my heart forever. It’s more of a waiting game now and seeing what is the right move for myself.”
He added: “I went to say my goodbyes at Arsenal the other day. That was tough, knowing I won’t be there any more. I’d been there so long. But it does feel like the right time. The club is doing so well.
“You have to be one of the best to play for Arsenal. I have to follow my own career path and do what I need to do for myself. There are no hard feelings, we ended things very well. I had an incredible time — 14 years and I can still remember the first day I joined.
“I can never be more grateful to the club for what they have given me. And, you never know how football works, I could be back there one day.”
