Why is Paul Mullin leaving Wrexham? Popular striker joins Wigan on season-long loan

Popular Wrexham striker Paul Mullin, who was the face of the popular show “Welcome to Wrexham” and had become a key fixture at the club as it gained global popularity, may have played his last game for the Red Dragons.

The 30-year-old has joined Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan, both clubs announced, meaning he will spend at least the next campaign away from Racecourse Ground.

After three consecutive promotion campaigns, the move signals an end of an era for the Welsh club and is a statement by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney that sentiment won’t play a factor in their upcoming push for a sensational Premier League position.

The Sporting News details why this move took place, what it means for both club and player, and what Paul Mullin means to Wrexham as he departs the club, possibly for good.

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Why did Paul Mullin leave Wrexham?

Now past the 30-year-old mark, striker Paul Mullin had been slowly phased out of the Wrexham depth chart over the last two seasons.

A regular for the club as they began their move up the English football pyramid from the National League, Mullin played 46 games in the 2022/23 season, scoring 38 goals for the club in the fifth tier of the country’s league setup.

As they moved up the rankings, Mullin slowly struggled more and more to make an impact as others excelled around him.

In League Two, Mullin was still effective, scoring 24 goals in 38 games while assisting eight more, although much of that came across the final two months of the campaign when he exploded to life after a mediocre first two-thirds of the season.

With the club then promoted to League One, it became evident Mullin was struggling to adapt. After recovering from a nasty preseason injury while on tour in the United States, Mullin failed to regain his starting spot, often coming off the bench. He made 27 appearances over the course of the season, but only nine of those starts, scoring just three goals.

He wouldn’t know it at the time, but Mullin’s last game for the club may have come on January 28 when he appropriately scored a goal in a 3-2 defeat to Stevenage. He would exit at halftime with a leg injury and miss the remainder of the campaign.

With the club now in the Championship, Mullin’s talents were no longer a critical component of the club’s squad, and he has been sent on loan to League One side Wigan in the hopes of recapturing his former goal-scoring prowess back down a level.

With Mullin and 38-year-old veteran Steven Fletcher on their way out, Wrexham will lean on a combination of former Burnley and Southampton star Jay Rodriguez, winter signing Sam Smith, journeyman Jack Marriott, young Mo Faal, and Wrexham veteran Ollie Palmer to score the goals up front.

Will Paul Mullin return to Wrexham?

It’s possible that Paul Mullin returns to Wrexham after his loan at Wigan.

The 30-year-old has two years left on his Wrexham contract, meaning once his season-long loan is complete, he could return to the Welsh club to play out the final year of his deal.

The most likely scenario of that happening is if Mullin returns to form at Wigan while Wrexham find themselves relegated back to League One. If they remain in the Championship or even earn yet another promotion, and Mullin doesn’t light League One on fire, it’s hard to see him contributing down the road.

Mullin’s loan deal at Wigan reportedly does not include an option or obligation to buy, meaning the clubs would need to negotiate a deal next summer if he were to stay at Wigan past next season.

Paul Mullin career goals, stats, trophies won for Wrexham

Since joining Wrexham in the summer of 2021 from Cambridge United, Paul Mullin has blossomed into one of the most visible and well-liked players at the club.

He has appeared 165 times for the club, more than any other side in his career, scoring 105 goals and assisting 12 more.

Mullin gained huge popularity amidst both the local fanbase and the largely new following from abroad. His on-field tenacity saw the supporters fall in love, while his personality shined in front of television cameras.