'Everyone told me not to!' - Ollie Palmer reveals why he signed for Wrexham and insists it wasn't because of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

The striker joined the Red Dragons in 2022 when they were still in the National League, making a significant step down from playing in League One with Wimbledon. The Welsh club's profile was on the rise at the time as Hollywood actors Reynolds and McElhenney completed their takeover two years prior.

However, Palmer said it was the mood within the club's fanbase and the team's ambition to rise up the leagues that convinced him to make the move, even though many people told him it was no a good decision for his career.

"When I spoke to Phil Parkinson, I hate saying he was selling it to me because he didn’t really need to," he told CBS Sports. "He explained to me what the club’s vision was and where they wanted to go. It was not about the owners, but about the fans, the football club, the community and what they had been through, and where they now wanted to go. Obviously the owners coming in did have had a huge impact on that. They’ve invested heavily, and they have done more than what people realise, including myself, and I just realised it was a real sleeping giant."

He added: "It's probably the best move I made in my career. Ironically it was a move that everyone was telling me not to do before I signed because I was dropping down to leagues, but I'd spoken to the manager and I knew where the club were trying to go and they're still heading in that direction now."

Palmer's decision has been vindicated as Wrexham achieved consecutive promotions to ensure his return to League One. The forward and his team-mates will begin their pre-season preparations with a tour of the United States and Canada, where they will come up against Bournemouth, Chelsea and Vancouver Whitecaps.