MICKEY THOMAS has lifted the lid on where he thinks it has all gone wrong for Wrexham.

The Reds are facing up to an 11th season in non-league football after the promotion challenge has faded badly at the business end of the campaign.

They head into the last day of the season needing something of a football miracle to sneak into the end of season play-offs.

They must beat visitors AFC Fylde by three goals at The Racecourse and hope Boreham Wood lose by three goals at home to bottom of the table Guiseley, and that Bromley and Dover don't win their games.

Manager Dean Keates’ departure in March has hurt Wrexham badly but Racecourse legend Thomas insists the players on the pitch have to take responsibility for the decline.

“A lot of people behind the scenes are working hard to get it right,” said Thomas.

“But the quality on the pitch has been very disappointing. We don’t look like winning games.

“As a team you have got to take responsibility and we have not been good enough.

“The manager gives you instructions but once you are on the pitch, you are responsible for your performance.

“The manager can’t do anything on the pitch, the players have to take charge of the situation and we have not been good enough.”

Although they have kept a club record 21 league clean sheets, Wrexham have only scored 49 goals in 45 league games.

Thomas feels not scoring enough has impacted on the amount of wins with Wrexham drawing 18 times, the joint highest amount in the division with Gateshead.

Chris Holroyd (13) and Scott Quigley (8) have scored nearly half the goals but Thomas feels the strikers have lacked support from other areas.

“Defensively we have been strong but it is all about winning,” said Thomas. “Goals win games and scoring goals has been a massive problem.

“You can’t put the blame on the strikers, you have to contribute from all areas.

“I was a midfielder and you have got to gamble, get in the 18-year box and support the strikers but we have not had that.

“The strikers have been starved, the quality of balls and service from wide areas has not been good enough.”

Thomas can’t believe the promotion challenge has stuttered so badly, with Wrexham taking just six points from a possible 24 since Andy Davies - assistant to Keates - took over as manager.

“It is sad,” said Thomas. “We were in touch for for automatic promotion and in touch for the play-offs, now it is out of our control.

“The Trust, manager and players all want to be back in the Football League but it is not going to happen.

“Where did it go wrong? Well, we weren’t good enough. The table doesn’t lie.

“It is a hard league to get out of but I though the extra play-off places would have helped.

“It is easy to point the blame but we all want the same thing.”

Wrexham, who were relegated to the fifth tier in 2008, created a lot of history during their 87 year stay in the Football League and Thomas hopes it is only a matter of time before there is success for supporters to celebrate.

“The younger generation don’t know about the Football League, they only hear things in the history of Wrexham that we were a great club and won things in the league,” added Thomas.

“There is a reason why we are where we are. I am frustrated, everyone is disappointed, we need to get back in the league. People keep coming back to The Racecourse hoping it will be our year.

“I feel for the fans, they are the best in the league and the most passionate, you have to give them credit.”