PHIL PARKINSON hailed Paul Mullin after winning a record-breaking third consecutive Player of the Season award but the Reds' boss believes a number of players were in contention to land the top gong.

Despite missing the start of the campaign due to a punctured lung he suffered in pre-season, star striker Mullin played a key role as Wrexham  secured a top-three finish in League Two to make it back-to-back promotions for the first time in the club's history.

Mullin scored 26 goals in all competitions, with 24 coming in the league, and he became the first player ever to win the award three times.

Andy Cannon was second while Elliot Lee finished third in the supporter vote, but Parkinson believes there would have been even more names on the shortlist.

"A lot of people asked me who I thought was going to win it," said Parkinson, who was present at the End of Season Awards at William Aston Hall along with all his players and staff.

"It must have been a close call because there were a lot of contenders.

"As the lads were being called up on stage one-by-one to get the medals for finishing second, you realised how many of them could hold their heads up high and say they've had really strong seasons.

"There were a lot of contenders but that's what you need.

"You want the Player of the Season to be a difficult decision and there were a lot of people who could have won it."

Mullin also took home the Top Goalscorer award for a third time in a row. 

The 29-year-old  arrived at The Racecourse from Cambridge United in the summer of 2021 and hit the century goals mark for Wrexham when he struck in the 2-1 win at Colchester United on April 6.

It was one of a number of crucial goals in the run-in - Mullin claimed the League Two Player of the Month award for March when he hit seven goals in six games - as a number of teams challenged for automatic promotion.

Wrexham stepped up to the plate, winning the final five games to finish runners-up, and Parkinson says Mullin once again proved he is the player for the big occasion. 

"I am delighted for Mulls to get it. he got goals at such important times for us again," added Parkinson.

"Talking about his goal ratio and crossing that 100-goal barrier in the amount of games he's done it, he is chasing down records all the time and it is a phenomenal return.

"Prior to coming to us, he had that great season at Cambridge as well so he has really shown a consistency in his game and I think he has really got a determination about him to push on again next season."