Max Cleworth: The last National League survivor in Wrexham as Hollywood watches

Cleworth is the last link to the “bad old days of the National League” as Football Day host Carl Roberts called them.

Cleworth has missed just three games in all competitions this season and played a significant role in key moments such as scoring Wrexham’s first goal in League One, 19 years after they last played at this level.

While the ‘Icons’ came and went, Cleworth became the quiet beating heart of the club’s defensive development.

This process continued in the January transfer window with the arrival of Zak Fenner, 28, from Bristol City, an experienced defender who has made more than 260 Championship appearances, highlighting the level at which Wrexham are now operating – a far cry from playing alongside semi-professional players on their days off in Solihull.

Euan Roberts praised new recruit Fenner: “I’ve seen a lot of him. He’s big and strong. He’s a great professional. Great to work with, great attitude. He wants to learn, he wants to improve on a daily basis. He trains like he’s playing.”

While Fox added: “I think he actually surprised me with his age when I saw it because I played against him a few times. I played against him at both Burnley and Stoke when he was at Bristol City and Rotherham.

“He’s always been a midfielder, and he stood out to me to be so good at Championship level. It felt like he’d been there for years. He’s been playing for Bristol City since he was a young lad. That number of games at this level is astonishing for a player who’s only 28 years old.”

Vyner’s arrival provides competition, but it is also a measure of Cleworth’s progress. Once the young representative, he is now the one who sets the standards that newcomers must reach.

As Fox pointed out, even in the National League, “the club was always buying players at the top level.”

Should promotion happen again, another ‘very busy summer’ awaits, with Premier League preparations the goal.

Parkinson had the same opinion, saying: “Max is like a team in general. If you stand still, someone steps in and takes your place.

“So he knows that and it’s important that there’s an extra bit of pressure on everyone in the group. And you know, Max is the kind of kid that’s going to continue to lead himself.”

The Cleworth continues to ‘go the extra mile’ and its durability is outstanding. Having signed a new long-term contract in January, it appears he has certainly not been ‘left behind’.

He may be the last survivor of the pre-Hollywood era, but he is not a relic of those times, but rather an essential part of what Wrexham has become.

As the team seeks a fourth successive promotion, Cleworth stands as a bridge between eras: from Solihull Moors, to St Mary’s, to the brink of the Premier League.

His story is woven into Wrexham’s rise and it appears it is far from over as Hollywood cameras watch this star’s continued rise.