Wrexham AFC has responded after a deadline-day bid for Harrogate Town striker Luke Armstrong fell through. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were forced to cancel their record transfer after an appeal.
Wrexham have issued an apology to Harrogate Town striker Luke Armstrong after his transfer deadline day move fell through. The club, co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, was unable to submit the required documentation before the deadline and has subsequently stated that they will not appeal the decision.
Armstrong was set to join the Welsh club after both clubs agreed on a club record fee of £500,000 late on deadline day. The teams announced the agreement late in the evening, just before the 11 p.m. deadline.
To the dismay of both fans and the team, the English Football League (EFL) ruled that the agreement could not be finalized since the necessary paperwork had not been completed in time.
Armstrong, who scored 16 goals in League Two last season, has been compelled to stay at Harrogate until the January transfer market opens.
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ollowing the ordeal Wrexham sought to lodge an appeal against the decision, but has since decided against taking action after deciding that they would be unlikely to be successful.
“Having reviewed the additional information received from the EFL and considered this in the context of the submission of the documents for the transfer of Luke Armstrong from Harrogate Town, the Club have determined there is no reasonable chance of success if we were to appeal the EFL’s decision to reject the transfer,” Wrexham said in a statement.
“Now this decision has been made, we wish to apologise to Luke as we were unable to complete the transfer by the deadline and Harrogate Town, who we are sure will be as disappointed as we are that the transfer will not now be completed in this window. The Club will be reviewing the circumstances and processes that have led to this outcome with all the relevant parties.
The news will come as a blow to Wrexham fans with the club in need of a striker following Paul Mullin’s injury. The club’s top scorer last season, with 46 goals, helped the team to a league title and gaining promotion back into the English football league.
Mullin was injured during Wrexham’s pre-season tour of the United States during a friendly game against Manchester United. The forward was involved in a collision with former United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop and suffered a punctured lung.
Mullin is expected to be out of action for several weeks, leaving Wrexham in short supply of attacking options to play alongside Ollie Palmer. Phil Parkinson’s team faces Doncaster in League Two next on Saturday.
