With the football season at a close and many turning their attention to the summer sports season, Sportin Wales have picked their Welsh football Team of the Season for 2023/24.

One team stands out above the rest in terms of Welsh football this season, as Wrexham completed back-to-back promotions, but there were plenty of individual success stories from the other three teams competing in the English Football League this season.

So, Paul Mullin is in, Elliott Lee is in, but who joins them in the Sportin Wales Team of the Season? Read on to find out…

Carl Rushworth (Swansea)

On loan from Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion, Rushworth has been a mainstay in goal for the Swans this season and has impressed, having taken the step up a division from League One last season with Lincoln City.

Perfectly suited to Luke Williams’ patient possession football, Rushworth has been rewarded with an England U21 call-up to go alongside his supporters’ player of the season and players’ player of the season awards.

Honourable mention: Arthur Okonkwo (Wrexham)

 Max Cleworth (Wrexham)

Since breaking into the Wrexham back three during the festive period, Cleworth has been a vital part of one of League Two’s best defences.

In 2024, the 21-year-old defender has started every league game except for two in early February, popping up with a single goal and assist.

A Wrexham academy graduate, Cleworth’s contribution to his side’s promotion to League One won him his second young player of the year award.

Honourable mention: Eoghan O’Connell (Wrexham)

Nat Phillips (Cardiff City)

Another defender who has had a significant impact in a short space of time, Phillips only joined Cardiff City in January, having spent the first half of the season on loan at Celtic.

The Liverpool loanee quickly established himself as the leader of the back four and was instrumental in Cardiff’s excellent run of form in late February and early March, that had fans dreaming of a play-off place, albeit briefly.

Honourable Mention: Harry Darling (Swansea)

Ryan Delaney (Newport County)

An up-and-down season at Rodney Parade may have gone very differently had their talismanic captain not suffered a season-ending knee injury in February.

Before suffering his injury, Delaney was an integral part of a 7-game unbeaten run that had brought Newport to the brink of the play-offs.

After Delaney was confirmed to be out for the season, his side only won four of their last 15 games, losing the other eleven and fading into mid-table obscurity.

Honourable Mention: Scott Bennett (Newport County)

Perry Ng (Cardiff City)

A second consecutive players’ player of the season was just reward for another excellent season in blue for Ng.

Tenacious in defence with added attacking threat – six goals and four assists this season – means that the right-back ends the Championship season as his side’s joint-top goal scorer, with forwards Karlan Grant and Kion Etete.

Whether Ng is still playing football at the Cardiff City Stadium next season is a different question, however, with manager Erol Bulut admitting that there is plenty of interest in the defender.

Honourable Mention: Ryan Barnett (Wrexham)

James McClean (Wrexham)

Not the only player Wrexham have lured down from the higher divisions, McClean has looked a class above on the left-hand side of Wrexham’s attack this season.

The left wing-back has been a revelation for the Dragons, laying on ten assists and scoring three more. Such has his influence been that the Republic of Ireland international captained the club on six occasions in his first season at Y Cae Ras.

Honourable Mention: Josh Key (Swansea)

Thomas O’Connor (Wrexham)

Forgive Sportin Wales a bit of a fudge here, as O’Connor has played mostly at centre-half this season but spells as Wrexham’s deepest central midfielder have won him a place in this team.

An ultra-reliable presence, O’Connor’s broken foot coincided with a run of three straight defeats, Wrexham’s only real blip in form throughout the season.

Honourable Mention: Matt Grimes (Swansea)

Andy Cannon (Wrexham)

Cannon’s scintillating late season form earns him a spot in this team ahead of departing legend Luke Young and Jordan Davies, who has become more of a bit part player this season.

Five goals and a further two assists in key victories over Mansfield Town, Crewe Alexandra, and Stockport County cement the former Hull City midfielder’s place in this team.

Honourable Mention: Rubin Colwill (Cardiff)

Elliott Lee (Wrexham)

Not many can overshadow Paul Mullin but, for most of the season, Elliott Lee has out-performed Wrexham’s main man.

Thirteen goals and a couple of assists at the start of the season kick-started Wrexham’s promotion charge, ending with 16 in all competitions.

While Lee has had to revert back to his supporting role with the return of Mullin, he was integral to his side throughout, appearing in every league game, starting them all except for two substitute appearances.

Honourable Mention: Bryn Morris (Newport County)

Will Evans (Newport County)

Evans has had a career year at Rodney Parade, scoring 21 league goals, over a third of his team’s overall tally.

The former Bala Town striker struggled last season, scoring just two league goals and often playing away from his favoured position, but has produced some memorable performances this campaign.

It was no coincidence that, as the goals started to dry up for Evans at the end of the season, Newport’s form took a turn for the worse.

Honourable Mention: Liam Cullen (Swansea)

Paul Mullin (Wrexham)

Having missed the start of the season with that freak punctured lung injury against Manchester United in preseason, some may have forgiven Mullin a slow start to his return to League Two.

A brace in his third appearance of the season against Crewe kick-started a run of 10 goals and five assists over the Christmas period.

While he finished behind his old striking foe Macaulay Langstaff in the League Two top-scorers’ charts, 24 goals and a further six assists was enough for Mullin to take home Wrexham’s player of the season.

Honourable Mention: Ollie Palmer (Wrexham)

 

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