Bonnie Tyler doesn’t feature among the pre-match medley of songs played at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground.
But maybe a space should be found for the Welsh singer’s hit ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ among the admittedly rousing roll call of club and country anthems that invariably includes ‘Wrexham is the Name’, Dafydd Iwan’s ‘Yma o Hyd‘ and ‘Always Sunny in Wrexham’ by the Declan Swans.
Certainly, Wrexham are searching for new heroes after a summer of change that saw 13 new players arrive and a host of fan favourites depart, including Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer. Elliot Lee, another whose club-legend status is assured after helping Wrexham to three consecutive promotions, is yet to play even a minute in the Championship this season.
All three players had their own dedicated songs, meaning their absence has been keenly felt in terms of the atmosphere.
During Wrexham’s charge up the leagues, all it took was a quick burst of ‘Super Paul Mullin’ or Lee’s ‘White Pele’ tribute to get things going during a lull in play. This time around, however, it’s been different as the fans get to know their new players.
Maybe that’s about to change with the chants of “Ohhh, Issa Kabore…” ringing around, first, the Tech End and then the Mold Road Stand during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Derby County.
Supporters rose to hail the Manchester City loanee when making his way round the edge of the pitch after being substituted with 10 minutes remaining. It was well deserved, the Burkina Faso international having shone for the second week running down Wrexham’s right flank.
Kabore provided a wonderful cross with pinpoint accuracy and pace, allowing Lewis O’Brien to time his run to perfection from midfield and break the deadlock with the deftest of headers just before the hour. He also put in sufficient hard yards to ensure Derby enjoyed little joy down his wing, earning fulsome praise from manager Phil Parkinson.
Wrexham celebrate Lewis O’Brien’s goal against Derby (Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
“Issa was brilliant again today,” said the 57-year-old. “It’s not just his quality. It’s also how he fights for every ball. He’s tenacious and wants to win. He’s a great signing for us, plays with real heart and commitment.
“I really liked that when we watched him. He runs back as quickly as he goes forward and I’d say that goal will be up there with the contenders for the best goals in the Championship today.”
Perhaps the best indication of the energy Kabore, 24, brought to Wrexham’s play against Derby is the map below, with more than a third of his touches coming in the final third of the pitch.
Considering how integral the two wing-back roles are to how Wrexham play under Parkinson, Kabore’s ability to get up and down the flank at speed is a major plus. As is the quality he shows on the ball, with almost all his passes successful against Derby.
He also provided eight crosses (three successful), comfortably the highest individual tally in the match.
It was a similar story on debut at Norwich a week earlier when his nine crosses were three times more than anyone else on the field. His two assists for Josh Windass and Ryan Longman played a big part in Wrexham prevailing 3-2 at Carrow Road.
Along with a third assist in Wrexham colours on Saturday, by rights he should also have helped reduce Derby to 10 men when Ebou Adams, already on a booking, hacked him down but escaped with a warning from referee Tom Nield, who earlier had missed a blatant red card for Wrexham’s O’Brien.
No wonder the Racecourse fans have already fallen for someone now into his seventh loan spell away from the Etihad Stadium since joining from Belgian side Mechelen five years ago.
Those loans include top-flight experience in the Premier League (Luton Town), Bundesliga (Werder Bremen), Ligue 1 (Marseille and Troyes) and Liga Portugal (Benfica).
Such a notable pedigree being backed up by an impressive debut meant there was a tangible buzz in the 10,613 crowd when Kabore received the ball against Derby. That, in turn, helped an atmosphere that in the first month of the season has been strangely lacking.
Partly this could be down to results, with Wrexham’s previously imperious home record taking a dent via defeats by West Bromwich Albion and QPR, and a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday that, without a stoppage-time save from Danny Ward, would have gone the way of the visitors.
But a lack of identifiable heroes following the departure of so many promotion heroes could also have been a factor.
That will change, as supporters get to know the new arrivals. Already, Kieffer Moore has proved a hit with five goals, while Windass has been another summer signing to make an instant impact.
O’Brien, too, though perhaps the less said the better about the midfielder’s X-rated challenge on Derby’s Adams that really should have brought a red card rather than yellow.
Kabore, however, seems to have most caught the eye of the Racecourse regulars, judging by the chant in his honour that rang out loud and proud following his substitution on Saturday.
“Without doubt, the fans feed off things like that,” said Parkinson. “The atmosphere was where we needed it to be, to make it an intimidating place for the opposition to play.”
(Top photo: Issa Kabore and Phil Parkinson at Norwich City on September 20. Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images)
