INTERVIEW | Josh Windass on winning Player of the Season

0:00 Josh, a huge congratulations.

0:02 Player of the season and top goal scorer of the season for 25-26.

0:07 How are you feeling?

0:09 Yeah, really happy.

0:10 But like I said on stage,

0:12 I think there's a good few players who deserve this award over me,

0:15 but for the fans obviously to recognize what I've done especially

0:18 in the last second half of the season, it's always nice.

0:21 In terms of a debut campaign,

0:23 obviously it wasn't the playoffs that you would have wanted,

0:26 but outside of that can you ask for much more with this group of players?

0:30 Um yeah, I'd be lying if I said I was obviously delighted with the campaign.

0:34 Obviously we came here to get into that top six.

0:36 Unfortunately it wasn't to be.

0:39 But I've had 24 hours to stew over it now and yeah,

0:42 I'm sure next season we'll we'll go one better.

0:44 When we take you back to when you first signed here at the club,

0:47 obviously the players were out in pre-season in Australia and New Zealand.

0:51 What was it like that initial settling in period at Wrexham?

0:54 Yeah, no it was good.

0:56 The squad as soon as I came in, you George Dobson,

0:59 James Jones were there up front.

1:01 The kind of culture drivers of this club welcomed me in with open arms.

1:06 You had Elliot Lee, Ollie Palmer, James McClean still here then,

1:08 so you straight away rubbed off those types of boys

1:11 and and what this place is about and yeah, I've really enjoyed it.

1:14 When you speak about those culture drivers,

1:16 obviously it's very important in the dressing room,

1:17 but how much credit does Phil Parkinson and his staff have to take as well?

1:21 Because as much as you've got to go out and perform,

1:23 they play a massive role behind the scenes, don't they?

1:25 Yeah, like what I just said today about obviously

1:27 the the lads who run the the culture here,

1:30 it all comes from him and the players he's recruited

1:32 and the and the standards that he's set in the last three years,

1:35 obviously winning league after league, getting promoted.

1:38 He's created a winning mentality and that's why I

1:40 think you see the disappointment of the boys this weekend.

1:43 We wanted a lot more than we got.

1:44 And yeah, that that mentality comes from the staff and it comes from Shaun

1:47 and Ryan and Rob and the people at the top of the club and yeah,

1:52 the club's in good hands.

1:53 Top goal scorer for the season, 17 in all competitions for you.

1:56 What was key to that goal scoring form this season?

2:00 Um a little bit of luck, a little bit of quality.

2:04 The boys been there to help me every step of the way, setting me up.

2:08 Big key for Smudge have been incredible

2:10 strike partners and yeah, I've enjoyed it.

2:14 That goal scoring award, obviously it's one for you,

2:16 but it takes the efforts of everyone.

2:17 Where does this squad rank in terms of your career on the whole?

2:21 Yeah, in terms of the personalities and and the culture,

2:24 like I said before, it's by far the best.

2:27 I've enjoyed every minute of coming to training.

2:29 I enjoy coming in here every single day.

2:32 And yeah, like I said,

2:32 that comes from the management and staff and the people at the top of the club.

2:35 We've created something incredible here and unfortunately we

2:37 couldn't take it out onto the pitch this year.

2:40 Well, we could, but not for what we wanted,

2:41 so next year, like I said, we'll go one better.

2:44 In terms of going one better next year,

2:46 how confident are you that once you've got

2:48 this to fuel you and that motivation over the summer,

2:51 come back that first day you'll be right at it and ready to go?

2:54 Yeah, like look at the players we've got.

2:56 We've got Callum Doyle who's just won Young Player of the Year,

2:59 Players' Player, Jordan Thompson.

3:00 You've got all these incredible boys coming through

3:02 as well as obviously the experienced boys who've got quality.

3:05 You've got Nathan Broadhead.

3:06 You've got got some incredible players,

3:07 so I'm sure we'll add to that and yeah, we'll be ready.

3:10 Josh, top goal scorer for the season,

3:11 Player of the Season, a massive congratulations.

3:15 you.