Ben Foster reveals who the hardest-working Wrexham player was during his time at the club

Ben Foster has revealed who the hardest-working Wrexham player was during his time at the club.

Foster came out of retirement in February 2023 to sign for the Red Dragons after first-choice goalkeeper Rob Lainton picked up a season-ending injury.

The former Manchester United, West Brom and England goalkeeper played a key role in helping Wrexham gain promotion as National League champions, most notably when he saved an injury-time penalty to secure a 3-2 win over promotion rivals Notts County.

Foster signed a new one-year deal with Wrexham to continue his career in League Two, but retired after five games after deciding that he was no longer at the levels required to play professional football.

The 41-year-old instead watched on as the Red Dragons gained promotion from League Two this season, with Arsenal loanee Arthur Okonkwo impressing onlookers as Foster's replacement.

Paul Mullin, Elliot Lee and Andy Cannon were all key players for Phil Parkinson's side as they finished in second place behind champions Stockport County.

But Foster named former Wigan and Sunderland midfielder James McClean as the player he believes is the hardest-working player in the current squad.

The 35-year-old joined the club from Wigan shortly after the season began, and contributed three goals and nine assists from left wing-back.

On his podcast, 'Ben Foster's Fozcast', Foster stated: "James McClean is the hardest-working player I've ever come across in my life.

"The first day he signed, actually, I used to get in early and get on the bike and do my session or whatever it was.

"I got there probably an hour before the rest of the lads. As I'm opening the door, I can hear urbo-ski, there's two battle ropes running alongside it, and he's on this urbo-ski sweating his tree off.

💪🇮🇪 “𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔!” @BenFoster lifts the lid on the fitness “monster” that is James McClean

🎥 Fozcast#WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/1litEiDHYG

— RobRyanRed - Wrexham AFC Podcast (@RobRyanRed) May 11, 2024

"I'm just like, 'You alright mate?' And he looks at me as if to say, 'Not now mate, I'm dying'. Gives me a thumbs-up and then carries on.

"He's straight on to the battle ropes, doing a little circuit. This is at like eight in the morning. I'm like, 'You're an absolute animal'.

"So I get on my bike and eventually say hello to him. That is James McClean in a nutshell. He's like that every day. Literally every day."