Broadhead 'delighted' by first Wrexham goal

Club record signing Nathan Broadhead was "delighted" to get off the mark for Wrexham and as he looks forward to playing his part in the Championship.

Broadhead scored his first two Wrexham goals since joining in August from Ipswich Town in Tuesday's 2-0 EFL Cup third-round win against Reading.

The 27-year-old forward was blighted by a calf injury during the opening weeks of the season but the Wales forward is now looking to make an impact for his club.

"I'm just delighted to score and progress to the next round," Broadhead said.

"I just can't wait to get proper match fit and get my sharpness back up and play in the Championship.

"I'm getting used to playing with new players, different systems.

"It's given me time to settle down a little bit, moving all my stuff and my family and everything like that.

"But I'm just happy to be settled now and playing football."

Bangor-born Broadhead was in Wrexham's academy as a boy before he started his professional career with Everton.

He joined Ipswich permanently in 2023 and was part of the Tractor Boys team that last season played in the Premier League, something he hopes to emulate with Wrexham.

Wrexham's Hollywood owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have spoken of their ambition to reach English football's top-flight.

"That's the main reason I came and hopefully we can do that to get this club to the Premier League," Broadhead added.

"That's the aim of the owners. So I see the vision and hopefully we can get there.

"You see the players coming in. You're bringing in quality players from the Championship and it just shows you where the owners want to be.

"That's the project, what we're going on."

Broadhead was one of 13 players to join Wrexham during the summer along with Wales team-mates Danny Ward and Kieffer Moore.

Moore scored Wales' winner in the 1-0 win in the World Cup qualifier in Kazakhstan earlier this month, a game Broadhead missed due to his calf injury.

Wales are third in Group J with three games remaining and Broadhead is enjoying playing under manager Craig Bellamy.

"He's good, an intense manager and [I'm] enjoying working under him," Broadhead said.

"Typically, I'm a number 10 in his system – a different system to ours, but I'm adaptable."

Wrexham's 2-0 win over Reading at the Stok Cae Ras saw Phil Parkinson's side join Cardiff City and Swansea City in the next round – the first time three Welsh teams have reached the last 16 of the competition.

Wrexham last appeared in the Fourth Round in the 1977-78 season, something the current players were made aware of before the Reading game.

"The manager told us before training the other day and it just shows where the club's going, to be honest," Broadhead said.

"We've made history tonight and hopefully we can make many more.

"It just shows where Welsh football's going. We're making steps under Craig Bellamy and Wrexham, so I'm happy."