That trend has continued as they have risen up through the leagues and the last couple of transfer windows has seen them able to expand that to ex-Premier League players but that has mainly been in attack for the extra sprinkling of quality.
As they make another step up the English football pyramid, the need for extra quality in all areas of the pitch will be there and Shelvey, definitely in terms of quality and especially in terms of pedigree and Premier League experience, fits the bill.
A lot of players would fit the bill of simply having a bit more quality and being from the Premier League but the exact attributes of Shelvey seem to make him ideal for a Parkinson team.
Heading up from League One to the Championship can be a fairly big step up but a few clubs have been able to bridge it with relative ease following the addition of some experience from a higher level, such as David McGoldrick joining Sheffield United from Ipswich Town a few years ago and Ipswich themselves bringing Kieffer Moore back mid-way through their promotion push last season.
Ahead of what could be a busy summer for Wrexham, they have a few out of contract players such as Bradley Foster and Josh Adam, whilst 38-year-old goalkeeper Mark Howard is also set to be a free agent.
There are a couple of key first-teamers with their futures up in the air at the moment such as defender Eoghan O’Connell as well as former Wolves striker Fletcher, both of whom are set to be out of contract this summer.
Former footballer and current Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman believes that Southampton should not sell striker Adam Armstrong this summer as they return to the Championship, despite his struggle to make an impact out on loan at West Brom in the second-half of this season.
The Saints have massively struggled in the top-flight this season, and their relegation back to the second-tier was confirmed in early April as they became the first team in Premier League history to go down with as many as seven games of the campaign remaining.
It is fair to say that the writing was on the wall for some time this term, and they will have long begun preparations for next season as they aim to challenge near the top of the second-tier once again.
It remains to be seen who will be in charge at St Mary’s, following Ivan Juric’s departure on the day they were officially relegated, but the club will have ideas on who they wish to keep or let go this summer. Armstrong’s future could well be up in the air following a tough campaign with the Saints and on loan at the Baggies.
Don Goodman urges Southampton to retain Adam Armstrong this summer – his Championship record is impressive
Armstrong joined Southampton from Blackburn Rovers in 2021 in a deal understood to be worth £15m, but despite being a standout in the second-tier at Ewood Park, he struggled to make a real impact in the Premier League in his first two seasons at the club.
The Newcastle-upon-Tyne-born forward was unable to help the Saints avoid relegation to the second-tier in 2023, but it was arguably a blessing in disguise from a personal point of view, as he sprung into life back in the Championship and registered a brilliant 24 goals and 13 assists in 49 league games while they immediately bounced back to the top-flight through the play-offs.
He netted the all-important play-off final winning strike against Leeds United at Wembley, but again was unable to transfer that form over to the top-flight in the first-half of this season.
