Swindon Town fans lash out at new Ollie Palmer, Wrexham AFC footage | OneFootball

Palmer's Club Ambassador role in North Wales is causing quite the stir among the Robins fanbase...

Wrexham's three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship have been well-documented, and during their times lower down in the footballing pyramid, they were very much outspending the rest in a bid to make their ascent as quick as possible.

And perhaps their first big-money purchase of that journey was in January 2022, when the Red Dragons shelled out a club-record fee when still a National League club to bring big striker Ollie Palmer to the Racecourse Ground, for a fee believed to be £300,000 - more than the £210,000 they spent all the way back in 1978 to re-sign Joey Jones from Liverpool.

With Paul Mullin already at the club at the time and banging in the goals, Phil Parkinson sought a partner for the ex-Cambridge United front-man, and Palmer had an immediate impact, scoring 15 goals in his first half-season in North Wales from 22 appearances.

17 league goals followed in the promotion-winning 2022-23 National League campaign, which was way behind Mullin's 38, but as Wrexham climbed the divisions, the goals started drying up for Palmer, albeit game-time didn't, but after 27 League One outings in 2024-25, the signings of Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez effectively pushed him down the pecking order and out of Parkinson's squad.

Ollie Palmer's Wrexham commitments draw the ire of Swindon Town fans

With Championship football secured for 2025-26, Palmer was expected to be a guaranteed departure, but it took until August 29 - a couple of weeks after a surprise brace against Hull City in round one of the EFL Cup - until the striker exited, with his contract terminated to allow a move to Swindon Town of League Two to go through.

Palmer has appeared in every single fourth tier game in some capacity under Ian Holloway since his move to the County Ground, scoring seven times in 38 appearances as the Robins chase promotion to League One, but in more recent weeks, his contributions have been criticised by some Swindon fans on social media, and his starts have decreased.

The 34-year-old is still a popular figure at Wrexham following his recent departure, and a social media piece of him choosing a five-a-side team based on his Red Dragons former team-mates was published this week - but it has drawn the ire of fans from his current club - one has inferred he still spends more time at his old club than his new one.

Another Swindon fan believes he may as well still be on the books at the Racecourse Ground given his time still spent there - he holds a unique role of Club Ambassador whilst still playing for another EFL outfit.

This Swindon fan in particular is hoping for Wrexham to take Palmer back in a playing capacity...

Meanwhile, this Robins supporter, among a number of other comments, has accused Palmer of a lack of effort whilst a Swindon player, which does not bode well whatsoever.

Ollie Palmer clearly has a lot to do to win around Swindon Town fans

Wrexham fans still clearly hold a lot of love for Palmer given the service he provided for the club over a three-and-a-half year period, and that is why he became Club Ambassador, which is usually reserved for a retired player.

That is why Palmer's situation is somewhat unique - he is employed by another football club and probably paid very well to do a job for them, yet recently especially his performances are being questioned.

At 34 years of age, Palmer's days as a professional footballer will be winding down, but Swindon and Ian Holloway have promotion aspirations, where everyone will have to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

Should Palmer fire in the goals in the end to take Swindon to League One, then likely all will be forgotten, given football fans can be fickle, but if that isn't to happen and the frustrations over the veteran forward remain, then the Robins are saddled with an expensive player for fourth tier level with a year left on his deal.