Wrexham captain opens up on heartbreaking death of father after promotion triumph
Wrexham’s Ben Tozer has opened up on his sorrow after his father died suddenly of leukaemia just months following the club’s promotion back to the EFL.
The ex-Newcastle United defender led the Red Dragons to the National League championship last season to ensure their place in League Two after 15 years away. However, amid jubilant scenes of celebration as they lifted the title, Tozer had a gut feeling something was not right with his father.
The ex-Newcastle United defender led the Red Dragons to the National League championship last season to ensure their place in League Two after 15 years away. However, amid jubilant scenes of celebration as they lifted the title, Tozer had a gut feeling something was not right with his father.
Although his dad had travelled to North Wales to witness the star’s crowning moment, the Wrexham captain had noticed a pattern in his behaviour emerging. Even after their 3–1 win against Boreham Wood which sealed their EFL return, his dad left the ground early.
Tozer has now explained that he understands why his father was avoiding him after it transpired that he was suffering from the effects of leukaemia. In an interview with the BBC, he said: “He would come to the games up here and would drive up with my uncle.
“He was here the day we won the league, which was amazing for me. He’d come to the games but he’d always get off before I got out, which I found a bit of a red flag.
“He was here the day we won the league, which was amazing for me. He’d come to the games but he’d always get off before I got out, which I found a bit of a red flag.
The centre-back noted that his brother and his wife had raised concerns regarding his dad’s health previously and he had said that he would get himself checked out. However, to the family’s anguish, he would eventually die only days after being diagnosed with the illness in July.
His father’s sudden deterioration meant that would make the 500-mile journey back to Plymouth to see him in hospital for the last time. Wrexham’s manager Phil Parkinson intervened to ensue that Tozer had a first-class ticket on a train journey down to Devon.
