Wrexham star joins exclusive group to receive two EFL promotion medals

One promotion medal doesn't quite cut it for Jay Rodriguez.

Thanks to an EFL ruling, the Wrexham striker will receive a League One and Championship promotion winners' medal after playing a role in Burnley's successful return to the Premier League.

Rodriguez was on the books with his boyhood club at the start of the season and made 20 league appearances for the Clarets before switching to Wrexham in the January transfer window.

The decision to join Phil Parkinson's side was soon vindicated as the 35-year-old played an instrumental role in helping Wrexham achieve a remarkable third successive promotion.

In the Football League's handbook, a player must feature on a club's team sheet for 25% of their league games in order to receive a medal.

Rodriguez meets the criteria for both clubs, who are able to request additional medals from the league to accompany the 25 medals they're already eligible for.

The end of April marked a special period for the former England international, who was able to watch his beloved Burnley topple Sheffield United at Turf Moor to achieve promotion before Wrexham accomplished their mission five days later with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic at the Racecourse Ground.

Rodrgiuez is not the first individual to receive two promotion medals for different clubs in the same season.

During the 2014/15 campaign, Sebastian Bassong won the Championship play-off final with Norwich City, but also played 11 matches on loan at Watford, who were automatically promoted.

Blackburn Rovers defender Scott Wharton managed the feat in 2018/19 following loan spells with Lincoln City and Bury in the same season, while Scott Hogan was also able to reflect proudly on two promotions in a single term as both Aston Villa and Sheffield United returned to the Premier League in 2019.

Ritchie de Laet went one better than everyone else in 2016.

The Belgian defender won promotion from the Championship with Middlesbrough and collected a Premier League title medal on the same day after Leicester City's incredible triumph.

Jaquob Crooke

• Wrexham A.F.C.
• Burnley F.C.
• Championship
• League One
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