IAN RUSH knows a thing or two about scoring goals.

And the Liverpool legend says the smile on Paul Mullin’s face shows just how much the Wrexham striker is loving life at The Racecourse.

“He’s full of confidence, you can see that in him from the off,” said Rush, who scored 346 goals for Liverpool alone in a trophy-laden career.

“It’s all down to confidence and Mullin looks as if he’s got plenty of that

“He’s a natural goalscorer, whose obviously enjoying himself at Wrexham. He really does know how to put the ball in the back of the net.

“He also looks happy where he is and with him being a Scouser coming to Wrexham meant he wasn’t going to be that far away from home.

“That makes a big difference for any player. Sometimes it’s not all about the money.”

Rush freely admitted that he thought Wrexham had won the game at The Racecourse a week last Sunday after Mullin put the Reds 3-2 up against Sheffield United.

“I saw his goal and then went out that night,” said Rush. “It wasn’t until I saw something pop up on my phone later on that evening that I realised it had finished 3-3.

“It was a shame because Tottenham at home in the fifth round - it would have been like their cup final at The Racecourse. But that’s not saying they can’t win the replay. And the way they’re playing at the moment, you wouldn’t rule it out.”

Mullin has been a revelation since arriving at Wrexham as the Football League’s Golden Boot winner in the summer of 2021.

He’s scored 60 in 76 starts, including a goal in every round of the FA Cup this season.

Asked what the secret is to becoming so deadly in front of goal, Rush was as quick with his reply as he was in nestling one in the bottom corner during his playing days that also saw him score 28 times for Wales.

“What’s important is that he doesn’t look too bothered if he misses a chance - and that’s key,” added Rush.” Never be scared to miss because you know that another chance will come.

“Scoring goals comes natural to some players. I had that knack and as a kid, I remember scoring 72 in 30 games for Deeside Primary Schools.

“People used to say how did you do it but to me, I thought it was just normal.”

Rush knows that money is a driving force behind Wrexham’s push for promotion under the ownership of Hollywood movie-star millionaires, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

Mullin isn’t the only Football League player to be enticed by the dynamic duo’s thrilling script of becoming a global force in football.

And after watching the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary and from his days playing and coaching for the Reds in the Brian Fynn era, Rush knows just what potential there is for the owners and the Reds fans’ dreams to come true.

“The FA Cup run is great but promotion is the priority,” added Rush. “It’s all about getting back into the Football League.

“But it’s not to say they can’t give it a go at Sheffield United. It’s the FA Cup and Wrexham have scored seven goals against two Championship sides.”

Rush’s haul of 44 FA Cup goals is cemented in the record books - and five of those came in finals.

So it’s no wonder Rush loves the magic of the cup.

“Wembley FA Cup finals were special,” recalled Rush, who won winners’ medals in 1986, 1989 and 1992.

“You’d watch it all. From the players in the team hotel, going on the bus to the stadium and then the match. You wouldn’t move from in front of the television.

“It was always my dream to play and score the winning goal in a Wembley Final. Scoring at Wembley was something else. I’d won it all in football but the FA Cup was special.”

As well as cherishing his childhood memories of watching the finals, Rush reckons his first FA Cup more than whetted his appetite to taste glory in the famous competition.

Rush was 18 and in the Chester City side for a David v Goliath FA Cup third round clash at Newcastle United in January 1980.

“There were about 40,000 there at St James’ Park - the biggest crowd I’d ever played in front of at that age,” said Rush.

“I’ll never forget the noise and the atmosphere and the fact that we won 2-0 and I scored.”