Wrexham 2021-22 National League season preview
- Published
Phil Parkinson succeeded Dean Keates as Wrexham manager
National League: Solihull Moors v Wrexham |
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Venue: Damson Park, Solihull Date: Saturday, 21 August Kick-off: 15:00 BST |
Coverage: BBC Radio Wales live commentary, plus live text and score updates on the BBC Sport website and app |
The fact that some Wrexham supporters queued overnight to get their hands on a season ticket is a clear indication of the high expectations at the Racecourse this season.
Hollywood fever has gripped the club's long suffering supporters since news broke of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's takeover.
The deal was completed in February, with the A-list actors investing an immediate £2m.
Add to that the forthcoming documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, in which Reynolds and McElhenney are given a crash course in football club ownership, and a major shirt sponsor in Tik Tok, the commercial potential has never been greater.
And despite the club entering a 14th consecutive National League campaign, the Wrexham faithful are fully embracing what promises to be an exciting new era in the club's long history.
The curtain raises at Solihull on Saturday, 21 August.
How did last season go?
Wrexham went into the final game of the season in sixth position with their play-off destiny very much in their own hands, but a 1-1 draw at Dagenham and Redbridge, and results elsewhere, saw them fall short and eventually finish eighth.
It signalled big changes during the summer which saw manager Dean Keates' second spell in charge come to an end as well as the departure of a number of players.
McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds said at the time they were "committed to returning the club to the EFL at the earliest opportunity and feel that a change of manager will provide us with the best chance".
What are their prospects this season?
Phil Parkinson was the first choice as manager and the 53-year-old's previous experience at clubs such as Sunderland, Bolton Wanderers, Bradford City, Hull City and Charlton Athletic suggests it is an appointment with an eye on progression.
Parkinson will be aiming to guide Wrexham back into the Football League after what will be an absence of 15 years - and it will all be under the gaze of the access all areas documentary makers.
As well as a new manager, there are a few new faces in the playing squad.
Most notably is the arrival of the League Two player of the season Paul Mullin, who helped Cambridge United to promotion.
But chief executive Fleur Robinson, another prominent new arrival over the summer, insists that the club has to be "sustainable" and do things "properly" as they bid for promotion.
Manager Phil Parkinson's view:
"I've had a great welcome from everybody within the club and the people in the area and I'm looking forward to get started.
"During the pre-season people were queuing around the stands to buy shirts and season tickets and everybody's excited about it.
"There's a different feel around the placed with the camera crew filming the Welcome to Wrexham documentary and that took a bit of getting used to for everybody.
"It's a very exciting club to be part of and a huge season ahead. We're getting there in terms of the squad. It's not exactly where we want it to be, but we're getting close to what we want.
"In general I'm very pleased with how the players have gone about their business in pre-season."
Transfers in
Shaun Brisley (Port Vale, free); Jake Hyde (Halifax, undisclosed); Liam McAlinden (Morecambe, free); Harry Lennon (Southend, free); Paul Mullin (Cambridge, free), Aaron Hayden (Carlisle, undisclosed), David Jones (player-coach, free).
Transfers out
Mark Carrington (Kidderminster, free), Bobby Grant (Radcliffe, free), Fiacre Kelleher (Bradford, free), Gold Omotayo (King's Lynn, free); Shaun Pearson (Grimsby, free), Paul Rutherford (Bala, free); Chris Sang (Bala, free); Jay Harris, James Horsfield, Theo Vassell (all released).