Wrexham ready to go again: 2022-23 National League season preview

Wrexham fans have been waiting eagerly for August to arrive.

Not only does it mark the start of a new football season, but this month also sees the long-awaited 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary hit the screens.

The documentary makers will have had their money's worth last season, with plenty of twists and turns, excitement and drama but ultimately no happy ending.

Wrexham finished second in the National League, losing out on automatic promotion to Stockport County on the final day of the season.

Defeat against Grimsby Town followed - the sixth time in Wrexham's history they had failed to secure promotion via the play-offs. A return to the Football League had eluded them once again.

This season will be the north Wales club's 15th in the National League.

Wrexham will go into the campaign arguably better equipped than ever to finally end their EFL exile.

Backed by the support of Hollywood co-chairmen Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, manager Phil Parkinson has assembled a squad with the aim of securing promotion.

How did last season go?

Paul Mullin, Ben Tozer and Aaron Hayden were high-profile arrivals last summer following the appointment of Parkinson as manager.

Hopes were high among Wrexham fans, with the Racecourse packed to the rafters for home games, but the Dragons had a mixed start to the season as a new team bedded together.

But a busy January transfer window, which included the signing of striker Ollie Palmer for a club-record fee, kickstarted a push for promotion.

A 15-game unbeaten run saw Wrexham go from trailing league leaders Stockport by 11 points at one stage to briefly replacing them at the top of the table on the penultimate weekend after an impressive 3-0 victory over the Hatters.

But three successive defeats at the end of the season would ultimately define their campaign.

Jordan Davies (left) returned to Wrexham following a spell with Brighton & Hove Albion

Defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge on the final day of the season was followed by the FA Trophy loss at Wembley to Bromley, before Grimsby's extraordinary 5-4 win at the Racecourse ended play-off dreams.

What are their prospects this season?

Wrexham will need to hit the ground running if they have aspirations to win automatic promotion.

Goals were not a problem last season, with Mullin and Palmer scoring 41 between them as Wrexham top scored in the National League.

Jordan Davies chipped in with 16 goals too and fans will be pleased the club has managed to hold onto the Wrexham-born playmaker.

The addition of Elliot Lee from Luton Town, Anthony Forde from Oxford United and Sam Dalby from Southend United has further strengthened Parkinson's attacking options, while defender Josh Tunnicliffe, goalkeeper Mark Howard and Jacob Mendy have also been recruited.

Parkinson can only add to the squad before the season starts, with Wrexham - unlike their fellow National League clubs - restricted to signings during the transfer window only.

Wrexham will be seen as favourites to secure the title and an EFL return - but that in itself brings expectation and pressure.

Manager Phil Parkinson's view

"The disappointment's happened and there's so much positivity in terms of what the club's trying to achieve on and off the pitch.

"As much as we'll take that on the chin, there was a real good feel about the club straight away from the start of pre-season.

"Slowly but surely we are piecing the squad together to make sure we are stronger than we were last year."

Transfers in

Jordan Tunnicliffe (Crawley Town, free), Mark Howard (Carlisle United, free), Elliot Lee (Luton Town, free), Anthony Forde (Oxford United, undisclosed), Sam Dalby (Southend United, undisclosed), Jacob Mendy (Boreham Wood, undisclosed)

Transfers out

Lee Camp (released), Tyler French (Dundee, undisclosed), Cameron Green (released), Dan Jarvis (Gateshead, free), David Jones (released), Jordan Ponticelli (King's Lynn Town, free), Devonte Redmond (released), Dawid Szczepaniak (released), Kwame Thomas (Sutton United, free)

Pundit's view

"The hopes and the aim has to be promotion," said former Wrexham midfielder and BBC Radio Cymru summariser Waynne Phillips.

"It was huge disappointment to have lost in the play-offs last season and I think it's a case of really going forward this season and win the league.

"I certainly believe they'll be good enough with three or four really good signings brought in to an already established squad.

"There will be difficult games along the way but I'm sure we'll be seeing Wrexham up there towards the end of the season in a season they have to succeed."