Wrexham to face League One challenge 'full on'

Elliot Lee celebrates after Wrexham secured automatic promotion last season

Manager Phil Parkinson says Wrexham are ready to face the challenge of the upcoming League One campaign “full on”.

Wrexham achieved a second successive promotion last season after finishing second in League Two.

Parkinson has already signed defender Lewis Brunt and midfielder George Dobson, as well as adding goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo on a permanent basis.

“Everything at your football club has got to improve to match those standards we’re going to come up against,” Parkinson said.

“But that’s the challenge we worked hard to achieve and now it’s up to us to face it full on with a really positive mindset.

“We’re really excited to have a go at the division.

"There's an expectancy on a lot of other clubs in this division.

"Birmingham, Bolton and Huddersfield and all those teams are going to be under huge pressure to produce this season.

"I think having that underdog card to play at times won't do us any harm.

"But we've got to go about our business with real clarity with what we want to achieve in terms of the squad and we'll see if that makes us competitive."

Wrexham host Wycombe Wanderers in their opening game of the new season on Saturday, 10 August.

Parkinson, who has previously managed Bolton and Charlton Athletic in League One, is fully aware of the challenges awaiting his side in the division.

“With the teams coming down it’s always difficult to assess them because they’ll lose players and they’ll bring players in,” Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales.

“There’s a lot of movement in teams like Birmingham, Huddersfield and Rotherham already so it’s difficult to assess.

“But the top games at this level are like Championship games from my experience managing here.

“Obviously the athleticism goes up a notch, the quality improves.”

Wrexham’s squad returned to training last week and later this month will embark on a three-game tour of North America.

“There was definitely a feeling of real positivity on the first day of training,” Parkinson said.

“The lads have had a great break, mentally and physically.

“Even though they’ve been working in the off-season they’ve had time away from the training ground and you could feel that freshness when they came back in.

“The fixtures came out the first day we were back in for testing and it was great to be together when they came out.

“It really hit home to everybody that yes, we’re in League One.

“For the first time in 19 years we’ll be competing at this level and what an exciting season ahead it is for us.”