Wrexham have endured a mixed ride in the last four years, with one of the lowest points coming in the 2021/22 season.
When Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds took over the Red Dragons, they had been stuck in the National League for 13 seasons.
At the end of 2020/21, after giving Dean Keates time to prove himself, the manager was sacked by Rob and Ryan after he missed out on the play-off places on the final day.
That summer then saw Phil Parkinson appointed as Wrexham manager, with the ultimate goal to get the club out of the fifth tier.
While that did eventually happen, the Welsh side were forced to endure immense heartbreak at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Wrexham finished the regular campaign second in the National League table, six points off champions Stockport County.
This meant, as only one team are promoted automatically, a date in the play-offs was set.
Wrexham hero Ben Tozer set for National League play-offs
A meeting with Grimbsy Town in the semi-final awaited Wrexham in May 2022.
What ensued was a frantic, exciting, high-scoring affair that eventually saw Grimbsy emerge with a 5-4 win.
It was a heartbreaking moment for the Red Dragons, with Parkinson admitting post match, as per BBC Sport, that he was ‘hurting’.
He said: “Myself and the staff and the players are hurting because we’ve conceded goals we shouldn’t have conceded.
“It was always going to be a battle in terms of Waterfall and the set plays, we know how strong he is. That cost us today.
“I felt we’d we’d win today and I felt few things have gone against us to stop that.”
Nearly three years on, and Ben Tozer, who helped Wrexham win back-to-back promotions and spent time as their captain, is now facing the same fate.
Tozer joined Forest Green Rovers in the summer after leaving the Racecourse Ground on a free transfer.
It did look as though Forest Green could be in contention to secure National League promotion automatically.
However, a big dip in form over the last few months has seen them slip down to third in the table – 16 points off first and 15 clear of seventh with just six games left to play.
So, with only 18 points up for grabs, it’s all but confirmed that Forest Green and Tozer will be competing in the National League play-offs next month.
- READ MORE: Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds will sell Wrexham ‘sooner rather than later’, says former player
Wrexham record in play-offs
Their defeat to Grimbsy was the sixth time Wrexham have tasted defeat when competing in the play-offs across various leagues.
They have never won promotion via that route and are no doubt dreading the thought of having to compete in the competition next month.
As things stand, Wrexham are second in League One, so will go up automatically.
However, given Wycombe Wanderer’s game in hand, there is still a chance the Red Dragons will be back in the play-offs very soon.