Wrexham fans are all excited about playing in the Championship next season. But there are other perks in other tournaments that come with being a team in the second tier.
It’s a hugely exciting time to be a Wrexham fan. The club has Hollywood owners in Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, a growing global fanbase thanks to the Welcome to Wrexham series, and a lot to cheer about on the pitch thanks to Phil Parkinson and the players.
Last season, Wrexham earned promotion to the Championship after finishing in 2nd place of the League One table, securing what was a historic third-straight promotion.
And the club’s transfer business has since got underway, too. Wrexham have announced the signing of Ryan Hardie on a permanent deal from Plymouth Argyle, kickstarting the club’s summer transfer business with a bang.
The 2025/26 fixture list will be released on Thursday. Fans will be desperate to see who they go up against first and when they play some of the league’s big-hitters like Southampton and Leicester City to name a couple.
But there’s the FA Cup as well, and that won’t start for Wrexham until January next year.
Phil Parkinson proud as Wrexham set to enter FA Cup Third Round draw
Not since the 1981/82 season have Wrexham been able to enter the FA Cup at the Third Round. It’s a privilege only extended to teams in the Premier League and Championship, whereas before the Dragons have had to enter in at the First Round, when last season Wrexham were knocked out by Harrogate Town.
Speaking to Leader Live, Parkinson shared his delight at being able to enter the tournament in the later rounds. “Everyone wants to be in that third round draw in early January and the club has had to work hard to try and achieve that over the last 43 years. So to come into the competition at that point is brilliant for us.
“Harrogate proved to be a bit problematic for us in the cup but we will take that with the success we have had in the league.”
Wrexham’s record in the FA Cup and their best-ever finish
Wrexham reached the quarter-final of the FA Cup twice in the 1970s, and again in the 1996/97 season when Brian Flynn was manager. Chesterfield knocked the Dragons out of the competition that year.
In their history, Wrexham have won the Football League Trophy, the FA Trophy, and 23 Welsh Cups among several other titles, but never an FA Cup. Since 1997, the furthest they’ve gone in the tournament is two-straight Fourth Round finishes in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
And next season we might see Parkinson place a lot more emphasis on the tournament given the fact that he’ll have a stronger squad and no EFL Trophy to deal with either.
Wrexham have several transfer targets right now and we could see another new signing very soon, with Wrexham set to tour Australia in the pre-season starting in July.