The wait is nearly over for Wrexham fans; in two days, they will take to the field against Wycombe Wanderers, with the Racecourse Ground hosting a League One fixture.
The climb back into the third tier has been a long and bumpy road for Wrexham, who haven’t tasted League One football in 19 years.
Following their relegation to League Two in 2005, the Reds were then sent crashing into the National League in 2008, where they remained until 2023.
Now riding the crest of successive promotions with Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds at the helm, Phil Parkinson’s men are dreaming of further success.
Never in the history of England’s top five divisions have a team won three consecutive promotions. It’s a feat that will be extremely difficult to achieve but it would be foolish to write Parkinson and his team off completely.
Ahead of their clash against Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, all eyes will be on midfielder Elliot Lee and new signing George Dobson but it’s two other players who can make the difference for Wrexham.
Ryan Barnett and Sebastian Revan can be difference makers for Wrexham vs Wycombe
Wrexham fans are disappointed that striker Paul Mullin will miss the start of the campaign for the second year running after being sidelined for eight games last term.
The Liverpudlian’s absence only calls for others to step up, namely Lee from midfield, but also their energetic wing-backs.
In the 3-5-2 system notoriously used by Parkinson, the veteran tactician encourages his wing-backs to push high and impact proceedings in the final third.
Ryan Barnett was brilliant as a driving force down the right and finished 2023/24 in inspired form, while new signing Sebastian Revan has shown glimpses of his attacking potential, scoring in the 4-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps.
With their blistering pace and energy, Wrexham’s hopes of starting the season strongly could hinge on the quality they produce on either flank.
Wrexham can find joy down the wings
Parkinson relies on his wing-backs to be all-rounders, providing the defensive cover, attacking spark and ammunition into the box.
It’s a tactic that has given Wrexham joy in the past few years as their wing-backs pop up in high positions on the pitch and bamboozle their opponents.
Although Wycombe will be aware of this threat, Barnett and Revan are both capable of whipping crosses from deep, or running to the byline and firing a low ball into the box.
This makes the hosts somewhat unpredictable while their other options in those wide areas, namely James McClean and Luke Bolton, can strike fear into the opposition from the bench.
In their bid to get off to a winning start and carry their momentum across from League Two, any joy they have against the Chair Boys is likely to come from either Barnett or Revan, who can both announce their return to League One with a bang.