Wayne Jones - owner of iconic Wrexham pub 'The Turf' - makes prediction for 2024-25 season... and Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney might not like his League One 'realism' opinion

Wrexham are just days away from playing in League One again for the first time since 2005. Although they are targeting a third-straight promotion, Red Dragons fan Jones believes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side will just miss out on the play-offs this term and that going up again may be unrealistic.

Jones, whose pub is right by the Racecourse stadium, told The Athletic: “Returning to this level does feel like we’ve come full circle. When I first started watching Wrexham, we were just missing out on the play-offs in League One. I’d say that’s maybe where we’ll be this season. Obviously, I’d love us to win the league and get promoted again. But you have to approach things with a degree of realism. If you could guarantee now we’d be pushing for the play-offs, that, to me, would represent a good season.

“I do still have those ‘pinch me’ moments, with what has happened to our football club since Rob [McElhenney] and Ryan [Reynolds] got involved. Last week, for instance, I had jet lag from a tour that saw little old Wrexham visit America and Canada with thousands of Wrexham fans in tow. Who could have predicted that just a few years ago?

“These overseas tours are great, of course. But all we really care about is 3pm on a Saturday and how Wrexham are going to do in our next fixture. I’d imagine it can be a tricky juggling act for Rob and Ryan, in that they have to grow the brand but also want to do everything within their power to keep it local and as community-based as possible.

“Basically, they need to maintain what makes Wrexham unique — in that, when the s*** did hit the fan, that’s when the real good side of Wrexham came out to keep this club going. They have to weigh so much up, including the need to follow the mission statement they put out at the very start.

“I know it’s easy to say this because Rob and Ryan are very good to me and the pub has never been busier thanks to what they’ve done, but, even if I lived 10 miles away, I’d be able to see the impact all this has had on the community. A real juggling act but I do believe they are absolutely nailing it, all the while with us enjoying success on the field.”

Wrexham are aiming to become the first club to earn three consecutive promotions within the top five levels on the English football pyramid. Confidence is high after winning the National League and earning promotion from League Two in the last two campaigns, but League One will be their toughest task yet.

Wrexham begin their League One campaign against promotion-hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers at home on Saturday, before taking on Championship outfit Sheffield United three days later in the first round of the Carabao Cup at Bramall Lane.