Why Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney ‘won’t sign the wrong players’ after promotion into League One – with key transfer voice expected to have Wrexham pushing for a place in the Championship

The Red Dragons have bounced out of the National League and straight through League Two, with third tier football back on the agenda in North Wales for the first time in 20 years. Adjusting to the demands of life in League One will not be easy, as financial and sporting playing fields begin to level out, but Parkinson is considered to be the perfect man to lead the club forward – ably assisted by Hollywood co-owners.

Darren Pratley, who played under Parkinson at Bolton, has told BBC Sport about getting recruitment right and why a push towards the Championship could be on the cards: “He knows how to get out of the league. He won't sign the wrong players and that is what you need, especially at a club where it looks like they have a good togetherness. You don't want people to go in there and ruin it. You don't want to sign the wrong type of people, who will be going in there for the wrong reasons, so I would not be surprised if they are up there again challenging to get out of League One.”

Another former Parkinson charge, ex-Colchester striker Chris Iwelumo, added on Wrexham needing to trust their manager: “I just think they have the right man in charge, who is not going to go out there and spend the money as if it is not his, he probably spends as if it is his. But he knows he has that luxury of bringing a better calibre of player than that league warrants. It will be the same next season again. It would not surprise me if they won automatic promotion again next season.”

Wrexham are among the early favourites to challenge for a lofty finish in League One next season, but there is a lot of work to be carried out at SToK Racecourse before then – with decisions needing to be made on expiring contracts while also making additions that will help to raise collective standards.