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Wrexham are just over a month away from making their return to the second tier, having last played in the division in 1982.
The Red Dragons have won three promotions in a row, and now Phil Parkinson will be preparing his side for a busy month of pre-season fixtures as his team make the journey to Australia for a tour.
While Paul Mullin has left for Wigan Athletic on loan, a new striker is already through the door at the Racecourse Ground with Ryan Hardie switching Plymouth Argyle for North Wales earlier in the summer transfer window.
The 28-year-old scored 10 goals in 37 Championship games for the Greens last season and with this experience, Wrexham look to be much stronger in the forward areas.
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Ryan Hardie details his expectations at Wrexham for the new season
It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the Red Dragons, and with the Championship fixtures now released, supporters will be plotting out their journeys for the first few weeks of the season.
For Hardie, it’s a chance to prove himself at a new club and he has outlined his plans for 2025/26. He said (via: The Leader): “I’ve not spoke massively on the club’s goals but I’m sure the club will want to do as much as they can next season.
“I would never say why not try and go to the Premier League but all we want to do is focus on the first couple of games of the season, bed ourselves in and then see where the season takes us.
“I have seen how successful the club has been with the players they have got so I think everybody will be up for the challenge.”
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Ryan Hardie will be vital for the Red Dragons
There is no denying that Wrexham had to lower the age of their striker pool this summer, and replacing Mullin with Hardie has been a great start.
Sam Smith will be a threat in the Championship, but he lacks experience at the level and ‘bringing in a player who knows what it is like to fight at the bottom of the division is crucial.
Wrexham are an unknown entity in the second tier and in all likelihood they will be further towards the lower end of the table. Therefore they need a player who will go and score 10 goals minimum to ensure they are not threatened by relegation – then they must build from there.