Wrexham boss is realistic, but he's still aiming for the top and he's received a selection boost

​The veteran boss knows it won’t be easy for his cash-rich club to make it three promotions in a row.

It's a tough third tier with the likes of Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic and Rotherham United knocking around as well as the Posh and Barnsley teams who have reached the play-offs in each of the last two seasons.

But Parkinson is aiming high. It’s the only way he knows.

"Every season I have ever been in as a manager or a player, you have got to aim to be at the top," Parkinson said. That is not me getting carried away because if you aim for the middle, then you can end up in the bottom.

"We have got to have dreams, but there are so many teams in this division who will fancy their chances this season.

"We are one of them, but there is also a sense of realism. Other clubs in the division have a lot of spending power so it’s a tough challenge. For me the biggest difference this season will be in the athletic ability of the teams we face.”

Parkinson and his club received a boost last weekend as sharpshooter Paul Mullin returned to action as a substitute in a 3-0 League One home win over Reading.

​Mullin (29) has scored 105 goals in three seasons with Wrexham after moving from Cambridge United for whom he scored 32 goals in 45 League Two matches.

Mullin has no real record in League One football. Half a season in 2019-20 with Tranmere Rovers yielded just eight goals.

Former Posh striker Jack Marriott has led Wrexham’s forward line so far this season, scoring once.

Parkinson has won five promotions in his career. He took Colchester to the Championship in 2006, Bradford City to League One in 2013 and Bolton Wanderers to the Championship in 2017 before his two promotions with Wrexham.

Not everyone is thrilled with the style of football his teams tend to employ, but while he is winning it won’t be an issue.