Don Goodman has given Wrexham a warning after a third successive promotion secured a place in the Championship for the first time in 43 years.
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Goodman believes Wrexham's target should be to surviveAmerican owners have overseen remarkable riseHe believes Jamie Vardy would be 'Hollywood' signingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Wrexham have been unstoppable since they were promoted from the National League in 2022, becoming the first club ever in England's top five tiers to win three successive promotions but former Wolves and Sunderland striker Goodman believes the Championship may be too big a step as Wrexham look to continue on the same trajectory. The primary ambition for owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney next season should be to survive, Goodman told BoyleSports, who offer the latest Football odds.
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Next season will be an intriguing one in the Championship, as big spenders Wrexham and Birmingham will both look to make an impact after commanding promotion campaigns from League One. Both sides are likely to face more obstacles in the second tier, with a big step up in terms of quality, playing style and wealth – with many former Premier League clubs to compete with, some of which will be receiving parachute payments.
WHAT GOODMAN SAID
Goodman said: "Everything about Wrexham reminds me of Derby County when it comes to style of play and how they've gone about promotion. They scored lots of set pieces and only averaged the 15th most amount of possession in League One last year. Nevertheless, Derby showed that 20 set-piece goals, an honest work ethic and a solid defence can keep you in the Championship, and I would suggest that a similar objective should be Wrexham's port-of-call.
"They should look to get off to a good start and reach a points tally where, halfway through the season, you know you will survive, and you can try and kick on in January. But, for the life of me, I cannot see Wrexham finishing anywhere near the top of the Championship next season with the greatest of respect.
"I was wrong about Wrexham (last season), I'll hold my hands up. Hats off to them, I thought a top-half finish would be a good target and the gap between League Two and League One would be too much. They got off to a good start and kept the momentum going before digging deep to get over the line.
"Wrexham and Phil Parkinson have a track record of signing big-name strikers who have previously performed and scored goals in the Premier League. None in the calibre of Jamie Vardy, but those players have bought into the project and have been attracted by the glitz and glamour.
"Jamie Vardy and Wrexham could be a match made in heaven. It would be a Hollywood signing. He scored eight goals and registered three assists in a truly awful Premier League team, which is not something to be sniffed at. He still knows where the back of the net is.
"The only question is whether Wrexham can attract and entice Jamie Vardy."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
The Red Dragons will kick off their Championship campaign in August aiming to make further history. Should they challenge for a fourth promotion, that would surely go beyond even their ambitious owners' wildest dreams when they bought the club for £2million in 2021. This weekend, they have been enjoying another promotion celebration in Las Vegas, where they managed to get themselves trapped in a lift for an hour.