THREE is the magic number if history only tells the story for Wrexhams last two promotion campaigns.<\/p>\n
Its 20 years since Wrexham had a promotion party as Denis Smith, relegated in his first season as Reds boss, took the club straight back up in the 2002\/03 season.<\/p>\n
Ten years earlier, it was Brian Flynns Reds who tasted glory in the 1992\/93 campaign.<\/p>\n
So are these omens looking good as fans - and theres a lot more wearing red and white shirts now - crave for a return to the Football League by winning the 2022\/23 National League title.<\/p>\n
How the football Gods play out Wrexhams hand over the next six months remains to be seen but theyve made a good start under Phil Parkinson this season - better than that of the last two promotion campaigns and the clubs greatest ever triumph of reaching the old Second Division in 1977\/78.<\/p>\n
Wrexham won seven, drawn two and lost only one - a 2-0 defeat at high-flying Chesterfield - and smacked in an amazing 29 goals in the opening 10 matches this season.<\/p>\n
Going back to that season first with Arfon Griffiths - dubbed the Prince of Wales - at the helm and with arguably the clubs best side, it wasnt all hunky-dory in the first 10 games where they only won three.<\/p>\n
The season kicked off in the worst possible way - a 2-1 defeat at Shrewsbury Town where Billy Ashcroft scored his last ever Wrexham goal before a big money move to Middlesbrough where ex-Reds boss John Neal had taken charge.<\/p>\n
Being tamed by The Shrews is just as bad as being beaten by the Blues at Chester and Wrexham fans were already showing dissent before breathing a sigh of relief with a first win, five games in, at home to Portsmouth when Bobby Shinton and captain Gareth Davies secured a crucial 2-0 win.<\/p>\n
Dixie McNeil marked his debut in front of an 8,002 crowd with the first of 88 goals for the club as Wrexham edged out Swindon 2-1 in the battle of The Robins.<\/p>\n
Shinton scored the winner at home to Lincoln City on October 1 giving them a pretty average return of three wins, four draws and three losses from their first 10 games.<\/p>\n
The other defeats came at Tranmere and Chesterfield while there was also a 1-1 draw at Sealand Road where the notorious Chester versus Wrexham derby attracted a 9,514 gate.<\/p>\n
Fast forward to 1992 and Wrexham were back down in Division Four.<\/p>\n
Theyd escaped relegation the year before as despite finishing in 92nd place in the Football League, there was no relegation that season.<\/p>\n
Spurred on by a famous FA Cup win over champions Arsenal in January 1992, Flynns fledglings sealed promotion the season after.<\/p>\n
It kicked off with a 3-1 win over Rochdale at The Racecourse where Gareth Owen, Barry Jones and Jonathan Cross scored in front of only 2,661 fans.<\/p>\n
But the wheels fell off with 4-0 and 4-1 defeats at York City and Gillingham respectively.<\/p>\n
They also conceded four in a 4-3 League Cup defeat at Bury where new signing from Chester, Gary Bennett, was booed by Reds fans despite bagging a double.<\/p>\n
A John Paskin double gave the Reds a 2-0 derby home win over Shrewsbury while there no jeers, only cheers as now goal-den boy Bennett hit a hat-trick in a 4-2 win against Bury.<\/p>\n
Paskin was at the double again to seal a fourth win in 10 games as Carlisle United on October 17.<\/p>\n
That gave Flynns men a record of four wins, three defeats and three losses which included a 3-2 reverse at home to Barnet, who were also promoted.<\/p>\n
And now to the clubs last promotion run that saw Smiths attack-minded team win five, draw three and lose only two of their first 10 games.<\/p>\n
There were 1-0 wins at home to Oxford United and at Macclesfield Town where Hector Sam was the match-winner on both occasions.<\/p>\n
A 5-2 home defeat to Rochdale on August Bank Holiday Monday ended Wrexhams four-match unbeaten start that was followed up by a 2-1 defeat at Torquay.<\/p>\n
The Reds bounced back in fine fashion with two 4-0 Racecourse victories.<\/p>\n
Andy Morrell, who went on to net 39 goals that season, scored twice against Swansea where Sam and his Trinidad and Tobago team-mate Carlos Edwards also scored.<\/p>\n
Morrell went one better against Exeter with a hat-trick while captain Darren Ferguson was also on target.<\/p>\n
And goal-machine Morrell scored in a 1-0 win at Darlington on September 24 to keep the promotion dream alive.<\/p>\n
Twenty years on and Wrexham supporters would love to live through that experience again.<\/p>\n
The way things are going, it may just happen...<\/p>\n
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Read the rest here: <\/p>\n
Is promotion written in the stars for Wrexham AFC? - The Leader<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THREE is the magic number if history only tells the story for Wrexhams last two promotion campaigns. Continue reading