I don't want us to fear it

Wrexham boss Parkinson says they'll go into every game positive and relish club's first 2nd-tier campaign in 43 years

- By IAN PARKER

PHIL Parkinson is ready to embrace the grind of the Sky Bet Championship when Wrexham return to the second tier for the first time in 43 years today.

Three consecutive promotions have taken the Red Dragons from the National League to an opening day fixture away to Southampton, just relegated from the Premier League, and a return to a division Parkinson knows well from spells with Bolton, Charlton and Hull.

“I think it's a great league,” Parkinson said. “Every game feels like a real big match atmosphere.”

While some fans have been dreaming that Wrexham can make it four promotions in a row there is the danger that after such a rapid rise that they find their ceiling - the jump from League One to the Championship is bigger than those they have bridged in the last couple of years.