Wrexham's Hollywood co-owners have been cautioned they might need to rein in their ambitions regarding their dream of reaching the Premier League. Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have enjoyed remarkable achievements since acquiring the North Wales club in February 2021.

However, despite securing three consecutive promotions under boss Phil Parkinson, Wrexham have endured a difficult beginning to their Championship campaign this season. The Red Dragons sit 16th in the standings and face a stern test when they welcome Frank Lampard's table-toppers Coventry City on Friday evening.

Reynolds and Mac have consistently voiced their determination to launch Wrexham into the top flight, with the objective prominently featured in their mission statement on the club's official website. Reports surfaced over the summer suggesting they had established a deadline to complete the final leap by 2027.

But former Wales frontman Sam Vokes reckons they must moderate their expectations concerning their team's potential this campaign. Despite Wrexham splashing out £33million on fresh talent during the summer transfer window, the 36-year-old indicated that merely staying afloat in the second tier would constitute solid progress this season.

Speaking on the BBC's Feast of Football podcast, Vokes said: "For a newly promoted team, I don't think they're doing that badly if I'm being totally honest. I think they're ticking along okay, if I look at it personally from an outside view.

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"But there is a narrative and an expectation with Wrexham now that they should be in the play-offs, they should be pushing for another promotion with the money around it and everything.

"We talked at the start of the season about what would be a good season for Wrexham and for me, it was safety and staying up in the league, because the Championship is a whole different beast."

Wrexham have managed three wins, five draws and four losses from their first 12 fixtures. Last weekend saw them secure a point during their visit to second-placed Middlesbrough, earning a 1-1 draw against former Wales international Rob Edwards' side at the Riverside.

The outcome was viewed as a commendable result for Wrexham following early-season pressure on their manager. A string of disappointing displays forced director Shaun Harvey to dismiss speculation that Parkinson's position was under threat.

Whilst tensions have eased in recent weeks, the Red Dragons faced boos from sections of their fanbase after tumbling out of the Carabao Cup at home to Cardiff City on Tuesday night.

Parkinson faced criticism in certain circles for his team selection after fielding a heavily rotated starting XI from the side that took on Middlesbrough, though the ex-Bolton and Sunderland chief has defended his choice.

"It was absolutely the sensible thing to do, to use the cup games to freshen up the team," he told The Leader newspaper. "I felt the team we picked was good enough to perform a lot better than we did in the first half.

"It's not me criticising the players, we all take responsibility together as a collective. We've had lots of praise over the years and lots of plaudits for the way we've played and what we've achieved here, now we'll regroup, we'll batten down the hatches and we'll come out ready to respond on Friday."

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