NO GUARANTEE OF PROMOTION
NEWPORT County manager Graham Coughlan has warned Wrexham that money alone won’t be enough to win promotion next season.
Friday marked a decade since the Exiles returned to the Football League with victory over their North Wales rivals in the 2013 play-off final at Wembley.
Now Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have finally helped to end the Red Dragons’ own nonleague exile, thanks to a £10m investment. And, after surviving a relegation battle to secure their EFL status for another year, County will welcome the film-star duo to Rodney Parade next season.
But Coughlan says anyone expecting the Hollywood tale to continue with Wrexham sweeping all before them in the fourth tier may be in for a reality check.
“It’s possible, they could do that. I think they’ll start as one of the favourites, for sure,” said the Irishman.
“But League Two is not as easy as people think. It’s not a league that you can just get out of by chucking money at it.
“It’s a difficult league and you’ve got to overcome a lot of obstacles over the course of a season, you’ve got to tick a lot of boxes.
“One of them is financial, and that helps. But it’s not the be all and end all. We’ve seen clubs in League Two now for a few years who have chucked money at it, and it doesn’t quite work out.”
Coughlan insists he won’t focus too much on Wrexham’s return, but he’s pleased for the club’s fans to renew a rivalry that hasn’t existed in the Football League since the 1980s.
“There’s been an awful lot of noise around Wrexham and we, as a football club, congratulate them. It’s a brilliant story,” he said.
“I don’t quite get people calling it a local derby, because it’s a long way. But the good thing is we’ve got something to look forward to. We’re delighted that we could deliver another season in the Football League for the fans.”
Coughlan, whose side conclude this season with a home clash against Crewe Alexandra tomorrow afternoon, is clear that survival is the first target for his side next year.
“It’s going to be more competitive,” said the Exiles boss. “I think the dynamics of League Two, the landscape, has changed.
“I think there’s going to be two leagues in one and if you can break into that top 12, you’ll be doing well.
“A decade in the League is a massive achievement for this club – you only have to look at the clubs like Stockport who were out for so long, and Wrexham.
“And look at Scunthorpe, Yeovil, Torquay, Southend, Oldham.
“I think you have to protect your League status first and foremost, and then anything after that is a bonus.”