On the back of securing a record-breaking three successive promotions, Parkinson revamped his squad ahead of the club's first campaign in the second tier for 43 years and the Reds took time to find their feet before surging into play-off contention, eventually finishing seventh and just two points away from the top-six.

Wrexham have struggled so far this term and Friday's disappointing 1-0 loss at Sheffield United was a third defeat in four outings, leaving The Racecourse outfit 18th in the table with 14 points from 13 games.

Parkinson drew comparisons with last season's slow start but stressed that history alone will not guarantee another turnaround.

"It was the same last year when we brought a lot of new players in and we were trying to formulate a group," he said.

"We were patchy and we worked with the group, an understanding of what it meant to play for the club - how much teams want to beat us, how much all the opposition supporters want to beat us and what it takes to wear that shirt.

"And then we got it and we went on a great run and we nearly got it in the play-offs. We were a goal away from getting in the play-offs, we had a very good season for our first season in the Championship and we've got to get that level with this group.

"It's probably as big an achievement last year as getting promotion in the other years, coming seventh in the Championship.

"Of course, we all know that the second season in the division, there's all that about the momentum was with us and there's a possibility that's a factor.

"But we are in a similar position to last year. Now my job and the rest of the staff's job is to understand as a group that we have to turn up every week and if we don't win, the performance is at a level where the manager and the opposition say, 'you were difficult to play against tonight'.

"I don't think Chris (Wilder, the Sheffield United manager) is saying that in the first half."