ANDY CANNON says the Wrexham players deserve a lot of credit for what they have achieved because expectations are so high at The Racecourse.

There has been even more pressure on the Reds to deliver success since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became owners in February 2021.

But Wrexham have delivered the goods with Phil Parkinson's men clinching the National League title following a record-breaking 2022-23 campaign.

Back in the Football League following a 15-year absence, there was no let-up from Wrexham who secured runners-up spot in League Two this term, making it back-to-back promotions for the first time in the club's history.

Cannon, who finished the season in a rich vein of form scoring five goals in the last eight games, says it cannot be underestimated how well the players have done.

"It has been a successful season doing back-to-back promotions," said the midfielder, who was second in the vote for the Player of the Season award behind Paul Mullin.

"We've come up from one league and then gone up again at the first time of asking.

"It isn't easy and only a few clubs have done that, we are one of them so everyone is really happy.

"There is pressure being at this club. We are expected to win games with the players that we are got.

"I am just happy for everyone involved."

Wrexham thrashed Forest Green Rovers 6-0 to guarantee promotion to League One with two games to spare and the Reds didn't take their foot off the gas, ending the season with five successive wins.

The Reds beat champions Stockport County 2-1 on the final day to take second place and Cannon, who helped the Hatters clinch the National League title ahead of Wrexham in 2021-22 before making the switch to north Wales in December 2022, is prod of what he and his team-mates have achieved. 

"Stockport got to the play-off final last year and got beat so they found out it's not easy," said Cannon, who has won three successive promotions. 

"It's tough, everyone is going to cause you a problem in this league if you don't turn-up properly.

"I think it is a massive achievement for everyone involved here at Wrexham that we've managed to do back-to-back promotions.

"Obviously the pressure has been off after the Forest Green game but we took the games after that really seriously, and we won them as well.

"We just wanted to finish the season strong. We had the pressure games where we weren't promoted at the time, we got the wins then and carried it on to the end of the season.

"That's good for the team going into the summer that we've ended the season on a high."

Wrexham last played in League One in 2004-5 but it's a level that Cannon is familiar with having played in the third tier for Portsmouth and Rochdale.

The 28-year-old knows it won't be easy playing in a higher division against the likes of Birmingham City and Charlton Athletic but he is looking forward to the challenge.

"It is going to be a really tough season," said Cannon.

"There are some big teams in that league, regardless of the ones coming down from the Championship, 

"Ones who have stayed down this year are big teams.

"I was at Portsmouth and they are a massive club, we got into the play-offs twice and never managed to do get promoted but this year they have done it.

"We will be hoping to impress next year in that league as well.

"There are going to be some tough teams in there but we want to be right in the mix again."

Wrexham finished four points behind Stockport who can also look forward to being back in League One next season.

"Stockport are a very good team. The table doesn't lie, they've won the league  and had a very good season," added Cannon, who scored a late winner to sink his former club in the final game.

"Both clubs deserve the success that they've had this year. Both are striving to climb the leagues and they are both very good clubs."