Ipswich

'Appreciate what we've done' – Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson ready for Championship return and backs Red Dragons to compete after three consecutive promotions

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is bracing his side for the intensity and demands of Championship football as the club prepares for its first second-tier campaign in more than four decades. Their remarkable journey from the National League to the Championship has captivated fans, but Parkinson is under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead.

VIDEO: Birmingham fan jumps barrier in effort to fight Ipswich players as Tom Brady's Blues kick off Championship return with feisty draw

The 2024/25 Championship season began with more drama off the ball than on it, as Birmingham City’s opening clash with Ipswich Town at St Andrew’s on Friday night descended into chaos during stoppage time. A tense contest, decided by a stoppage-time penalty, was overshadowed by a heated player confrontation and an alarming pitch invasion.