WREXHAM supporters may still be getting over the pain of the play-offs but Bryan Hughes’ Red and White army will soon be planning their journey to what could be the year they’ll finally escape from non-league.

They’ve been dreaming about it for nearly 12 years but every time the season ends with tears and not cheers as promising promotion campaigns end on a low rather than a high.

But the Reds fans keep bouncing back.

They were the second-best supported team in the National League last season - only champions Leyton Orient had more fans through the turnstiles - while every other club knows they’re in for a decent payday when the visiting Reds are in town.

And just look at that pathetically-poor crowd of 8,049 for last Saturday’s National League play-off final between Salford and AFC Fylde. Wrexham had 200 more than that at The Racecourse for the Boxing Day home game against Salford.

Big crowds can’t buy you promotions although league champions Orient may beg to differ,

Orient’s average attendance for all 46 league games last season was 4,100 compared to Wrexham’s 3,684 and Chesterfield, who were next best with 3,311.

The Reds diehards will clock up the miles again next season although with four Southern-based sides going down, the travelling won’t be as bad. Or will it?

Dover Athletic - where Wrexham kicked off the campaign last season - remains the gruesome grueller at 528 miles (round-trip) with the returning Torquay United (486) and Yeovil Town (426) also in the top five far-off destinations along with a couple of Kent excursions to Bromley (450) and Ebbsfleet (420).

Sutton United (414), Eastleigh (410) and Dagenham (404) complete the 400-plus club although Gateshead (388), Woking (386), Hartlepool (352) and Barnet (346) aren’t far behind.

The London-based duo of Boreham Wood and Maidenhead are both 170 miles away from Wrexham with Barrow (274) and Harrogate (222) next on the list.

One game to look out for when the fixtures are out in July is Wrexham v Notts County.

The Reds are the oldest club in Wales while County, who finished bottom of League Two, were the oldest club in the Football League before suffering relegation.

A trip to Meadow Lane and back clocks up at 186 miles with nearby Chesterfield showing up as 180 on the dashboard.

AFC Fylde and FC Halifax are both the same at 170 with Solihull Moors a 168 round trip.

That leaves the two teams who have been promoted from National League North - Stockport County and Chorley.

Chorley - the home-town of Graham Barrow, who was one of three to try his hand at managing Wrexham last season - is a 126 mile round trip while it’s only 104 miles there and back to Edgeley Park.

Now Wrexham v Stockport would be a good Boxing Day crowd-puller - although you can’t see North Wales or Cheshire Police agreeing to that!