Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has described Friday's Championship fixture at West Ham United as "very special", with more than 60,000 supporters expected at London Stadium for what would become the highest-attended match in the Welsh club's history.

A record that has stood for over half a century

The current landmark was set more than 56 years ago: 54,096 supporters watched Wrexham take on Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup fourth round in January 1970. Friday's crowd is expected to comfortably surpass that figure, a prospect Parkinson said had captured the imagination throughout the squad since the fixture list was published.

"We've had some big attendances over the years, but to be part of a Wrexham team going there to play in front of the highest ever crowd is very special," Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales. "It was certainly a fixture everybody was looking out for when the fixtures came out back in June."

The London Stadium, originally constructed for the 2012 Olympics in Stratford, has been West Ham's home since the 2016-17 season, when the club left their traditional Boleyn Ground in Upton Park. Its capacity makes it one of the largest venues in the Championship by some distance, and a sell-out crowd would represent a remarkable backdrop for a Wrexham side still establishing themselves in the second tier.

A stern test against table-topping opponents

The occasion carries weight beyond the atmosphere. West Ham arrive into the match as Championship leaders, having won each of their last three games, and Parkinson acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing his side.

"The last three games they have won them all, they've done well," he said. "As you'd expect, like Burnley, they carry a lot of players who've played at the high level."

Parkinson singled out Jarrod Bowen as a particular threat, noting the winger's early-season statistics have been notable. "I think everybody's going to mention Bowen because his stats are up there in terms of so far this season and rightly so," he said. "He deserves special mention because he's an international player."

The manager added, however, that Wrexham carry dangers of their own and that West Ham will need to pay attention to certain players in the visiting side. It is the kind of confident framing Parkinson has used throughout a promising early campaign for the club.

Parkinson knows the ground

The Wrexham boss is not walking into unfamiliar territory. He has previously visited London Stadium in a cup tie during his time managing Bolton Wanderers and offered an honest assessment of the venue's distinctive layout.

"It's got a different feel to it, obviously because of the running track around it, but it's still an amazing arena to play at," he said. "The lads are looking forward to it."

It is the second consecutive home game in which Wrexham face a side with recent Premier League experience; Tuesday's opponents Burnley had also dropped out of the top flight. West Ham, though, present an even sterner examination, sitting at the summit of the second-tier table heading into the weekend.

For Wrexham supporters, the occasion will be one to savour regardless of the result. The club's rise from non-league football to the Championship has been one of the more unlikely stories in English football in recent years, and a record-breaking crowd at one of the country's most recognisable stadiums is another milestone along that journey.

Kick-off at London Stadium is on Friday evening.

Frequently asked

What is Wrexham's biggest ever crowd?
The current record is 54,096, set when Wrexham faced Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup fourth round in January 1970. More than 60,000 fans are expected at London Stadium on Friday, which would surpass that figure.
Where do West Ham play their home games?
West Ham play at London Stadium in Stratford, east London, which was built for the 2012 Olympics. They moved there from the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park ahead of the 2016-17 season.
Where are West Ham in the Championship table?
According to the source, West Ham are currently top of the Championship table heading into Friday's home fixture against Wrexham, having won each of their last three matches.