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WREXHAM are poised to give assistant-manager Kevin Russell a new contract early next year.
This follows the decision by chairman Mark Guterman and his board to extend manager Denis Smith’s contract by another two years - exclusively revealed in the EVENING LEADER - next summer.
Guterman and his board of four directors clearly believe the Smith-Russell partnership is working and should be kept intact.
Smith said today: “I didn’t know Kev until I came here to Wrexham so, in some respects, it was a gamble for us to be put together to work as a team. But I’ve got to say his enthusiasm is infectious - and it rubs off on others.
“Kev’s very popular with the players and he keeps a sense of humour, no matter what and that’s important in this game. He’s got ideas and he pushes himself hard.
“I’ve got to say it would be very difficult to do this job without him. He does such a good job for me and for this club. I’ve been very impressed with the lad. And he’ll get better because he wants to get better. When I was discussing my new contract I mentioned Kevin’s because he’s so important to me and the job I do here.”
Russell, 36, said: “All in all, my family and I have been here at Wrexham 15 years. That’s a long time, a very long time in football. But I now feel I am learning my trade again - and I’m enjoying it.
“It’s like starting out again as a young apprentice and, to be honest, I couldn’t be learning the ropes under anyone better than Denis Smith. He’s been in the game a long time and I like to think I’m learning different things from him almost on a day-to-day basis.”
Russell, however, revealed he is not yet ready to become a full-time manager. “No, not at the moment,” he said. “I’m enjoying the coaching side so much. Whether I’m cut out to be a manager only time will tell, but at the moment I see my future more on the coaching side.
“I’m a hands-on sort of football guy. I like to be out there on the training ground with players rather than be tied to a desk.”
‘Rooster’ first came to Wrexham in 1987 when then manager Dixie McNeil paid £10,000 for him from his home club, Portsmouth. He made a disastrous debut in a 6-1 defeat at Torquay United, but Russell went on to become a big fans’ favourite with his darting runs that brought goals.
He averaged a goal every other game for two seasons, helping Wrexham to the third division play-offs in 1989 when they lost a two-legged final 2-1 on aggregate to Leyton Orient.
Wrexham later sold him to Leicester City for £175,000 and Russell went on to have a string of other clubs before returning to The Racecourse.
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