Daily Post

Little wants good times back

By Rob Griffiths, Daily Post

10 June 2008

Brian LittleWREXHAM boss Brian Little has reassured fans that everyone at the club is working as hard as possible to ensure the Dragons regain their Football League status at the first time of asking.

So far Wrexham have signed Paul Carden, Simon Brown and Jefferson Louis, and Little refused to rule out any more coming in before the start of their Blue Square Premier campaign.

But Little was also adamant that it was not a short term plan being put in place for one season, but that he was hoping to make the club competitive should they return to League Two.

“My aim is to get the club back on an even footing,” said Little.

“They have had some great times under Denis (Smith) and Brian Flynn, but it has been a little bit in the doldrums over the last couple of seasons and we are working hard now to make sure we can get those good times back here again.

“Whatever types of players we are bringing in we are confident that they can get us back up in the Football League.

“I’ve been looking at the Conference and the top six clubs and I feel they are all good enough to more than hold their own in League Two, so we are working hard and trying to bring in players of enough quality to get us up and then keep us up.

“If you look at the top clubs in the Conference last season, the ones that were around the play-offs, the likes of Torquay, Burton Albion, Aldershot, then I feel they could all do a good job in League Two, so that is our aim.”

Little also reiterated that he hoped to see more new faces coming in to the club before the start of the season.

One player that has been spotted being shown around the club was Brentford striker Ricky Shakes, but when asked about the possibility of another signing Little laughed: “I have to compliment you on your homework, and finding out about one player that has been shown around here.

“But he is one of about 21 players that we have been showing around the club. So you may have spotted one but you’ve missed the other 20.

“We are working hard and trying our best to get in players that we feel can do a job for us and I can tell you that we have had a lot of players that have shown an interest in the club, but it is still very early stages.

“While I’ve been away on holiday recently, I’ve still been in contact with a lot of players agents and representatives, as have Martin (Foyle) and Brian (Carey).

“But it’s still a little bit early. We’ve spoken to people, but they have said that they are still weighing up offers from other places and all we can do is hold.

“We feel we have got an attractive package here with the ground and the training facilities, but we would expect it to get a bit busier towards the end of June early July.”

Meanwhile, new signing Louis has backed himself to score the goals that get Wrexham back into the Football League.

Louis, 29, joined the Dragons last week from fellow relegated outfit Mansfield Town and admits he is confident he can fire the club to promotion at the first time of asking.

“I joined because of what the manager said to me,” Louis said.

“The manager said he wanted to get the club back up at the first attempt and said the club had really big plans.

“And I want to be a part of that. I had offers from other league clubs, but I looked at Wrexham and after speaking to the manager and seeing the facilities I knew I was making the right decision.”

Louis added: “Fans can expect a lot of hard work from me, and I will always back myself to score goals.

“I have done everywhere I’ve been in my career and I will back myself to do the same here at Wrexham.”

And Louis also had a word of praise for what he described as among the most passionate fans he has ever encountered.

“I’ve been to Wrexham a few times as an opponent,” said the former Mansfield man.

“And I’ve always thought the fans were great at Wrexham.

“They get behind the team and are very passionate, and as a player you can’t really ask for any more than that from them.

“I think it’s the same will all the Welsh clubs, all the fans are very passionate and take their sport very seriously, and they really get behind the players.”