Little withdraws Wrexham reserves

By RICHARD WILLIAMS

07 May 2008

WREXHAM will not have a reserve team next season.

Manager Brian Little has withdrawn the club's reserve team from the Pontin's League next season for footballing reasons, although Wrexham will save money from not staging second string matches.

Little stressed that the withdrawal means that Wrexham can now plan friendly, practice matches at Colliers Park to give players much needed run-outs, rather than having to fulfil reserve team fixtures when it doesn't suit the club.

"When you look at the timing of reserve team games we feel we need to be more in control of ourselves," said Little today. "We have found ourselves playing reserve game 24 hours before or after first team matches - times we could have done without games.

"We have the option of playing Everton, Liverpool or Manchester City under 21s. And we can still play teams like Stockport in practice matches behind closed doors at a time we feel is right, and in a method that suits us."

Little believes pulling out of the Pontin's League will aid Wrexham's recruitment of new players.

Being a Welsh club means that Wrexham have been unable to field trialists in reserve matches because of international clearance issues.

"We have had very little chance of getting trialists in because you need international clearance," added Little. "I have had trouble bringing people in, from England and the continent, and feel other clubs are getting a jump on us.

"A player from a London Premiership club wanted to come here but we could not get clearance to play him in a reserve team match.

"I feel this will improve our recruitment and we need a way of improving our recruitment of bringing in players ready for first team football."