KEATES’ NEED TO ‘KEEP IT FRESH’

DEAN KEATES has stressed the need to “freshen up” his Wrexham squad was behind the decision to release 11 players.

A whole host of first-teamers including Jake Lawlor, Akil Wright, Luke Summerfield, Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, Jason Oswell, Doug Tharme, Leighton McIntosh, JJ Hooper, Matthew Sargent, Jack Thorn and Dawid Szczepaniak have been told they are not part of the manager’s plans for next season.

The Dragons sunk to their lowest ever league position last season with returning boss Keates steering them to 19th place in the table – two points clear of the relegation zone – having spent much of the campaign ensconced in the bottom four and destined for sixth tier football.

And it’s promoted the boss to make sweeping changes to the Recreation Ground ranks in a bid to turn around the club’s fortunes.

“We have to use this as a turning point,” Keates told The Leader. “It’s a chance to freshen up the squad. The core of the group helped get the team into the play-offs the season before this one, but was the season just gone a season too far?

“I’ve got the spine of a team with a goalkeeper, central defender and central midfielders, so it’s about adding to that now.”

Keates, however, says he is in discussions with James Jennings, Mark Carrington, Paul Rutherford, Davis Keillor-Dunn and Christian Dibble about extended their deals although the club are “not yet in a position to offer new contracts”.