DURRELL AIMS HIGH THIS TIME
DEAN Keates has told Wrexham new boy Elliott Durrell that he has nothing to prove on his return to the Racecourse.
Durrell, 31, spent the 2014-15 season in North Wales but was used only fitfully during an injury-plagued campaign.
Released by Gary Mills, the winger has since won promotion to the Football League with Macclesfield Town, kept Chester City in the National League and last month helped Altrincham to victory in the National League North play-offs.
“I’m sure a portion of the Wrexham fans will have seen what I’ve done with other clubs and thought ‘So who was the guy that we signed? Why didn’t he do that for us?’” admits Durrell.
“But when I spoke to Dean, he said ‘I’m not bringing you in to prove any kind of point. You’ve gone away, you’ve worked hard, you’ve shown that you’re more than capable of playing at this level, if not above. You’re here on merit’.
“For my own peace of mind, I’d like to think that the majority of fans just see me as a proven player who can improve the team. If not, then I’ve got an opportunity to right some wrongs.”
Durrell arrives in Wrexham with a glowing public reference from Altrincham, for whom he scored six goals in seven appearances after leaving York City in February.
The Robins described
Durrell’s brief tenure as a “joint-initiative” aimed at earning the player a full-time contract whilst simultaneously propelling Alty into the top flight.
“For both parties, it was mission accomplished,” said a statement on the club website. “Elliott leaves with not only our good wishes but our gratitude for arguably packing more into eight hours on the pitch than any Alty player ever has before.”
Durrell adds: “The ultimate aim was always to go full-time, but I would never describe Altrincham as a stepping stone. It’s a brilliant club, and the move worked out perfectly. The experience I have in Non-League, of being in and around winning teams, probably helped us over the line.
“For me, it was an opportunity to get playing again, with a side that likes to play football the right way. That showed not just in the results, but in my performances on a personal level.
“It was a really big decision to leave, because the style of football they play really is something special.
“The higher up you go, the more time you tend to get. National North is quick. It’s frantic. The other team is in your face. You step up to the National League and all of that slackens off a bit. I think that will allow them to compete and I wish them well.”
For Wrexham, of course, competing is the bare minimum. After last season’s 19th-place finish, a promotion push is urgently required.
“Big clubs have big expectations and it’s up to us as players to manage that,” says Durrell. “At the end of the day, the size of the club doesn’t give you any divine right to be anywhere.
“It comes with hard work and that will be the basis of everything we do this season. We work for ourselves. For each other. Whether you’re in the team or not, we’ll have each other’s backs. We’re looking to make big improvements and we’ll be aiming for promotion.”