Reid’s joy after fine start at Dragons

ALEX Reid hopes to continue repaying the faith shown in him by Dean Keates after being brought to the Racecourse on a short-term loan deal.

The 21-year-old enjoyed a scintillating Dragons debut within hours of joining Wrexham on a two-month loan from Fleetwood Town.

Reid came off the bench just before the hour mark against Gateshead on Tuesday night to score the only goal and help Wrexham claim their first points of the season at home .

It was a whirlwind 12 hours for the striker who only learned he was joining Wrexham at midday on match-day.

“It has been a crazy day,” said Reid. “I got in at 9am (at Fleetwood) and was told by about 12pm to 1pm that I was going on loan to Wrexham. I drove down here and got here for about 4pm, met the lads at about 6pm and then, what was it, 9pm I am scoring the winner for Wrexham.

“Over the moon to score in front of a packed stadium, it is a dream come true. To grab a goal and at the same time for the whole stadium to erupt, it is something I have dreamed of since I was a little kid. And to have the fans at the end chanting my name, it was a dream debut.

“I already know the gaffer through playing with him last season at Rushall Olympic, so he contacted me and he said he needed goals and that is what I am here to do.

“He is a great guy and as I said I am here to score goals. He needs goals, and if I am in the team I will score goals.

“I went away with Fleetwood on the pre-season tour to Austria,” said Reid. “It was a great experience but I didn’t get any game time.

“So I am coming down to this level, which is an amazing level, it is higher than I have already come from (at Rushall), to play in front of packed stadiums and it is real football.”

The youngster was signed by the Cod Army in January after catching the eye at Rushall with an impressive record of scoring 40 goals in 18-months.

Keates admitted he had tried to sign Reid in January, but was delighted to have his services, even if only temporarily, at present.

“I know what Alex is all about, I spent six months with him, he is a great lad, has a great attitude and desire to achieve something in the game,” said Keates.

“He was always on the side as my possible loan if I went that way and in the end it got that way that I felt we needed an extra forward in.”