Former FA Trophy-winning defender Mark Creighton has reacted to the new ‘brilliant news’ coming out of Wrexham on Wednesday afternoon.
Wrexham have made a hugely impressive start to the summer transfer window ahead of their return to League One.
The Reds were quick to release several fringe players at the end of their contracts, while supplying quality replacements, including Arthur Okonkwo, Lewis Brunt, George Dobson, Callum Burton and Sebastian Revan.
For Phil Parkinson, the work to improve his first-team squad is far from done in the transfer window but to take five new signings on their pre-season tour of the United States is seen as a huge success.
Compared to previous campaigns, Wrexham have shown an appetite to invest in youth, as the arrivals of Brunt, Okonkwo and Revan are all aged 23 and under.
It’s a strategy that bodes well for their future, as does some brilliant news emerging from the club yesterday.
Mark Creighton reacts as Wrexham receive Category 3 academy status
Wrexham were left fearing the worst for their future last week as their application to become a Category Three academy was rejected.
The Reds held Category Four status, which meant they could only have youth teams from under-17 upwards and their plans to introduce Under-9 to Under-16 age groups were in danger of being scrapped.
That was until a successful PGAAC audit, and the announcement of a multi-million-pound investment in the academy training facility to be built in partnership with Darland High School saved the day and Wrexham were granted a provisional Category 3 license.
This fantastic news emerged from the club on Wednesday and it has massive implications moving forward. It means Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have been granted their wish to build a sustainable academy, allowing them to develop their very own talented youngsters instead of signing them from elsewhere.
Once this news was confirmed, several figures associated with Wrexham – including former defender Mark Creighton – took to social media to react.
Taking to X, he said: “Cat3 awarded to @Wrexham_AFC academy. Brilliant news!!! Close to the wire but they got there. Well done all.”
Creighton spent three years at Wrexham, retiring at the club with an FA trophy under his belt in 2013 as the Reds beat Grimsby Town on penalties.
This is massive for Wrexham
Wrexham’s growth over the last few years has been phenomenal and jumping up two divisions in as many seasons has left major improvements needing to be made.
McElhenney and Reynolds underlined their ambitions of creating a sustainable academy setup from the moment they walked through the door.
Whilst they’ve not fulfilled their goal of building their own for various reasons, the facility at Darland High School has at least given them a chance to home youth sides from under 9 level upwards.
It’s a long project for the club but hopefully, in years to come, Wrexham will have an academy that quality players from the surrounding areas will want to join.
The academy will also be a place where they can develop the next generation of talent, in the hope of unearthing the next Max Cleworth.