SPENCER HARRIS has hailed the close working relationship between manager and board as Wrexham aim to compile a squad capable of challenging for promotion next season.

Boss Dean Keates is revamping the squad after Wrexham finished 13th last term and defenders James Hurst and Shaun Pearson have already been snapped up.

Pearson has come in on a two year deal from League Two Grimsby Town where he won promotion in 2015-16, and his signature has been welcomed by supporters.

Director Harris insists the board and Keates are working hard to bring in more quality signings ahead of a 10th season in non-league football.

“Rather than say it is a different outlook, I would say it is a different relationship between the manager and the board,” said Harris.

“The manager very much shares the outlook that we have which is you can build a competitive, tight-knit squad in this division which will allow you to be competitive rather than go for a much bigger squad that doesn’t have the same quality.

“We are very much aligned how best to go about things, we are talking every day and working together on things which is how it should be.

“We could not be happier how it is going.”

Supporters have raised more than £50,000 through the Build The Budget fund and Harris has urged fans to snap up season tickets before the June 3 early bird deadline.

“Whilst we have got an increased budget this season, £50,000 from Build the Budget is an amazing amount of money that has really helped us to have an improved squad next season” said Harris.

“I encourage fans to buy season tickets as soon as possible, let’s get over 2,000 again and enjoy a competitive team that we can be proud of, and see how much we can achieve.

“There are new coaching staff, good players coming in and I have got every confidence that Dean will get the players competitive, fit and organised, and let’s see where that takes us.”

Harris is delighted with the acquisition of centre-back Pearson who had attracted interest from clubs in both the Football League and National League.

“Shaun is a fantastic signing, one of the best since we have been in the Conference,” said Harris.

“That is testament to the hard work and effort by the manager in persuading Shaun that Wrexham is the right place and will be challenging at the right end of the division.

“There will hopefully be lots of other good players coming in.”

Keates, meanwhile, praised the board for allowing him to complete the signing of Pearson and he is optimistic that more transfer targets will put pen to paper this week.

“We put a lot of time into it and I am grateful that the board have backed me on everything I wanted to do,” said Keates.

“Shaun has signed to be at the club for two years and I am chuffed to bits that we have got him in.

“He is a part of a jigsaw that I am trying to bring together and all being well over the next few weeks, there will be a lot more pieces falling into place.”

Keates added: “Shaun had Football League clubs interested in him and there were one or two teams in this division who have got bigger budgets and offered him more money.

“But he wants to play at a proper football club and when a player tells you that, it is refreshing to hear.

“He is 28-years-old and he has got aspirations to play as high as he can, all being well he can write a piece of history in his career and this football club going forward, and he can play a massive part of hopefully getting the club back to where it belongs.”