LUKE CODDINGTON believes Wrexham are a better side than last season when he was first playing at The Racecourse.

The goalkeeper has arrived on a one-month loan deal from Northampton Town and made his second Reds’ debut in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Guiseley, Sam Wedgbury salvaging a point with an equaliser deep into added time.

Just over 12 months ago Coddington, then plying his trade with Huddersfield Town, was brought in by manager Dean Keates as goalkeeper cover with Wrexham close to the relegation zone.

Keates revamped his squad over the summer and Coddington sees a big improvement in Wrexham who are unbeaten in six National League games and just two points behind the leaders in ninth position.

“I did well here last year but I think the team is better this season with the additions the manager has made,” said Coddington, who played five games during last year’s month with Wrexham, saving two penalties.

“First impressions on my first day in training was it was more quicker and more competitive, and that came into Saturday’s game.

“The goal we conceded was unlucky, it came through bodies, I haven’t seen it and it took a deflection right in front of me, but I think that was the only way they were going to score.

“We limited them to not many chances and then we had a lot of possession. 

“We didn’t have many chances but we kept going; they had been time wasting throughout the game and it came back to bite them at the end when we equalised.

“I think this is a team where defensively we are set-up really well. We could have created more chances but we are still unbeaten in six games and you can’t complain about that. The goals will come.”

Keates has seen Chris Dunn and Christian Dibble sidelined with injuries, leaving him with Callum Preston as the only available goalkeeper, and Coddington jumped at the chance to rejoin Wrexham.

“As soon as I heard Wrexham needed a goalkeeper and Dean asked me to come, I couldn’t turn it down,” said Coddington.

“I felt that I did well here last year and the fans were really good. It is a good club and as soon as there was an opportunity to come back, I wasn’t going to turn it down.”

Coddington left Huddersfield in the summer following the Terriers’ promotion to the Premier League and he signed for Northampton Town.

He made two appearances in August but Northampton endured a poor start to their League One campaign and parted company with manager Justin Edinburgh.

 Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink has taken charge of the Cobblers but Coddington has slipped down the pecking order and he is pleased to get some game-time with Wrexham.

“With Huddersfield winning promotion, it was unbelievable and it would have been pretty much impossible getting in that team,” said Coddington.

“Danny Ward was doing really well so there was no chance of me getting in the first team, especially going up to the Premier League.

“The opportunity came about to go to Northampton, I spoke to the manager at the time and trained for a while, and they ended up signing me.

“But things have changed since then and I have dropped down a couple of pegs, they have got a couple of people in on loan and stuff, so I was delighted to come back to Wrexham and get some games and help Wrexham again.”

Coddington penned a two year deal with Northampton and feels he still has a future at The Sixfields Stadium.

“My ambition this season is to get as many games as I can and take that back to Northampton where I feel I can push on and really develop,” said Coddington.

“I am enjoying my time there but it is a chance to come here, play games and try to keep clean sheets.”

Coddington is set to continue between the posts at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday and Keates revealed he is casting an eye over some trialists in training this week.

“We have got a couple of trialists in this week to have a look at and run the rule over,” said Keates.

“They will go back and we will also watch them at the clubs that they are at.”