JAMES HURST is loving life at Wrexham and feels he is getting his career back on track.

Hurst featured in the Premier League for West Brom, played for a number of Football League clubs and also had two spells with Icelandic club Valur in his early years.

On his return to the UK in 2014, Hurst turned out for Hednesford, Torquay United, Guiseley, Telford United and Dover Athletic before joining Wrexham in the summer.

Still only aged 25, Hurst says a return to professional football at The Racecourse was just what he needed.

“I am really enjoying it here and hopefully it continues,” said Hurst.

“It is definitely a proper football club. We do things right.

“I missed it the last couple of years being like a professional footballer; being in every day, do the things right, recovering right, training right as opposed to being part-time.”

On the substitutes bench for the opening five games of the season, Hurst made his first Wrexham start in the 1-0 victory against Woking on August 26, replacing right-back Kevin Roberts.

Hurst went onto make four successive starts, emerging unbeaten with three wins and a draw, but a quad injury sustained in that stalemate at Torquay United on September 9 meant an untimely spell on the sidelines.

“It was disappointing to get the injury, I was happy with my form and happy winning,”said Hurst, who returned to the starting XI for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat at AFC Fylde.

“If I get another run in the side in the league then hopefully it would be exactly the same.

“But the injury didn’t get me down because I know what football is like.

“That happens, you have got to be able to adapt and deal with getting back in the side once you have that injury, and try and take off from where you left.

“Unfortunately that didn’t happen on Saturday but that was a cup game and hopefully if I get a chance in the league again, just carry on where I left off.”

Hurst, who can also play in midfield, added: “Hopefully I get back in. I would like to think I would get back in at some point in some position. There are so many games left and I am quite versatile so there will an opportunity to fill in for somebody or start.”

Although knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, Wrexham are fifth in the National League and only three points behind leaders Macclesfield Town after stringing together a 10-game unbeaten run.

Hurst is delighted with the position Wrexham are in after 15 games and is determined to maintain a promotion challenge.

“We have got a good squad and it will take the whole squad I’m sure to be successful in the league,” said Hurst.

“With seventh place getting you into the play-offs, we have got a real chance of definitely being in the play-offs at least.

“We should aim for that and if we can do better by winning the league then obviously we will go for that as well.”

Hurst, preparing for Saturday’s game at Dagenham, won’t let the cup disappointment linger for long.

“It is always good to win, you feel great,” added Hurst. “We hadn’t lost for 10 games and on Saturday you think ‘that’s how it feels to lose,’ it feels horrible.

“You have got to get over it quickly and get back to it. It didn’t go too well for us on Saturday but sometimes these things happen. You have just got to try and learn from them and improve.

“It is a long season and a long way to go. Don’t get too up when you win and don’t get too down when you lose.”