BRYAN HUGHES says he will thrive on the pressure that comes with being manager of Wrexham and is not fazed by the high expectations at the club.

Former Reds' midfielder Hughes has been appointed manager on a three-and-a-half year contract, taking over from Graham Barrow who resigned on Tuesday.

Although he had a hugely successful playing career, Hughes is unproven as a manager but he is looking forward to the challenge of maintaining fifth placed Wrexham's promotion challenge with 15 games to go.

"There is pressure in any role in any job," said Hughes.

"I am manager of the football club now and I will deal with the pressure.

"I am going to try and take that off the players because I want them to be fully focused on these next 15 games.

"It is all about bringing them together as a group and making sure they know their roles and responsibilities every time we take to the field.

"It is about making an impact. We are doing it defensively, can we do it more in the attacking third which is the biggest challenge for me."

When asked if he was worried about the expectation levels at The Racecourse, Hughes, whose side are only four points behind leaders Leyton Orient, said: "I wouldn't be here if I was.

"Expectation levels get bigger the more successful you are and where we are sat in the league, the expectation is to try and get promotion out of this league.

"That is only natural, everyone is going to think that. My job now is to keep the players grounded and keep building momentum which is going to be key.

"With 15 games to go, it is about getting enough points on the board to either win the league or finish the play-offs."

Hughes, who becomes the club's third manager of the season after Barrow and Sam Ricketts, added: "For me it is all about the here and now, and getting out of this league.

"Wrexham have been out of the Football League way to long for my liking. It is not an easy job as other managers have found.

"It is a competitive league, especially this season, but we will do our utmost as a coaching team and a playing team, and I am sure the fans will back us all the way.

"Does it faze me? No. It is one of those things that I am really excited about delivering.

"If we can win the league, brilliant, if we have to do it through the play-offs then just as good."

Hughes was approached about the job when it emerged Barrow was looking to stand down.

"It has all been a bit of a whirlwind," said Hughes. "It started off over the weekend, Graham had made his thoughts known to the board that he wanted to step down.

"They put things in motion to try and find a replacement; I got a call to say they would like me to come in for an interview, probably along with other people at the time, and now I find myself manager of the club."

Hughes can't wait for his first game as manager against Dagenham and Redbridge at The Racecourse tomorrow and he says fans have got a huge part to play in the final 15 games.

"I will be very excited to walk out as manager of the football club in front of the fans," said Hughes.

"The fans are going to have a massive part to play.

"We are all in this together, it is all about building a unity; myself, the coaching team and the players, the fans have got just as big a part, especially here at home.

"I know exactly how forceful the fans can be here when they are backing the team; all those cup exploits that we had here, we need to reproduce that and the fans can be our 12th man in delivering that."

Hughes, who will work with first team coach Carl Darlington, hopes to have an assistant manager in place soon.

"I would like to do it as soon as possible, I have got people in mind," added Hughes.

"It is my job now to try and bring someone in who I think will really benefit the club, who can help me and really take the club forward with me.

"That three-and-a-half year contract that I have got, it is good security about building an identity here at the club going forward."