KIERAN KENNEDY has enjoyed every moment of his time working under Wrexham boss Dean Keates.

Kennedy played under Graham Barrow and Bryan Hughes last season, before he signed for Port Vale, rejoining the Reds in November on-loan. His return to The Racecourse saw him working under Keates, who he saluted, for the first time.

“He seems to get a bit of stick, doesn’t he?” said the 26-year-old. “I’m not trying to suck up to him, but I really enjoyed working under him.

“His day-to-day work with the lads is great and he’s ridiculously thorough in his preparation for games, especially for the level he’s working at. Under him I always felt like we could keep a clean sheet in every game and, with our attacking talent, I was confident we could always score.

“He will be working hard when football can return to get the players he wants to make a team that can challenge at the top end of the table again.

“He’s also been really good during lockdown. He’s really paying an interest in what the players are doing physically and he’s always asking how we are and how our families are, which is great.”

And Kennedy, who will be released by Port Vale when his contract is up this summer, won’t rule out a return to The Racecourse if Keates comes knocking.

“My contract is up so I will just have to wait and see,” said Kennedy. “I’m sure everyone knows how much I enjoy playing for Wrexham - I’ve said it in the past. My family love it here as well. They were fuming when I told them I wasn’t going to re-sign last year.”