IT’S about time Wrexham fans had another promotion season to shout about.

This season marks the 20th anniversary the Reds last hit the heights to move up a division and Andy Morrell was one of the main men that season.

And the Reds legend was more than happy to go on rewind even if recalling it from 20 years ago did make him feel a tad old.

“It was a great year, a brilliant team and to end up top scorer in all the leagues is something I’m never going to better,” said Morrell, who scored 39 goals in 51 games for Denis Smith’s side as they finished third behind champions Rushden and Diamonds and runners-up Hartlepool.

Morrell was magnificent that season while his striking side-kick, Lee Trundle, was his trick-a-minute self, bamboozling defenders and fans alike with his repertoire.

“It was a season where everything just fell into place,” added Morrell. “We didn’t have a big squad but we had players who knew how to play the system Denis Smith wanted to.

“The Edwards’ - two of the best attacking wing-backs you’d have seen that season. Carlos was unbelievable - just so slick in everything he did.

“Solid centre halves in Brian Carey while big Dennis Lawrence came into his own that season.

“An experienced goalkeeper in Andy Dibble and the two in the middle of the park, Jim Whitley - the ball-winner - and Darren Ferguson with that magic left foot of his.”

But it was up top where Wrexham really flourished with Morrell grabbing his place ahead of Lee Jones and Hector Sam after Craig Faulconbridge had decided his future lay away from The Racecourse.

Morrell missed one league game that season but scored 34 in the other 45 to make him the leading goalscorer in the top four divisions. Not bad considering he’d only netted two the season before!

That made Morrell a wanted man. That goal return would have made him worth around half-a-million pound. But he left for nothing, Coventry City’s Gary McAllister snapping him up on a free transfer.

“You know what, I was never offered a contract to stay on that season,” revealed Morrell. “If I’d have been offered something, I think I could have stayed but it wasn’t until Coventry came in with an offer that they said they wanted to make me the club’s top earner.

“But it was too late. I was ambitious and the chance to move and player in a higher level at Coventry was just too good to turn down.

“It was a shame because I loved that season. How could you not have enjoyed it?

“It was great playing with Trunds. I scored 39 goals in all competitions that season and Trunds set up half of them. He was a great lad, really funny - a typical Scouser and just the kind of character you want in the dressing room.”

“Some of the things he could do with a ball, too. He was almost telepathic that season. I’d make a run and he’d find me with a precision pass.”

Trundle was also out of contract that summer and left on a free, teaming-up with the man who had brought him to Wrexham, Brian Flynn.

Flynn was now boss at Swansea. He knew what Trundle was on at The Racecourse, fetched him to The Vetch and then cashed in as the ex-Rhyl striker moved on for £1m to Bristol City four years later.

That means Wrexham missed out on a potentially life-saving £1.5m. A year later they were put into administration.

Morrell would be back, proving just as good a player-manager, taking Wrexham so close to a return to the promised land of the Football League on two occasions as well as a first ever trip to Wembley where he celebrated in style as The Reds lifted the FA Trophy.

That Wembley win came 15 years after Morrell was first given his chance in professional football when Flynn signed him on following a tip-off from journalist Rob McCaffrey.

Patience was certainly one of Morrell’s many values as he tried to make a name for himself at Wrexham.

“I was working in a gym at the time and thought it would be an easy transition,” added Morrell.

“But I soon realised what a big step up it was. There was so much I had to learn and thankfully I had the likes of Flynnie, Kevin Reeves and Joey Jones giving me all the advice I needed.

“Then Ian Rush joined and he was coaching me. Rushie, coaching me?!

“I couldn’t believe he never managed to score one for Wrexham. He never missed one in training!

“His movement, his touch, it was just amazing and how could you not learn from someone who has scored billions of goals.

“I remember the advice he gave me too, saying that if I wanted to score more, I’d have to stop running around so much.”

Morrell also remembers the late and legendary Leader photographer Les Evans’ picture of his diving header against Rushden and Diamonds.

“Les loved that picture and so do I,” said Morrell.

“There were so many good memories from that year and Denis Smith deserves a lot of credit for getting us back up after relegation in his first season.

“He was a tremendous man-manager.

“I started the season off on fire ever since I scored from three centimetres at Scunthorpe on the first day of the season.

“I think the fact that Denis gave me the number 11 shirt, showed I was part of his plans and I started the season on fire before hitting a bit of a barren patch.

“I remember him calling me in and said he was going to leave me out for a cup match and I thought ‘oh no, this it, my time is up.’

“But as I was turning to go out of the door, he said: ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be in from the start on Saturday.’"