LUKE YOUNG admits it was a gamble deciding to leave home for the first time in his career but he says it has been justified with Wrexham reaching the play-offs.

The Devon-born midfielder turned down the offer of a new contract with Torquay, who he joined in the summer of 2014 from Plymouth Argyle, to become Reds' boss Sam Ricketts' first new signing last summer on a two-year deal.

Although Torquay were relegated from the National League in 2017-18 - the Gulls have bounced straight back - it was still a huge step for Young to move so far away from home for the first time.

But the 26-year-old was looking for a new challenge and after swapping relegation battles for a promotion push, making the move to Wrexham has been justified.

"My time at Torquay was good on a personnel level," said Young, who was a key player at Plainmoor and has also been a regular in the Wrexham side.

"It was just unfortunate that the final outcome of last season was that they got relegated but they have now bounced straight back up which is good to see as a former club.

"This year has been a good year for me. I took a little bit of a risk moving away from home and not taking the offer that got put on the table at Torquay.

"It is nice to get that little bit of reward for taking that risk and being at the top end of the league for the majority of the season.

"The aim at the start was to secure the minimum of a play-off place and it is good to be there."

Wrexham were leaders at the start of March but a poor run of form meant the title challenge fell away.

But a revival saw Bryan Hughes' side clinch a play-off spot with three games to go and although they have missed out on automatic promotion, Young is pleased Wrexham are still in with a shout of a place in the Football League.

"Obviously going into the start of the season your full aim is finishing as high up the league as you can and trying to clinch automatic promotion," said Young.

"It is hard in this league because you have got to win the league to do that but the next best thing is the play-offs.

"It is nice that we have secured that after a long season with three games to go."

Wrexham, spending an 11th season in non-league, last reached the play-offs in the 2012-13 season when they were beaten 2-0 by Newport County at Wembley.

It was the third play-off failure in a row but Young is pleased Wrexham are still in contention for promotion.

"The club has been in this league for so long and this is the first time in six seasons to get into the play-offs," added Young.

"It is the first time in a while where we are going to have a chance to try and get out of the league which everybody wants to do."