LEE FOWLER believes more clubs should follow Wrexham's example and employ rookie managers.

Bryan Hughes was handed his big opportunity as Reds boss in February, following on from the likes of Sam Ricketts and Dean Keates who started out in management at The Racecourse in recent seasons.

Former Wrexham midfielder Fowler, who has led Ilkeston Town to promotion, is a big advocate for giving young managers a chance and believes Hughes can he a success when the Reds kick-off a 12th season in non-league.

"There are so many failures as manager who keep getting job after job because they have had a good name," said Fowler.

"You get on the roundabout and it is the same type of managers who keep going in and out of clubs.

"I would like to think us younger coaches are a bit more braver in terms of going for it or playing a different style, it is not just regimental like the older coaches.

"Bryan cares, he is young, he is hungry and he has got Carl Darlington in there who is a good coach.

"We know it is a massive football club with massive expectations and Bryan has got to take that on his shoulders which I think he will do.

"It is good to see a young manager at a big club and I really hope he does well."

Hughes became Wrexham's third manager of the season after Ricketts and Graham Barrow but he guided the Reds to a play-off spot for the first time in six years, although the promotion dream was ended by Eastleigh in the eliminator.

Fowler, who had two spells as a player at The Racecourse, had his take on Wrexham's management situation during a roller-coaster season.

"Obviously Sam came in and I think he used Wrexham as a stepping stone. I think he moved quicker than even he thought," said Fowler.

"Shrewsbury came up and he jumped at it with both hands.

"I knew Graham didn't want the job, I just thought the board panicked a little bit in terms of 'we can't have another new manager' and kept the continuity but in hindsight, they should have just appointed somebody straight away.

"Bryan has got a massive affection with the club from when he was there as a player but it must have been difficult for him. I know he brought a few player in but the budget was probably already done and it wasn't his team.

"But you listen to his interviews and he is young and is hungry."

Fowler became Ilkeston's third manager of the season in December.

Previous bosses Steve Chettle and Martin McIntosh had taken the Robins to the top of the Midland Football League Premier Division and Fowler maintained their lofty position, clinching the title to win promotion to the Evo-Stick League - four divisions below the Football League.

The 35-year-old is looking forward to the challenges that come with playing at a higher level.

"It's 27 years since Ilkeston won promotion as outright winners," said Fowler.

"They have been in Step Four before but the club has been mismanaged quite a few times and I think it has gone bust twice.

"I have got some good players. The pedigree is there and the fanbase is there, the biggest conundrum now is they are going to expect success now but you don't want the club to go bust either so you have got to manage both."

Fowler was previously at troubled Nuneaton, where there are still concerns for the club's future, and he believes a brief stint in the Liberty Way hotseat will stand him in good stead as he continues his management journey.

"It has gone well for me at Ilkeston," added Fowler. "I have never been at this level before but I made things better; changed the training ground and the equipment was a bit better, just making it a bit more professional than it was.

"The group was already winning games so it was good to go in there.

"I speak with Southport manager Liam Watson and he said he has been manager for 15-16 years and hasn't been able to win titles so regardless of what level it is, you have gone in to your first job and won a title.

"It is a great learning curve but for me, although I was only at Nuneaton for five months, that will stand me in bigger stead than actually winning the league because of the things we went through there."