BRYAN HUGHES is ready to challenge one of Wrexham’s attacking players win the club’s Player of the Season award.

Only two of the last 10 winners of the trophy have been forward thinking players, Danny Wright landing the award in 2012/13 with Connor Jennings coming out on top three years later.

Goalkeeper Rob Lainton took the honour last term, following on from Shaun Pearson winning the award 12 months earlier.

And while Hughes, who won the club’s Young Player of the Season in 1994/95, is glad to see Wrexham defensively stable, he knows the fans want to be entertained in the final third.

Asked whether it was about time an attacking player ended the defensive dominance of the top award, Hughes said: “It’s good to have a stability in defence and the clean sheets we’ve had over numerous years are testament to that.

“But I’ve played for this club and I know the fans want to see a good passing team, high energy levels and entertainment in terms of goals.

“Hopefully we can bring the big mix together. The good work we are doing defensively, we want to try and build on going forward, which we did at times last season.

“There were spells in games where I thought we weren’t far off in terms of interplay.”

Every team craves a 20-goal a season striker, Hughes bringing in the likes of JJ Hooper, Leighton McIntosh and Mark Harris in his search for a regular scorer.

“Strikers win games, don’t they?” said Hughes.

“I’ve brought the likes of McIntosh in and JJ in, and hopefully they will be the missing link.

“That’s no disrespect to any striker at the club, or any striker that has been at the club, but for whatever reason it just hasn’t clicked in that department of the team.

“The likes of Leighton and JJ offer something different to what we’ve had, certainly since I’ve been here; they’ve got pace, power and good goal scoring records.”

Hooper is the striker most fans are pinning their hopes on as Wrexham eye promotion from the National League.

The 25-year-old scored 14 times in 22 league appearances during a loan spell with Bromley last season, signing for the Reds after his release from League Two Grimsby Town.

“I think he will do really well for us,” said Hughes. “He is the type of striker that we have been missing; not just his goals, which will be key, but his all-round play.

“His pace, his power, he plays on the shoulder but he is good with the ball to feet as well so he has got a good all-round game.

“And I think he will excite the fans; he could be one that the fans really take to - obviously they will take to him if he is scoring goals!”