Wrexham manager Gary Mills wants 'smiles on faces' at club

Gary Mills wants Wrexham players to play with a smile on their faces after taking over at the Conference club.

Wrexham finished 11th in a disappointing Conference season and lost in the FA Trophy final.

Mills has left Gateshead to succeed Kevin Wilkin, whom captain Dean Keates criticised for using outdated training methods.

"They'll be organised and work hard but they'll do it with a smile on their faces," Mills said.

"As tough as this game is you can't let it affect you in a way that if you're not smiling then you can't do your job in the right and proper manner.

"If they're not relaxed in a way they can go and perform and they are put under too much pressure then you don't perform.

"I'll prepare the players in the right way and they'll enjoy working for me.

"They'll enjoy training day in, day out which will help them go and play even better on a Saturday."

Former Nottingham Forest player Mills, who had been in charge of Gateshead since September 2013, also held talks with Tranmere Rovers before opting to join Wrexham.

Mills guided York City to promotion to the Football League in 2012 with a play-off final win over Luton Town at Wembley.

Having come close to securing promotion via the play-offs with Gateshead in 2014, Mills is now hoping to repeat his feats at York with Wrexham.

"There's a few similarities to York," said Mills, who has joined a club which lost its Football League status in 2008.

"When I went to York I said I wanted to be the man to get them out of the Conference.

"I'm coming to Wrexham because I want to be the man to get Wrexham out of the Conference.

"I'm aware how difficult it is to get out of this league and how frustrated football clubs can get, because I've witnessed that.

"I can't make any promises but all I can promise personally is that I can give everything I've got."