Wrexham must avoid becoming a 'circus,' says Neil Taylor
- Published
Phil Parkinson is expected to make signings this summer after masterminding Wrexham's return to the Football League
Neil Taylor says Wrexham must avoid becoming a "circus" by attempting to sign players who are "over the hill".
Wrexham, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are expected to bolster their squad after their return to the EFL.
The National League champions have been linked with moves for some veteran, big-name players.
But ex-Wrexham and Wales defender Taylor said: "It can't become a circus. That's the main thing."
Reynolds and McElhenney made what looked like a tongue-in-cheek attempt to lure Gareth Bale to the Racecourse after the 33-year-old retired from football in January.
Another former Wales player, 34-year-old Hal Robson-Kanu, hinted he would be keen to play for Wrexham despite being without a club since leaving West Bromwich Albion in 2021.
Former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen, 41, is another who has suggested he could join the Red Dragons, while other players at the back-end of their careers have been touted as potential recruits for the north Wales club.
"Wrexham are at the stage now where I've seen a couple of my old friends offer to play for them - it shows the pull of the football club," Taylor added.
"They've got to be careful who they do get through the door because there's no bigger pull than Wrexham below the Championship.
"It's still a football club that needs to be successful because no-one will pat you on the back if you don't do it properly.
"People think League One and League Two are easy, but they're not. It's really hard football, harder arguably than when you play higher up with the amount of games, travel and some of the grounds you play at.
"So I'd say to Wrexham, stay clear and go for players who know the league and have been successful in it, players who are hungry to get higher up. Leave those players that are over the hill."
Fresh from ending their 15-year stay in the Football League, Wrexham are among the favourites to be promoted into League One in 2023-24.
Taylor reserved special praise for Reynolds and McElhenney for the way they have transformed the team and the local community since buying the club in February 2021.
"It's been a really good story," added Taylor.
"It's still baffling to understand why the ownership chose that football club.
"But the way they've engaged with it and done the documentary - which I guess you could have been a bit dubious about when you first heard they were doing that - has been good.
"They've showed their human side in terms of owners by saying 'we don't really know what we're doing, but we're going to give it everything we can' and they've shown the emotions involved with being an owner.
"It's crazy the power of the commercial side of the game and they've nailed that down brilliantly."
Taylor started his professional career with Wrexham, but was part of the squad relegated from the Football League in 2008.
The former left-back was only 18 at the beginning of that ill-fated season and recalls the emotions he experienced.
"I remember being really low," Taylor said.
"I was young at the time so you almost don't know how to react. We'd had administration and a lot of people had left the club.
"A lot of the people at the club now were there when I was. So to see the success now for them and what it does to the town and the local area, the businesses, I'm delighted."