ANDY Holt says the chance of playing in the second-tier of English football was the reason he rejected the chance to remain at the Dragons.
The 28-year-old turned down the offer of a new contract in favour of a switch to League One outfit Northampton, ending his two-year stay with the Reds.
In that time, the left sided-player made 92 appearances, scoring 10 goals.
The Cobblers won automatic promotion from League Two last season, and Holt believes they have a fighting chance of going up again, to the Championship - where he ultimately wants to play.
'It was tempting to stay because I think Wrexham will have a great chance of going up this season, but Northampton are in League One, and I'm at the ripe old age of 28 so to go to a League One club at this stage of my career was too big an opportunity to turn down,' he said.
'It's a club on the up. Northampton have got ambitions to play in the Championship, and even if that doesn't happen, if
I play well then a Championship side may come looking at me.'
Yet Holt is confident his former employers can look forward to a brighter future, now that they are moving out of administration.
'The gaffer has definitely had his hands tied,' said Holt. 'Wrexham are a cracking club with great fans. In the two years I was there I gave it everything I could.'
Meanwhile, Dragons boss Denis Smith's
squad re-building is nearly complete.
Michael Jones, Shaun Pejic, Lee Roche, Simon Spender, Mike Williams, Gareth Evans, Levi Mackin, Matty Done, Marc Williams and Jamie Reed have followed the lead of Danny Williams and Mark Jones and committed their futures to the club, while Lee McEvilly has also signed a new contract after his switch to Bradford collapsed.
Chris Llewellyn has returned, and joins Ryan Valentine and Steve Evans as the new signings. Llewellyn is expected to team up with old-boys Juan Ugarte and Neil Roberts, who are both on the verge of moves back to the Reds.
