Wrexham have been warned they must avoid becoming a "circus" by signing "over the hill" players by former defender Neil Taylor.
Taylor, who began his professional career at Wrexham before going on to play in the Premier League with Swansea and Aston Villa, has been delighted by the club's success under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The two actors, who completed their takeover of the club in 2021, have not been afraid to splash the cash to tempt players like Paul Mullin, Ben Tozer and Ollie Palmer to drop down to non-league. Reynolds and McElhenney were even able to tempt former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster out of retirement to help them secure promotion back to the EFL as National League champions.
And with Wrexham now set to play in League Two next season, former Premier League stars Hal Robson-Kanu and Morten Gamst Pedersen have both offered to join the club. However, Taylor has warned against signing players like Robson-Kanu, who has not played since 2021, and 41-year-old midfielder Pedersen.
"It can't become a circus," Taylor said. "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. Leave those players that are over the hill.
"I'd say to Hal 'I don't think you're getting in over Paul Mullin. You're retired now and he's a top-class striker'. People think League One and League Two is 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." And Taylor believes Wrexham have the biggest pull of any club below the Championship due to the presence of Reynolds and McElhenney.
"Hopefully that success continues and I don’t see any reason why not with the squad they've got," he added. "They will strengthen this summer but it's already a ready-made team to do well in League Two.
"But if you're a good player in League One or League Two and Wrexham knock on the door, you're going to go there. You'll look at the brand and the commercial value of it and see how Paul Mullin's gone from Tranmere to having a book out.
"It shows how good going to Wrexham can be for your career and agents will clamour to get their players at the club. But they've got to be careful who they get through the door because, in my mind, there's no bigger pull than Wrexham below the Championship."
