PHIL PARKINSON put the emphasis on bringing in younger players who will "grow with the club" when it came to recruitment during the summer transfer window.

After clinching a second promotion in a row for the first time in the club's history, Parkinson released the likes of club-captain Ben Tozer, first-team skipper Luke Young and Aaron Hayden ahead of the Reds' return to League One.

Eight players arrived at The Racecourse before the window closed with Arthur Okonkwo, Lewis Brunt, George Dobson, Callum Burton, Sebastian Revan, Dan Scarr, Ollie Rathbone and Mo Faal joining the Reds while Parkinson has also completed the signing of Josh Adam, who was out of contract after leaving Manchester City, following a successful trial.

Revan, Faal and Adam are all 21 or under with Okonkwo and Brunt in their early 20s, bringing the average age of the squad down.

With experienced professionals such as Paul Mullin, James McClean and Steven Fletcher working alongside the young guns, Parkinson feels he has got the perfect balance in the squad and he has seen Wrexham hit the ground running this term, emerging as early leaders in the third tier. 

"The top end of the transfers in this division have been out of our reach but we have looked at that and gone down a different route in signing some younger players who are going to grow with the club over the next few years," said the Reds' boss.

"As we went into the summer transfer window, we realised there were some astronomical fees being asked for players which were out of what we wanted to spend and what we felt was right for the club at this particular stage.

"We assessed what we wanted to do and we've brought in Mo, Seb, Arthur, Lewis and Josh. Good young players who are going to improve with the club.

"We have re-aligned the average age in the squad this summer. 

"A lot of thought has gone into the recruitment and I am pleased with the balance we have got between those experienced players like McClean and Fletcher who are great role models to help our younger lads.

"It is exciting to be working with these players and so far as a group, we have acquitted ourselves well. 

"Birmingham and other teams have had that spending power and that is great for them but I am pleased with the squad we have put together.

"There is good competition in the group but more importantly, there is a strong mentality and a group togetherness."

Wrexham have climbed from the National League to League One and Parkinson has tweaked his squad each season to cope with the step up.

But if and when they complete an unprecedented third successive promotion and go up to the Championship, the Reds' boss admits he would be operating on a completely different level in the transfer market.

"There is a jump and that is a huge one," he added.

"If we were able to get there, we would have to think about that then."