SHAUN HARVEY admits some players have become a victim of their own success at The Racecourse but he stressed the importance of the squad continuing to evolve so that ambitious Wrexham keep heading in the right direction.

Phil Parkinson has been backed in the transfer market by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney since his appointment as manager in July 2021, allowing him to make high profile signings and bring in players on lengthy contracts.

It has paid off with Wrexham clinching back-to-back promotions for the first time in the club's history.

But after finishing runners-up in League Two last season, key players such as Ben Tozer and Aaron Hayden who have played their part in the success story and were brought in by Parkinson were released when their contacts expired.

Even though Tozer and co played a big part in taking Wrexham from the National League to League One, Harvey says it is only natural that players move on so that the club can being in new signings required for life at a higher level.

It's had the desired effect already this season with Wrexham, armed with fresh faces including George Dobson, Dan Scarr and Sebastian Revan, currently second in the third tier with 20 points from the opening 10 games.

"In reality, the planning for this season started three years ago," said Harvey.

"Three years ago, we had no idea which division we were going to be playing in but in that first summer of Rob and Ryan's ownership, the club gave numerous players three year contracts who we felt were best placed to start this wonderful journey that the club is on.

"We always knew that the likes of Ben Tozer, Aaron Hayden and others would be out of contract this summer and if the club was going to be successful, we would have to review whether we needed to replace them going forward, and that was the decision that was made.

"That is not a reflection on them. All of the players who left could have played a part this season because they were certainly good enough.

"It is just that our ambition and the journey that we were on was moving on as well.

"We are two divisions higher than when they came in, which is credit to them. We will be forever thankful to Ben, Aaron and that group of players 

"It is a perverse world where you deliver everything that was asked of you and had success, but that is the thing that counts against you.

"People have said to be that they believe this window was the club's best ever window.

"I'm not the person to judge that but players had to leave to enable us to strengthen to keep going forward and continually improve, and I think this season we are seeing the real benefits of that."