Former Wrexham captain Dean Keates has a common interest with Cardiff City’s Neil Warnock.
Both love that promotion feeling.
Manager Warnock has been promoted seven times and is itching to earn that record eighth with the Bluebirds, while Keates was promoted six times as a player.
Keates went up three times with home town club Walsall, twice during his time at Peterborough and once with Hull City.
Now he’s eyeing up a first promotion in management with Wrexham lying third in third Vanarama National League behind leaders Macclesfield and Sutton United.
Wrexham are unbeaten in their last 11 home fixtures, winning seven, drawing four and keeping seven clean sheets, but slumped to a 4-1 defeat against Macclesfield away last time out.
Scott Boden’s goal had made it 1-1 with 15 minutes left at Moss Rose, but Wrexham faltered and Macclesfield punished their visitors.
Almost 1,000 travelling fans, comprising more than a third of the 2,402 attendance, were stunned and Keates said: “We were kind of carried away with the atmosphere and lost our discipline a bit.
“We spoke about having calm heads. We were naive in the last 10 or 15 minutes. There was a lot of naivety, but they will learn from it.
“Our fans were outstanding, they came in their numbers despite the atrocious weather and were right behind the lads.”
Keates turns his focus from Wrexham’s bid for promotion to the FA Trophy this weekend when his team are at home against Harrogate Town with a place in the last 32 at stake.
Keates will complete a three-match touchline ban by watching from the stands and could be forgiven for dreaming of a third FA Trophy trip to Wembley Stadium.
He was Wrexham captain when they lifted the trophy in 2015, beating Grimsby Town on penalties, and finished runners-up against North Ferriby United two years later, losing the final in another penalty shootout.
Visitors Harrogate are at the Racecourse on Saturday (3pm). They are a full-time club who are third in National League North behind Salford City and Brackley Town.
“The trophy gave me one of the best days of my career when Wrexham won at Wembley,” says Keates. “The league is the priority for us as a football club, but we won’t be disrespectful to the competition.
“Harrogate are a good team with a big budget in Conference North. It is going to be a massive test.”
Midfield players Sam Wedgbury and Akil Wright missed the match at Macclesfield because of injuries, but both are in contention for the trophy clash at home against Harrogate.
Their trip to The Racecourse Ground will be the first time Town have faced The Dragons.
Keates’ team have not lost back-to-back matches this season, although the Wrexham manager has admitted he may make ‘one or two’ changes to the line-up.
Wrexham, from: Dunn, Roberts, M.Smith, Pearson, Jennings, Rutherford, Mackreth, Hurst, Carrington, Wedgbury, Wright, Kelly, Miller, Holroyd, Boden, Hurst, L Smith, Massanka.
FA Trophy first round proper:
Saturday: Solihull Moors v Tranmere Rovers, Blyth Spartans v AFC Telford United, Kidderminster Harriers v York City, Chorley v Marine, Halifax Town v Macclesfield Town, Spennymoor Town v Gainsborough Trinity, Chester v AFC Fylde, Wrexham v Harrogate Town, Leamington v Stourbridge, Lancaster City v Stockport County, Warrington Town v Altrincham, Gateshead v Guiseley, Nuneaton Town v Barrow, Workington v Hartlepool, Haringey Borough v Leyton Orient, Dover Athletic v Eastbourne Borough, Wealdstone v Wingate and Finchley, Billericay Town v Havant and Waterlooville, Chesham United v Weston-super-Mare, Sutton United v Truro City, Woking v Maidenhead United, Whitehawk v St Albans City, East Thurrock United v Aldershot Town, Hendon v Bath City, Ebbsfleet v Eastleigh, Torquay United v Maidstone United, Hartley Wintney v Bromley, Braintree Town v Brackley Town, Taunton Town v Bognor Regis Town, Hampton and Richmond v Heybridge Swifts, Dartford v Boredom Wood.
Sunday: Hereford v Dagenham and Redbridge.