Critchell, who has made just two appearances for the Reds since his move from fellow Blue Square outfit Weymouth in the summer, is keen to show the fans, management and the chairman that he can shake off the ankle ligament injury that has blighted his Wrexham career.

Saunders' men have four games in eight days, and Critchell is hoping to figure sooner rather than later.

"Hopefully I made a good impression with the fans in pre-season and the two games I did play, but now it is all about getting back in the side and playing well," he said

"I am not match fit, I need games and I just want to be playing again really. The injury is much better, but some movements still hurt.

"It is not going to get any worse now so I will just go through the pain and keep going.

"I just want to play. I want to show the fans, the chairman for bringing me in, and the new manager what I am about.

"It is a decent side and I want to get back in."

Speaking about the ankle injury which has sidelined him since the end of August, Critchell remained in an optimistic mood.

"I wouldn't say it has been the worst part of my career, but it has been very disappointing," he said. "I have had a worse season but this one is definitely up there

"You join a club and you want to play. You want to enjoy your football, but at the moment I have been running and trying to get fit.

"It has not been enjoyable, but hopefully it is about to turn.

"Obviously though you need to put it into perspective that you're a football player, and everybody wants to be one, so you can look at it both ways.

I look on the bright side, I just want to get back playing again and I will do anything to play."

The 21-year-old has been thwarted in recent attempts to regain match fitness after the postponement of the friendly with Llangefni on Tuesday night, and the quickly arranged friendly with Newi Cefn Druids played on the artificial turf at Colliers Park, meant that Critchell was left kicking his heels.

He said: "They wouldn't let me play on the artificial surface. It is quite bad for ankles so I got the night off.

"So far I was supposed to be involved in three games and I have played in none of them.

"I am in high spirits, I am doing extra running in training to show the gaffer I am ready. You need to play matches though to get fitness. You can train as much as you like, but nothing will accumulate to a game.

"So like I said, when he is ready to throw me in I will be ready and will do my best for the team and hopefully stay in the side."

When the full-back come midfielder does make his return, he insists he is looking forward to playing under a much-changed regime at The Racecourse.

"He (Saunders), has been a brilliant influence on the team and a good influence on me," added Critchell.

"I will be honest, I could be known to be a bit lazy every now and then, but he has brought in a philosophy of working hard and I have certainly done that over the last few weeks.

"All the lads that have been brought in have been top and I hope it continues.

"Sometimes you look around at clubs in this league and they bring in experienced players who have played in this league, but the way we are playing football we can bring those young lads in from the Premiership.

"We play football and they understand the way to play football. If we played long booming football we would not have been able to bring that calibre of player in.

"We used to train for longer, but the structure and intensity of the sessions wasn't right.

"You would just be running around for a couple of hours. That is okay – but it is not in a match situation.

"Now we are doing sessions that are short and sharp and will get us ready for games because that is what we are about.

"It's a case of work hard and do well and you can have a joke with him, but if you take the mick in training or at weekends then you are going to see the bad side of him.

"I just want to stay on the good side of him and prove I can play. That is the big thing for me.

"I am not afraid of competition, I have played in numerous leagues and you don't become a bad player overnight.

"I have had some bad injuries, but I am not scared of anyone, the more the merrier really, it just proves how good a player I am when I do play."

Meanwhile, Eastbourne, Wrexham's opponents on Saturday, crashed out of the FA Trophy as they lost 1-0 away at Swindon Supermarine.

- Don't miss the three pages of big match build up in tomorrow's Evening Leader.