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Archived News from June 2008

BROWN SIGNS FOR WREXHAM / TOM CURTIS NEWS
5th June 2008 12:34


Arrival of Simon Brown lifts mood at Wrexham FC
Jun 5 2008, By Mark Currie
http://www.dailypost.co.uk

WREXHAM coach Martin Foyle last night expressed his delight after former Mansfield Town player Simon Brown agreed to join the club on a two-year contract.

The 23-year-old striker becomes the Dragons' second new signing of the summer, following last month's deal that brought experienced midfielder Paul Carden to the Racecourse.

And Foyle confirmed that Brown had been a top close-season target ever since Wrexham's relegation to the Blue Square Premier.

"Simon is someone we have been chasing for a while," he said. "I tried to sign him when I was manager of Port Vale and he will be a good acquisition for us.

"We are particularly pleased because we know of at least two Football League clubs that were after him, but Simon has liked what he's seen here and wants to be part of our plans to rebuild the club.

"There has been some negativity going around since the end of last season so this is very good news for us because Simon could have stayed in the Football League.

"Now we are looking to bring in a few more players to join him."

Brown played 32 matches last season for Mansfield, who he joined from West Brom for £50,000 in 2004.

The player, who missed both League Two clashes with Wrexham last term, said: "Sometimes in order to go forward you have to take a step back and I think that could be the case at Wrexham. It's a fresh, new challenge for me and one I am really looking forward to.

"I'm pleased everything has been sorted out so quickly and I'll be looking to move closer to Wrexham so that I can devote more of my time to the work that needs to be done."

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Simon: Looking For A New Challenge
http://www.wrexhamafc.premiumtv.co.uk, Thu 05 Jun 2008
FOR Simon Brown the opportunity to sign for Wrexham didn't cause him too many problems in making up his mind.

"You only have to look around this ground to realise that I'm moving to a very decent club," said the former West Brom trainee.

"I see this very much as a case of one step back to achieve two going forward.

"I want to be playing League football again, as soon as possible, and by coming here I think I can achieve that goal quickly.

"It's a great shame that both Wrexham and Mansfield find themselves out of the Football League, but I do believe that Wrexham have a chance of getting things right on the pitch and giving it a good shot at going back up."

Having been at Mansfield last season, Simon is well aware of the problems that both clubs suffered.

"I missed the start of the year as I was coming back from a knee operation and by the time I was fit and back in the side, we were already sliding at the bottom," said Simon.

"The team struggled and we couldn't put back-to-back victories together, so obviously confidence suffered."

A story all too familiar to Wrexham fans over the last few seasons.

"When there was a change of manager at Mansfield, the writing was on the wall for me," he said.

"Under the new man I featured less and less, as different players were added to the squad in an attempt to lift the club.

"It was still disappointing to be released, even though you knew it was coming."

As a youngster, Simon was a trainee with West Bromwich Albion, but made his name with Kidderminster Harriers.

"At the Hawthorns there was little chance of making your way passed the likes of Kanu, Rob Earnshaw and Kevin Campbell, so I had to look elsewhere for first team football and Kidderminster gave me that chance," said the striker.

"I scored on my debut for them and really enjoyed it, agreeing to go back for a second loan spell the following season.

"It was while playing for them that Mansfield spotted me and agreed a fee with West Brom, which meant I was recalled from Kidderminster and moved full-time to Field Mill.

"I enjoyed it at Mansfield and formed a good partnership up front with Richie Barker. We enjoyed a bit of luck in front of goal and scored a few between us."

Now though, the Wednesbury born player is looking forward to a new start in north Wales.

"It's a challenge for both Wrexham and myself, and it's one I'm looking forward to," he said.

Presiding over the completion of the contract formalities was Martin Foyle, who has long been an admirer of the striker.

"I did try to sign him when I was at Port Vale," said the coach.

"He's an exciting player with a great turn of pace and I have little doubt that he will become a crowd favourite here as time goes by.

"I like his attitude towards the game and that will only help us as work together at lifting this club back into The Football League.

"I know one or two league clubs were showing an interest in Simon, so it's great that we have wrapped up his signature at this early stage.

"He is a good signing for the club."

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CHAD.co.uk, 4 Jun 2008
On Wednesday a Stags spokesman said there was no news on whether or not the players offered new deals for next season had agreed to stay at Field Mill.
Full story: http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Stags-wingman-Brown-joins-Wrexham.4152953.jp

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CURTIS IS LATEST EXPERIENCED SIGNING FOR REDS
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk, 05 June 2008

Alfreton Town look to have experience by the bucket-load for the new season after manager Nicky Law added another old hand in former Mansfield Town and Notts County midfielder Tom Curtis.

Curtis also played with Law at Chesterfield in the Spireites' Division Three promotion-winning side of 1994-95.

Curtis, 35, was captain of Nuneaton Borough last season and lives locally, playing some cricket in the summer for West Hallam.

He also currently coaches the first team at Loughborough University.

Law has been targeting experience after reflecting on a season in which his side lost 13 Conference North games by one goal.

Curtis joins former Boston United captain Paul Ellender, 33, last season's Hucknall Town captain, 29-year-old Danny Mayman and 37-year-old central defender Martin McIntosh.

Law has cut short his holiday to try to land three more players as well.

"We are close to landing a very good right-back and a proven striker. We also have the chance of another midfield player but will be putting our efforts into sorting out a goalkeeper this week," he said.

"The players so far are the finished article. They have been there and done it, which is exactly what we wanted.

"We have a good mixture of experience and youth and we are looking forward to having a settled pre-season."

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