NICKY DEVERDICS has swopped a relegation fight for a chance to get back into the Football League.

Hartlepool United sold the player, out of contract in the summer for £10,000 to Wrexham on deadline day.

And, while Pools are fighting for their lives on and off the pitch, the situation at the Racecourse Ground is a lot clearer, with promotion the aim.

The Red Dragons won comfortably at Victoria Park two weeks ago and Deverdics has signed a deal until the end of next season.

He signed for Pools in 2016, but has never showed the form he displayed for Dover when he scored 14 times and created 16 in his final season there.

“I worked hard at Dover to try and get them into the league, I played there with Hartlepool but unfortunately we came down,” said Deverdics. “But this is a chance to go back up as Wrexham are pushing for promotion.

“I am excited to get started, I am going somewhere positive where you are looking up not down, completely different to what I have been used to over the last 18 months, and I am itching to get started.”

While Pools put a stop to Michael Woods leaving for Stevenage, they were willing to let Deverdics depart.

Of the move, he admitted: “It is something I have been interested in and the situation at Hartlepool helped my thinking.

“Wrexham have got a chance of going up, they are in a strong position. Playing against them they were a good, strong team, with a few leaders and winners pushing in the same direction and that’s what you want.”

Deverdics is an attacking midfielder by trade, but has spent most of his time at Pools playing in defence.

He said: “I played the majority of this season at left-back which was frustrating because I am an attacking midfielder.

“It has been tough with the problems off the pitch and I needed a fresh start at a club where everything is positive.

Wrexham chief Dean Keats said: “He will be a great addition to the squad. He will bring balance on the left wing, he is an attacking midfielder and he is different to what we have got.

“He has scored goals and he knows about the league. He has played in it before, played in it this season and scored goals when he was previously with Dover.

“He got three assists in his last game for Hartlepool so he is going to bring something to the squad we’ve got.

“He is proven at this level, is a fit lad and he has got a lethal left-foot, so he brings something different to what we have got in the team.”