Dean Saunders, the former Wales international forward, has been appointed Wrexham manager.

The former Liverpool striker replaces Brian Little, who left the club last week after their poor start to the Blue Square Conference campaign. Wrexham were relegated from Coca-Cola League Two last season and are only in mid-table in their first experience of non-league football.

"I'm delighted to have secured someone of Dean's standing," Geoff Moss, the Wrexham chairman, said. "Initially I only asked him to give me his advice on certain aspects of the club but after long talks with him I realised that this is something he wanted to get involved with.

"His enthusiasm is infectious and it's something that really excites me and as to what he can bring to us."

Saunders, who also played for Aston Villa and Swansea will be allowed to continue in his role as John Toshack's first-team coach to the senior Wales side. He has previously had coaching roles at Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, but this is his first job as manager.

His first match in charge, having been officially appointed today, will be at Forest Green on Saturday before he joins up with the Wales squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Germany on October 11 and 15.

Saunders, who also played for Aston Villa, Swansea, Cardiff and Galatasaray in a glittering 10-club career and has always kept his home in Cheshire just across the border from the Racecourse ground, is Wrexham's fourth boss in 22 months.

Little had been in charge for just 11 months, but left the club last week just hours before the home draw with Torquay, with Brian Carey and Martin Foyle left in charge of the side. Foyle, who was in caretaker charge, has left the club but coach Carey remains at the club.

Saunders' appointment has come as a surprise. Earlier this week he was invited - along with his former Liverpool boss Roy Evans - to oversee a practice match at Wrexham to help Moss evaluate the playing squad.

Moss had revealed that Wrexham, who have won just one of their last six Blue Square Premier games, had 18 managerial applications since Little's departure but not one from Saunders.

Moss said: "Even I thought his position with Wales would rule him out. But that has been talked through with John Toshack. Dean is very keen to take his first managerial role and I'm looking forward to seeing him in charge at the Racecourse."