Andy Davies appointed Walsall's assistant manager

Davies joins the Saddlers from Wrexham and replaces first-team coach Ian Sharps who left the Banks's Stadium yesterday.

The move sees Keates reunited with the man who was his number two at Wrexham.

Davies spent 25 years at the Racecourse Ground, starting out as a schoolboy before then being offered a scholarship at 16-years-old.

He then turned his hand to coaching and held roles as youth team coach and centre of excellence manager before being promoted to Keates’ number two in October 2016.

Finishing 13th that season, the Welsh club were fourth at the time of Keates’ left the Welsh side to take charge of his boyhood club.

Under the pair’s guidance, Wrexham lost only six of 37 league matches this season, conceding a league-low 28 goals and keeping a club-record 20 clean sheets.

Davies continued as the Dragons’ first-team manager until the end of the 2017/18 season. And Keates admitted he is now delighted to have him at the Banks's.

"I went to Wrexham when I was 32 so I’ve known Andy nearly eight years," the boss said.

“From watching how he worked with the youth team and the academy, he has always been a great coach.

“When I was placed in caretaker charge at Wrexham, he stepped up to help me for the first few games.

“I then got the job permanently and I decided straight away that I wanted to keep him on.

“He’s someone I’ve enjoyed working with and, as soon as I got the job down here, he was always going to follow.”