The directors, officials and playing staff at bottom-of-the-table Wrexham have publicly apologised to fans for the club’s worst-ever league position and vowed to quickly turn around their fortunes after holding emergency talks with manager Dean Keates.
The Wrexham Supporters Trust and board at the Racecourse Ground took the unusual step after Saturday’s 2-1 reverse at basement rivals Ebbsfleet left the Dragons propping up the National League table and five points adrift of safety.
The message on the club’s website also promised cash for loan players during the January transfer window. Unlike their National League rivals, the Dragons are restricted to loan signings until January because of the rules surrounding international transfers.
STATEMENT | Wrexham AFC issue statement regarding current league position.
Here ?? https://t.co/PHzpwfmk89
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— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) December 1, 2019
The club open a long statement by declaring: “The Wrexham Supporters Trust, Football Club Board, manager and players of Wrexham AFC want to apologise to you regarding the position we currently occupy in the National League.
“Despite upping the playing budget going into the season by over 20% versus the prior season, it hasn’t worked and the club currently sits in its lowest-ever league position.
“As lifelong fans of the club ourselves who follow the team up and down the country, we fully understand the frustration, embarrassment and upset this is causing everyone and that we need to urgently address the situation.”
The club moved to reassure angry supporters who’ve already written off this season as yet another failed attempt to regain the Football League status they lost in lost back in 2008.
The Dragons came in for heavy criticism on Monday from fans interviewed on their plight for the Wrexham Leader. Many claimed the club has put a gaping chasm between its glorious past of epic European campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s and dismal current status.
Thomas Parry-Jones, 70, told the paper’s website: “I used to sell programmes at the ground and it is really sad they are not as good as they used to be. They should be doing better and they need someone in who can put the club back on the right track.”
Celebrity fan and former Sky broadcaster Bryn Law has joined those criticising the way in the statement was delivered.
Law tweeted: “This Wrexham_AFC strategy of communicating with the wider fan base through statements is counter-productive. It enhances the sense of detachment, discussions behind doors closed to us. Use the media, answer questions, try and rally fans who now fear the demise of our club.”
Keates returned to the Wrexham hotseat for a second spell as manager and successor to Bryan Hughes in October.
The 41-year-old former Wrexham midfielder and FA Trophy-winning skipper, was previously at the helm from October 2016 to March 2018 as the successor to Gary Mills.
At 155-years-old, Wrexham is Wales’ oldest football club and spent 87 consecutive years in the Football League before relegation in 2009.
They made the Conference play-offs three seasons in a row between 2011 and 2013, losing twice to Luton Town before making the final in 2013 when they were beaten 2-0 by Newport County.
