02/12/03
WREXHAM
FOOTBALL CLUB today vigorously defended a decision to pay players only half of
their November wages.
That decision today made front and back page news in one morning newspaper which was rubbished by club chairman Mark Guterman. The players are also likely to back the club's stance.
Centre-back Brian Carey is the representative on the Professional Footballers’ Association and was in talks with the rest of the players at Colliers Park this morning. He was expected to make a statement later today.
Guterman, meanwhile was still seething this morning and he said: ”The newspaper report in question is total and absolute rubbish. It implies that we have done this without the players knowing anything about it. That is simply not true.
“The players were told almost a week ago that because of certain circumstances they would be paid two weeks’ money, followed by the payment of another two weeks, instead of being paid four weeks in one go. ALL the players agreed to that so where’s the story? Not one of the players has lost any money because of this.
“We have not broken any contractual agreement between the club and the players. The story also talks of a cash-flow crisis. There is no crisis. I am not happy about the tenor of this story at all and this is not the last of it by any means.”
Players spoke to chief executive David Rhodes and manager Denis Smith last Thursday - 24 hours before they left for Brighton - about the payment of their wages. According to today’s version, they were told not to discuss it with the media. But a source, described as a spokesman for a leading player, is quoted as saying: ”To tell the players this before they travelled all the way to Brighton was wrong. The club have given them just enough to pay the bills. This wouldn’t happen in any other business so why is it happening here?”
Guterman wants to know who that spokesman is and is determined to find out. “He quotes me totally anonymous which says a lot doesn’t it?” he said.
“The fact of the matter is there is nothing underhand going on here. The players, as I say, were all told of what we were proposing to do. They agreed to the arrangement and that was that.”
The club is also accused of paying wages late last month. The report also says telephones were cut off at The Racecourse and at Colliers Park because of unpaid bills.