Wrexham Evening Leader

Let's get on with it!

03/12/03

Mark GutermanWREXHAM today got back to what fans are really interested in - football.

The balloon went up yesterday when the club reacted angrily to a newspaper report it had only paid staff and players half of the wages they were due for last month. Club chairman Mark Guterman responded to that saying everyone - including the players - had been told they were only being paid half of their wages but the remainder was being paid in two weeks.

The club has today denied another claim by the same newspaper that the sportswriter had been banned for writing the story.

Guterman said: "There is no ban on any journalist covering this club. We now feel this entire issue was effectively put to bed last night by the piece that went in the Evening Leader. That, as the Leader said, was the ‘real story’.

"We could have gone to the Professional Footballers’ Association for a loan to help pay the wages in full, but there would have been interest charges involved.

“The only point I want to reiterate today that I made yesterday is everyone at the club involved in this did know what was going on. Also, the suggestion that there is a cash-flow crisis at this club is also untrue. We are not at desperation door as yesterday’s report implied. The players were in agreement with the arrangements made, but we now want to put this all behind us and get on with playing football.”

The players yesterday issued a two-sentence statement, backing the club’s claims they were told of what was going on. The statement said: ”We were informed on Thursday, November 27, that we were not to be paid in full which we accepted. We realise the tight financial situation in football at the present time.”

Brian Carey, the club captain and PFA representative, later spoke on BBC Radio Wales with Guterman.

Carey told listeners: ”I’m not worried and I’m not concerned. The club, like any other business, will have cash-flow problems from time to time and the players were prepared to accept that.

“There have been one or two problems over the years, but we have always been paid in the end - and that’s what counts. The club has been in a lot worse situation and we’ve dealt with it before.”

Chief executive David Rhodes said today: ”Enough is enough and as far as this club’s concerned, we want to put this matter behind us now. It is closed and, as the chairman says, it was put to bed in last night’s Evening Leader.

“Supporters are more concerned in our results and where we are in the league table than all this internal stuff. I’m not saying paying people on time is not important. Of course, it is, but the people involved were told about this and agreed to the arrangements we made so where’s the problem?

“I don’t know why the newspaper involved in the initial piece are now saying their man has been banned by the club. He has not been banned - and never was.”

Manager Denis Smith said: ”I’m here for one thing - and one thing only - football. That’s my job and that’s what I’m concerned with.

“I don’t want to get involved in this sort of thing and, to be honest, I’d rather the players were not involved, too. Their job - like mine - is all about football. That’s what fans expect them to do and that’s what we should all be concentrating on.”

Yesterday’s row meant Smith could not get to last night’s FA Youth cup-tie at Watford where Wrexham lost 2-0. But the reserves this afternoon went to Macclesfield where, contrary to one newspaper report, Darren Ferguson was not allowed to play.

Ferguson is serving a three-match suspension for being shown a straight red card at Luton Town. He missed Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Brighton and Rhodes said: ”He will not be allowed to take part in any football until his ban is over because it was violent conduct.

“It is quite wrong and misleading to report he can play in reserves matches.”