Generous Reds help out Wrexham
19 July 2005
| The high and mighty of
football are often accused of ignoring the rank and file small clubs as they
battle against financial crisis. The standing ovation Wrexham supporters gave to Liverpool at a fans' forum -organised by the Wrexham Supporters' Trust - this week at the Racecourse ground shows the European champions are not above worldly concerns. Wrexham have won another stay of execution this week with an eviction threat being lifted in the High Court which will at least allow them to start, and probably finish, the season. Wrexham's new unpaid chief executive Cliff Finch, once an Everton director, went as as to say that "Liverpool have kept this club afloat over the past couple of seasons". It is not something that has been trumpeted at Anfield but, with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry having a son in the Wrexham academy, there is clearly a soft spot for the impoverished Welsh club in the corridors of Anfield. A couple of weeks ago, Liverpool played a friendly at the Racecourse, sent all their stars and paraded the European Cup. They declined to take their £50,000 match fee and the day ended with Wrexham - still in administration and fighting for control of the club with owner Alex Hamilton - £200,000 better off. Their only concession was to ask that Liverpool's fee was spent on improving Wrexham's facilities, and a new covered all-weather pitch will be paid for at their training ground as a result. Wrexham boss Denis Smith underlined the club's gratitude at the fans' forum by saying: "Liverpool didn't even charge us for the diesel in their coach." At the beginning of last season another friendly - manager Rafael Benitez's first match in control - produced a near sell-out crowd and another £200,000 receipts, and that time Liverpool asked for their fee to be spent on the Welsh club's academy. They played all their reserve matches at the Racecourse last term and have just announced they will do the same this coming season. That brings in around £30,000 a season for Wrexham and all the gate receipts - except when Liverpool play Everton. And it is not only Liverpool who have given Wrexham a helping hand. Manchester United have not been slow in coming forward - the link being Sir Alex Ferguson's son Darren, who plays for Wrexham. Twice in recent years United have sent teams to the Racecourse in times of severe financial plight to attract 10,000 fans and boost the local coffers. Ruud Van Nistelrooy's debut was one occasion as well as Brian Flynn's testimonial. On one occasion Wrexham had seen six home matches postponed on the trot because of bad weather and their weekly income had disappeared. United again helped out with a hastily arranged match. United will be back on August 2 for Wrexham stalwart Kevin Russell's testimonial, without taking a fee, and the Division Two club and their assistant manager will benefit again. Smith added: "Big clubs usually ask for £100,000 for such appearances." For Wrexham and their hard pressed fans, it is gratifying that two of their big-time neighbours, are prepared to help out when times are hard. And times are certainly hard at Wrexham at the moment. This week, the administrators went to the High Court to win an injunction stopping Hamilton from evicting the club from the ground and a hearing for the case has been set for November, unless the long drawn out attempts to buy out Hamilton happen in the meantime. The latest consortium on the scene, with the deal from Surrey businessman Andy Smith seemingly floundering, sees local pair Neville Dicksen and Geoff Moss waiting in the wings. All this does little for the nerves of the Wrexham faithful, or Smith. The former Stoke star said: "I am allowed 20 players because we are in administration. I have 18 signed and must be very careful how I fill the other two gaps. "With the help of the supporters' trust, I have been able to secure contracts for some of the players, I love these people to bits because they have been such a great help in the situation we are in." And with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United keeping a watchful eye on the plight of their little neighbours on a regular basis, there is proof that there is still heart in a game where the top players move for £20million-plus transfer fees. |
Liverpool have kept this club afloat over the past couple of seasons
Cliff Finch
|
