As Wrexham fans this morning begin to contemplate life as a team bound for League Two, should they survive past the summer, Wrexham manager Denis Smith, dropped the bombshell that he and many of the club’s players could leave the club for nothing in the summer.
Some 17 of senior players are out of contract in the summer, including Spanish sensation Juan Ugarte, already a target of
Add that to the club having until July 21 to quit the Racecourse Ground ordered by owner and property developer Alex Hamilton and you cannot fail to have sympathy for the fans of this troubled club.
Smith said: "I don't know if I'm going to be here and I don't know what players will be here next season."
Throughout the turbulent time at the hands of Hamilton and Mark Guterman, Denis Smith has given his all to make the side as successful as possible, insisting he could take them to the Coca Cola Championship. However, with club finding itself in the fourth tier of English football next year the first signs that the talented manager is losing interest in Wrexham are beginning to show.
"I didn't come to this club to manage in League Two, that wasn't the idea and I don't want to go back," Smith admitted.
"It's not something I relish but if I do it then I will do my utmost to get them out in the first attempt, but winning any league is not easy."
Wrexham suffered relegation after losing 2-1 at home to Brentford on Tuesday night, not helped by being docked 10 league points earlier in the season for entering administration.
While many players may leave on a free this summer, some key players are believed to have longer contracts – however as Wrexham’s key and most valued players, they may be sold to bring in replacements - they include, Dennis Lawrence, Andy Holt, Chris Llewellyn, Jim Whitley, Danny Williams, Dean Bennett, Shaun Pejic and captain Darren Ferguson.
"Whatever happens will be according to whoever comes in and what they want to do - they might not even want me," Smith conceded.
Wrexham fans and football fans alike are being urged to travel to the town on Saturday for what could be Wrexham’s final league game, not only at the Racecourse Ground, but possibly ever, if the club cannot be saved.
Wrexham Supporters’ Trust (WST) are organising a march through the town to the stadium to further highlight the club’s predicament.