THE rank and file fans that make up Wrexham Supporters Trust have backed the organisation’s board in its efforts to seek consensus rather than confrontation with owners Neville Dickens and Geoff Moss over the future direction of the club.

Around a quarter of the total Trust membership attended Thursday’s annual meeting to reject a more radical agenda proposed by five candidates seeking election to the 11-strong board.

Lindsay Jones and Philip Wynn, two of the self-styled Fresh Approach candidates, were elected along with three of the four existing board members up for re-election, but none of their proposals are at odds with current WST policy were accepted by the meeting.

Most controversially Fresh Approach advocated outright opposition to any potential future move to separate the club from its principal assets – the Racecourse Ground and Colliers Park training facility – and it also wanted the Trust to lobby against any redevelopment plans that did not include guaranteed funding for the provision of a new 5,000 seat stand at the Kop end of the stadium.

Trust members instead backed the board’s view that it should be free to explore every possibility for the long-term security of the club and assets and endorsed its position of conditional support for development that included provision for a stadium of international standard at the Racecourse.

Trust chairman Bruce Clapton yesterday claimed the debate over future policy had enhanced the organisation’s credentials and augured well for plans to work even more closely with the club as it continues to recover and build for the future.

“It was an excellent meeting,” he said. “Obviously there have been different views put forward but that’s healthy and we had a good debate.

“Members made their views known as to the direction in which they want the Trust to move forward. And they ratified the plans which we as a board have put forward to help the club at the same time as working towards achieving our other long-term aims.”

Clapton welcomed the election of Jones, a founding Trust board member who resigned during the year, and Wynn, claiming their views would provide a degree of balance that had perhaps been lacking, but he stressed there was still much to be done.

Members have also agreed that up to 50% of the Trust’s future income should be invested in Wrexham’s recovery programme or specific club projects in line with the board’s suggestion.

And Clapton said the Trust’s long-term aims for either co-ownership of the club or an equity stake, would be enhanced by greater involvement.

“We want to help shape plans for the future ownership of Wrexham, but we have to remember that it is still in intensive care after years of neglect,” Clapton added.

“We’ll try and help the recovery process, which should demonstrate that we are capable of a responsible attitude in the governance of the club, which needs to be rebuilt.

“We want to help in that process and show that while we are planning for the future we also accept the need to consider the now.”