WREXHAM’S plans for a second season in the Blue Square Premier are a ‘work in progress’ according to Racecourse director Paul Retout.
Following a four-hour meeting yesterday with manager Dean Saunders that was also attended by fellow board member Ian Roberts, Retout said a return to the Football League as quickly as possible remained the top priority for everyone involved with the Dragons.
But he made it clear there would be no blank cheques and that the club would have to live within its means.
“We spent the whole afternoon with Dean discussing a wide range of topics, including the sort of budget that will be made available to him,” he said.
“At the moment it is still a work in progress, but it’s important to stress that the club is going to be run on business lines.
“Far too many football clubs spend more than they make with all the consequences that entails and we want Wrexham to be run on a proper commercial basis.”
Club chairman Geoff Moss, currently on holiday, will sign off the detailed financial figures when he returns, but Retout is confident that a sensible balance can be achieved.
“The money is there to ensure that Dean has one of the largest budgets, if not the largest, in the Blue Square Premier,” he added.
“We want to get back into the Football League as soon as it’s possible, but we realise it’s going to be tough next season.
“From our discussion with Dean it’s quite clear that there could be a lot of movement during the summer wih regard to the playing squad, which is currently far too big.
“But that’s due in part to the legacy he inherited from the previous manager Brian Little.
“We will lose the Football League’s ‘parachute’ payment next season, so we will have to work very hard to make up that shortfall, which means making sure that we improve on and maximise the commercial opportunities open to us.”
Retout said it was important not to neglect other areas of the club, particularly the school of excellence, which provides coaching for more than 120 youngsters aged between seven and 18.
“We are looking to invest in all areas and aspects of the club,” he went on.
“That means looking at ways we can improve the school of excellence because its success is vital for the future of the club.
“We will also be looking at the Racecourse pitch, the maintenance of which has been neglected for a long time.
“We are calling in experts to advise on the options open to us to improve the playing surface and we will do what needs to be done.”
Following local authority approval earlier this month for the commencement of the Wrexham Village student accommodation project, work is expected to get under way in June on the first phase of development.
Retout said income from the leasing of accommodation to students attending the adjacent Glyndwr University would begin to come on stream in September next year.
In the interim, the club would have access to some working capital from the scheme.
“We have to make sure we balance the books and do not spend more than we earn, so it’s vital we get the commercial side of the club running properly,” he added.
l FOLLOWING Monday’s 1-0 home defeat by Altrincham, Mansour Assoumani has received a three-match ban for his red card, but skipper Ashley Westwood, who picked up a 10th booking, escaped punishment because it came after the second Sunday in April.
