FUNDRAISING with no strings attached is the aim of the re-launched Wrexham Revival initiative which staged its inaugural meeting in front of around 60 supporters last night.

But the absence of chairman Mark Guterman attracted a stinging rebuke from one fan who said many people remained sceptical about the club's future.

Guterman, his business consultant John Reames and commercial director Bill Wingrove were said to be on club business in Manchester, while manager Denis Smith also missed the meeting because he was watching FAW Premier Cup opponents Rhyl.

Club president Pryce Griffiths and directors Dave Bennett and Dave Griffiths were present to hear pensioner Len Willetts, a former Wrexham player, say: "I'm very disappointed that the people who are running the club are not here tonight.

"One of the concerns fans have got is that with the exception of the three gentlemen here, no one else now connected with the club comes from Wrexham. Mr Guterman has got to tell people what is going on and hopefully people will then come back to support the club.

"It's disgraceful that he is not here this evening."

Questions about the ownership of the Racecourse ground and property developer Guterman's motives for acquiring the club were also raised but Bennett assured the meeting that Wrexham's existence was not threatened by a multi-million pound stadium redevelopment scheme first revealed in the Daily Post more than six weeks ago.

The Revival, originally set up 14 years ago to help the club survive a previous financial crisis, raised £80,000, and its re-launch is the brainchild of the Wrexham Official Supporters' Association The Supporters' Association withdrew its support from the recentlylaunched Wrexham First initiative, which has the backing of club chairman Guterman and the other major fans' groups.

But Supporters' Association chairman Carroll Clark said his group would not work with Wrexham Independent Supporters (WINS) because of their unwillingness to subscribe to a policy of no-strings donations.

Clark kicked off the new fundraising effort with a cheque for £1,000 from the Supporters' Association and club directors Bennett and Griffiths each matched a £100 donation from brewers Carlsberg-Tetley.

In a letter read at the meeting, the local branch of the Rail and Maritime Transport trade union said it was confident Wrexham's National Assembly member, Dr John Marek, would back the initiative and the town's MP Ian Lucas also sent a message of support.

"We are getting support from many different angles but we want the ordinary fans to support us as well," added Clark.

"We always try to help the football club whenever we can but we've always handed the money over with no strings attached and that's the way we intend to carry on."

* WREXHAM Reserves lost their final Pontins League match of the season yesterday, going down 5-1 to Rochdale at Rossendale.

Wrexham's goal was scored by trialist Colin Quirk.