WELSH Assembly sports minister Alun Pugh has pledged to fight for Wrexham soccer club to stay at the Racecourse.

Mr Pugh said it was vital the Dragons remained at their current ground on the main corridor into Wrexham.

The sports minister's pledge came after an emergency meeting among local politicians spearheaded by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas.

Mr Pugh said: "It is vital that Wrexham FC remains at the Racecourse for two reasons.

"One, the considerable public investment which has already been ploughed into the Racecourse needs to be safeguarded.

"Secondly the Racecourse is an important stadium for the whole of North Wales and remains an important venue for holding international events."

It is feared international games will disappear from Wrexham if the stadium moves to a smaller site costing the town cash and prestige.

The meeting also involved council leader Neil Rogers, Clwyd South AM Karen Sinclair and Clwyd South MP Martyn Jones.

Mr Lucas said many options were discussed at yesterday's meeting.

But he did not want to reveal them ahead of next week's crunch meeting between club bosses and council leaders.

Property developer and new club owner Alexander Hamilton is expected to reveal proposals to either sell the ground or change its position as part of a survival plan.

"It was a very positive and constructive meeting," said Mr Lucas. "We discussed a lot of options."

As the Daily Post reported on Friday, Wrexham FC will have to pay back £1m of lottery funding to the Sports Council for Wales if it sells the Racecourse Ground for redevelopment.

The money was injected into the club in 1998 to redevelop the Mold Road stand Club managing director John Reames said the club had lost £1.8m in the last four years and it had to change to stay afloat.

Mr Hamilton has come under increasing pressure in the town to reject proposals to end the club's historic links to the Racecourse.

Fans want Mr Hamilton to sell his interests to the Wrexham Supporters Trust. The club has been struggling in recent years, but locals and politicians are loath to see it move from the Racecourse, regarded as the Dragons spiritual home.