SURREY businessman Andy Smith was last night running out of time to buy Wrexham Football Club - as other groups moved closer towards striking a deal with owner Alex Hamilton.

The Cheshire property developer, who owns the League One club and the Race-course Stadium, last night raised serious doubts that Mr Smith could successfully conclude the purchase - for a sum believed to be in the region of £4m.

Mr Smith enjoyed preferred bidder status for more than a month.

Mr Hamilton said: "Despite all his promises there is no sign of the money.

"I'm very disappointed but if Mr Smith can't get to the finishing post I may have to call a halt to my dealings with him.

"In accordance with the wishes of the club's administrators, last week I opened lines of communications with other bidders and there are three serious contenders.

"These people are now at the stage of making indicative offers and I am waiting for something to crystallize next week."

Mr Hamilton said it would be impossible to continue contract negotiations with Mr Smith if there were other acceptable bids on the table.

"He's had the ball to himself for some considerable time but he has not been able to put it into the net," he added..

Mr Smith, a property developer, posted a message on a fans' website last night. He said: "My team have completed our work and are able to finalise the deal over the next few working days. This is not an excuse, but time ran out this week."

Confirming that Middlesex-based businessman Paul Buttivant was leading one of the ongoing bids, Mr Hamilton said another was from a Midlands-based group with Welsh connections.

Mr Hamilton insisted any delays in selling the club were not of his making and warned frustrated Wrexham fans not to harass him. "Some thugs have been boasting they trespassed on my property last weekend when I was away but they do not frighten me," he added..