WREXHAM were caught in a cash-flow crisis yesterday when they paid players only HALF their November wages.

The Dragons squad were warned about the shortfall in a meeting last Thursday, a day before they travelled to a Division Two match at Brighton.

Several club staff are also affected by the news, with officials promising the rest of the money in two weeks' time.

The Wrexham squad were told not to discuss the matter with the media, but a spokesman for a leading player said last night: "To tell the players this before they travelled all the way to Brighton was wrong.

"The club have given them just enough to pay the bills.

"This wouldn't happen in any other business, so why is it happening here?"

Wages were also paid late last month as the club struggles to make ends meet. The telephones at the Racecourse and their Colliers Park training ground were disconnected for a time this season as the club waited to pay the bill.

Wrexham are heavily reliant on the income generated from home matches, and they had just one match at the Racecourse last month, when 3,208 fans watched them draw 0-0 with Wycombe Wanderers.

Club chairman Mark Guterman stressed before the start of the season that the club needed to be attracting crowds in the region of 6,500-7,000 to break even.

This was after they packed 10,000 into the Racecourse to see the side gain promotion to the Second Division in May.

"It's a two-way process which means we have to put out a product they are willing to come and see," said Guterman then.

"There's is no quick fix and we will not allow ourselves to be carried away by any success, because we know it has a nasty habit of coming back to bite you when you least expect it."

Wrexham currently lie three points off a play-off place, but have won only off a play-off place, but have won only one of their last six league matches, including a 2-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday.

The Dragons also crashed out of the FA Cup in the first round at Yeovil and of the LDV Vans Trophy in the second round, denying them two other sources of potential revenue.

Their next home game is on December 13 when they take on Peterborough United.

The club refused to comment last night.