Thousands of fans unite to save Wrexham FC
TENS of thousands of football fans are putting aside tribal differences on Saturday in a mass display of unity to save one of the football league’s oldest clubs.
The Fans United day of action on Saturday 20 November will see peaceful demonstrations at every football ground in England and Wales as well as a huge gathering of fans from different clubs at Wrexham FC’s Racecourse Ground.
On Wednesday 17 November Wrexham FC faces a winding-up petition in the High Court. The action is being brought by the Inland Revenue for £900,000 of unpaid tax.
On Wednesday Wrexham FC faces the prospect of being placed into administration and docked 10 points by the Football League or even forced into liquidation. If the latter occurs, Wrexham will be the first football league club to go out of existence since Aldershot FC in 1992.
Many fans believe the club’s plight is due to its owner Alex Hamilton, who wants to sell the ground for over £6million to property developers.
In any case Wrexham FC is living on borrowed time after 132 years of league football.
Now supporters of Brighton and Hove Albion – who lost their own ground almost nine years ago – are leading a day of action to draw attention to Wrexham’s plight.
Fans United: football fans are being invited to wear their club colours and attend Wrexham’s home game against Bristol City on Saturday 20 November – kick-off 3pm. They are asked stand alongside Wrexham fans and watch what could be Wrexham’s last ever league game.
Wear Red for Wrexham: those fans who cannot make the trip to the Racecourse are asked to wear something red – or even carry a piece of red card – to their own team’s match on the same day. They are asked to stand for 15 seconds at the kick-off to their match to show solidarity with Wrexham FC.
A Fans United spokesman and life-long Brighton supporter Nic Outterside said: “It is 12 years since Aldershot FC went bust and in that time many other football clubs have gone to the brink. In many cases these crises have been due to mismanagement or sheer greed of club owners or chairmen.
“When we lost our own ground – sold by our chairman Bill Archer to build a retail park – we came within inches of going out of existence. Even now our club is homeless and survives on a season by season basis.
“The danger of Wrexham folding is real and it would create a domino effect which could see many more towns lose their football clubs forever.
“I urge every right thinking football fan to take part in next Saturday’s day of action.”
Notes to Editors:
1. All 96 football league club press officers and their fans’ internet message boards have been contacted about next Saturday’s day of action.
2. BBC Final Score and Radio 5 Live have given their support to the fight to save Wrexham FC.
3. Further information:
website: www.clubsincrisis.com
email: fansbehindwrexham@hotmail.com