On the Left Wing
KIT NAPIER
WREXHAM FC owner Alex Hamilton today told the Evening Leader he intends to plough ahead with plans to shut down The Racecourse and use the land for housing or shops.
He said he would lodge a planning application in the New Year with Wrexham Council.
And the club’s controversial major shareholder, who quit as chairman at a board meeting on Friday last week, says he WILL hold an extraordinary general meeting to remove surviving directors David Bennett and David Griffiths and anyone they bring on to the board.
Referring to reports he was reconsidering his resignation, he said: “That’s rubbish. I have resigned as chairman because I cannot work with the two Davids. We had agreed that company secretary Gail Stubbs should be a director, but on Friday the two Davids voted against that.
“I am today putting together notice for the directors that an extraordinary general meeting will be held, probably in the middle of December. That meeting will see the removal of the two directors and anyone else they bring on to the board in the meantime.
“You can quote me on this – they are history and anyone they bring on is history if they do it without my blessing. I am still the major shareholder, I own the club and even though I am not chairman or a director I can do this.
“It is tough at the moment but it’s going to get tougher.”
Asked what he can see happening in the future, particularly in regard to a winding up petition in the High Court from the Inland Revenue which is set to be heard on November 17, Mr Hamilton said: “I am not a director any more so it is difficult to say, but I anticipate the court will appoint an administrator or the club may well go into liquidation.”
Asked about Wrexham Council’s plans to buy The Racecourse site, Mr Hamilton said: “I welcome their interest and I welcome the negotiations but they need to get on with it quickly.
“I can tell you in the New Year I will be lodging a planning application to develop The Racecourse site – the whole thing. Either for property or retail. This was always the plan – relocate the club or do a groundshare and use The Racecourse land to save the club. The truth is 95 per cent of the Wrexham public do not want football. The crowds are too low and only a fraction of those who could come each Saturday do bother.
“I appreciate they are incredibly loyal customers but not enough – look at the attendances.
“These are tough times but let me tell you this. This is the most fun I have had with my clothes on since I was 20-years-old.”
Mr Hamilton confirmed he would meet members of the Wrexham Supporters Trust today to discuss their proposals but warned there would be no deal until supporters who demonstrated outside his Cheshire home are identified.
Mr Hamilton alleged the fans has stolen his mail and caused damage to his property: “It’s a police matter now but I will not be agreeing to anything until they are identified. They are doing their cause no good whatsoever. If they are not identified there will be no football at The Racecourse by next July.”
Mr Hamilton’s meeting with Wrexham Supporters Trust is one of a series of meetings which will decide the future of the club.
Remaining directors David Bennett and David Griffiths were today due to have a meeting with manager Denis Smith to discuss a way forward.
Mr Bennett and Mr Griffiths are also keen to hold talks on forming a new board of directors.
And the two directors were also due to hold talks with Wrexham Supporters Trust members today to figure out if the fans’ group can play a key role in the future of the club.
The meetings follow a weekend of confusion which saw Mr Hamilton quit as chairman, and a fans’ pitch protest after Saturday’s game against Hull at The Racecourse.
Speaking on Saturday, David Griffiths told the Leader that he and fellow director David Bennett had accepted Mr Hamilton’s resignation as chairman.
He said he had no word of Mr Hamilton’s apparent back-track
He said he would lodge a planning application in the New Year with Wrexham Council.
And the club’s controversial major shareholder, who quit as chairman at a board meeting on Friday last week, says he WILL hold an extraordinary general meeting to remove surviving directors David Bennett and David Griffiths and anyone they bring on to the board.
Referring to reports he was reconsidering his resignation, he said: “That’s rubbish. I have resigned as chairman because I cannot work with the two Davids. We had agreed that company secretary Gail Stubbs should be a director, but on Friday the two Davids voted against that.
“I am today putting together notice for the directors that an extraordinary general meeting will be held, probably in the middle of December. That meeting will see the removal of the two directors and anyone else they bring on to the board in the meantime.
“You can quote me on this – they are history and anyone they bring on is history if they do it without my blessing. I am still the major shareholder, I own the club and even though I am not chairman or a director I can do this.
“It is tough at the moment but it’s going to get tougher.”
Asked what he can see happening in the future, particularly in regard to a winding up petition in the High Court from the Inland Revenue which is set to be heard on November 17, Mr Hamilton said: “I am not a director any more so it is difficult to say, but I anticipate the court will appoint an administrator or the club may well go into liquidation.”
Asked about Wrexham Council’s plans to buy The Racecourse site, Mr Hamilton said: “I welcome their interest and I welcome the negotiations but they need to get on with it quickly.
“I can tell you in the New Year I will be lodging a planning application to develop The Racecourse site – the whole thing. Either for property or retail. This was always the plan – relocate the club or do a groundshare and use The Racecourse land to save the club. The truth is 95 per cent of the Wrexham public do not want football. The crowds are too low and only a fraction of those who could come each Saturday do bother.
“I appreciate they are incredibly loyal customers but not enough – look at the attendances.
“These are tough times but let me tell you this. This is the most fun I have had with my clothes on since I was 20-years-old.”
Mr Hamilton confirmed he would meet members of the Wrexham Supporters Trust today to discuss their proposals but warned there would be no deal until supporters who demonstrated outside his Cheshire home are identified.
Mr Hamilton alleged the fans has stolen his mail and caused damage to his property: “It’s a police matter now but I will not be agreeing to anything until they are identified. They are doing their cause no good whatsoever. If they are not identified there will be no football at The Racecourse by next July.”
Mr Hamilton’s meeting with Wrexham Supporters Trust is one of a series of meetings which will decide the future of the club.
Remaining directors David Bennett and David Griffiths were today due to have a meeting with manager Denis Smith to discuss a way forward.
Mr Bennett and Mr Griffiths are also keen to hold talks on forming a new board of directors.
And the two directors were also due to hold talks with Wrexham Supporters Trust members today to figure out if the fans’ group can play a key role in the future of the club.
The meetings follow a weekend of confusion which saw Mr Hamilton quit as chairman, and a fans’ pitch protest after Saturday’s game against Hull at The Racecourse.
Speaking on Saturday, David Griffiths told the Leader that he and fellow director David Bennett had accepted Mr Hamilton’s resignation as chairman.
He said he had no word of Mr Hamilton’s apparent back-track
