Chris Pinlane responds to your letters

'SHAMBOLIC'

Dear Red Passion/Annwyl Angerdd Coch

Although I am not usually much of a letter-writer, the current performances by Wrexham cannot go without comment. The entire team is a shambolic embarrassment. Mark Cartwright is plainly not good enough to play at this level of football. His constant flapping at crosses and sliced kicks have gone beyond inept and are now almost comical.

But it would be unfair to place the blame solely on Cartwright when the ‘defence’ in front of him is anything but. Humes has proved himself to be more of a liability; Brace is enthusiastic but tactically lacking in awareness; McGregor is having a nightmare season and even Carey is making costly mistakes. Ridler is at least looking like a good player but it is Spink who is playing the best football since he arrived here, although it is about time he began earning his wages.

In fact, looking through the entire first-team squad, I would suggest that Dave Brammer is far and away the best player all season. At least he shows the fighting spirit now needed and is able to hit the target when shooting from a distance in excess of six yards. Why can’t Flynn see that we are a one-dimensional, unimaginative and tactically naïve side who are almost certainties for relegation. Nobody has more admiration for Pryce Griffiths than me, but he is not doing the club any favours by continuing his unswerving support for Flynn. The whole management team is far too cosy as they are fully aware that Flynn’s job is probably the most secure in football.

Now is the time for a fresh change in management and playing staff. Maybe relegation is the backward step required to bring about change and begin moving forward. Despite all I’ve said, my support for Wrexham AFC is bullet-proof and unconditional and I will again buy a season ticket next season.

Blwyddyn newydd dda i pawb

Garry Davies, Rhyl

GRESFORD GRUMBLE

Dear Red Passion

I’m getting quite angry with some of the residents of Gresford, and local councillor Andrew Bailey, who along with his colleagues on Wrexham Council’s Planning Committee have voted to ban official matches from taking place at Collier’s Park.This prohibits the club from holding junior Lancashire League matches at the training ground – a bizarre condition of the original planning consent, ‘not to allow competitive matches or spectators’.

This all seems to stem from some kind of local paranoia that the club want to relocate the stadium there, a rumour which still persists. Are these people mad for God’s sake?! ! Why would we build a state-of-the-art training ground, spending half a million pounds or so in the process, if we planned to build a stadium on the site?

Secondly, has nobody in Gresford noticed that we have just signed a 125-year lease on the Racecourse at the cost of 750,000 pounds and have begun work on a 3.5 million pound new stand? This could all be laughable if it wasn’t so serious, in that it deprives the club of the use of its own facilities for games that will have to be played elsewhere – at additional cost to the club no doubt.

Concerns have been allegedly expressed by Cllr Bailey that relaxation of these planning conditions could lead to serious traffic increases. This is plainly ludicrous. Has Cllr Bailey ever been to a junior match at Colliers Park? If he had, he would realise that only a dozen or so people turn up to watch. It’s probably a fair bet that more people are at Colliers Park during the week for training. Also regarding traffic levels, has nobody noticed a certain busy restaurant/travel lodge known as the Beeches right next door to the training ground? And the amount of traffic generated by that?

Possibly the most hypocritical aspect of the situation, however, is that when Barcelona used our facilities last autumn, half of Gresford turned out to watch them train.

Yours angrily

Paul Lindsay, Wrexham

GIVE GIBSON AND GRIFFITHS A CHANCE

Dear Red Passion

After visiting your top class web-site, I thought it would be a good idea to send a letter to congratulate you on the fantastic work done in order to get the whole thing together.

Anyway, to the point of this letter. I thought I would give you my opinion on two up and coming reserve players who I think, and many others think, should be given a chance in the first team. I have not seen as much this season as I would have hoped to – mainly due to the fact that all the reserve matches I have been available to see have been at 2.00pm or have been changed from an evening kick-off to an afternoon one, and so I have not been able to see them due to school commitments.

Anyway, from the reports I have heard, two lads – Robin Gibson and Andy Griffiths – have had a great start to the season for the reserves. I saw Andy play in the Isle of Man tournament in July and he was impressive during the short time that he played. Robin was described in the first issue if Red Passion as ‘the new Wally’ and from what I and others have seen, we agree.

If Brian Flynn isn’t getting the players he and the club needs from other clubs, why doesn’t he look a bit closer to home. There is no harm in trying out the youngsters, and from past results it has worked out pretty well for us. We have produced some decent players who have come through the ranks of youth and reserve teams to make a name for themselves: Dave Brammer, Neil Roberts, Macca, Yozzer, Wally, more recently Steve Thomas and Jake Edwards, even Phil Hardy and Gaz Owen who joined as YTS lads, to name but a few, have all made it into the first team and further.

The reserve and youth lads work really hard and I think that they should be given the chance to prove themselves at first team level.

Anyway, that’s my little rant over and done with. Congratulations on the excellent issues, keep them coming, keep up the good work.

Francesca Merola, Mold

PS. If you are planning to do any more Yozzer interviews in the future, or any with some good-looking Wrexham players (and I don’t mean Rushie) give us a call.

CWMBRAN RED NO.2…

Dear Red Passion

As a student I suppose I should be getting on with another one of those damn assignments that I have due in very soon, and has yet to be started, but I can't really be arsed. So, I thought I'd waste a little time writing this e-mail to you instead.

In your last issue of Red Passion (issue 4), I noticed that there was an article about a Wrexham fan who claimed he was 'the one and only Cwmbran Red (surely?)' - a bloke called Dean Rogers. However, I can assure you that this is not true, since I am also a proud supporter of the mighty reds of North Wales from that little town in South Wales.

Although I consider myself to be from Wrexham, having lived here for almost all my life, I was actually born in Panteg (Pontypool) and lived in Cwmbran for the first 18 or so months of my life. Nevertheless, I still have strong family connections in Cwmbran. Anyway, nuff of all that rubbish. At least we now know that there are at least two Cwmbran Reds (surely?).

Keep up the good work on the new fanzine.

Adam F. Bodger, Bangor-on-Dee, Wrexham.

PS. Flynn should stay. I think a lot of people forget that Wrexham (let's be honest) were pretty crap when he took over (even in his first season in charge). He's turned the club around and hopefully the present relegation threat will disappear with a good run. However, if Wrexham do drop I think we are good enough to go straight back up, but let’s not get into that for now.

PPS. My brother went to school with Tim Vincent and I don't remember him being a Wrexham fan then!!!!!

CP SAYS: I don’t think Dean claimed to be the ‘only’ Cwmbran Red; it was just a headline designed to provoke people, and we’re glad it did! Thanks a lot for your letter

GIVE WALSH A CHANCE

Dear Red Passion

I was interested to read Brian Flynn’s four-point plan for survival in the Daily Post on January 12^th. These are allegedly: (1) Moves to sign two loan players; (2) Vigorous pursuit of a work permit for Clayton Ince; (3) A reserve match assessment of Rafael Andrande; (4) A possible move into the transfer market.

Nothing very bold there, I’m sure you’ll agree. However, the quote from Flynn that most interested me was, ‘We need to get a second goalkeeper here as soon as possible. That’s not a criticism of Mark Cartwright. It’s just that he has no competition for his first-team place.

I’m sure that David Walsh would be disappointed to read this. Flynn has said in the past that if a player is good enough then he is old enough to be considered for the first team. As a second-year pro, walsh is clearly old enough and with Wales Under-21 recognition, one would consider that he is worthy of consideration.

Admittedly, his experience of the first-team squad is negligible; however, why wasn’t he ‘blooded’ in the Welsh Premier Cup games in the same manner as Cartwright was last season to give him some experience and place the management in a better position to judge whether he is ready for ‘proper first-team’ consideration?

Paul Lindsay, Wrexham

PLEASE BOYCOTT NICK HANCOCK

Dear Red Passion

First of all, congratulations on Red Passion (it’s totally independent you know)! ! It’s an excellent read and, like our beloved team, it oozes quality.

The real reason I’m writing in is to tell you all about my Christmas pressie from my Mum (God bless her). Actually this is a bit of a video review as well. Anyway I received ‘Nick Hancock’s Football Doctor’ this Christmas. My first impression of the tape was - another comic making money at Christmas by taking the piss out of footie.

But then on watching more of the tape, I was convinced he was ripping the shit out of everybody buying the tape. Then to make matters worse, he takes the piss out of Rockin’ Robin! Yes! Our beloved Rockin’ Robin. As I grew more angry at Nick (I love Stoke City) Hancock, he then shows another clip of Wrexham in an away fixture making a hash of a virtual open goal (if we haven’t got enough problems).

Anyway my point is don’t buy it; in fact I’m going to chance my hand and take it back to Woolies and swap it for a fondue set (only joking). I’ll finish off by saying to Nick Hancock: If you ever come to Wrexham, watch yourself because Rockin’ Robin has got a nasty habit of shitting on crap comics’ heads and since that bald geezer left ‘They Think It’s All Over’, it’s gone really pooh! ! !

Anyway, up the Reds and if this gets printed, Hello to the Mill Tavern Bar Lads, Flint.

Graham Williams, Flint

PS. Enclosed is our card and if you need any help with distributing the fanzine or you can use the help of a load of Wrexham fans in Flint give us a ring.

‘THE MICKEY THOMAS STAND’?

Dear Red Passion

Let’s call the new stand after a Wrexham hero – Mickey Thomas. The M.T. Stand!

Keep up the good work

J.Child, Gyfelia, Wrexham

RED PASSION’S CARDIFF CITY-SUPPORTING FANZINE REVIEWER HAS GOT A PROBLEM…

Dear Red Passion

You may find this hard to believe; I am still in a state of shock. I have missed both the Brentford v Cardiff and Cardiff v Yeovil games due to being locked out, due to capacity crowds!

At Brentford we arrived at about about 2.25pm but there were 4,500-5,000 City fans and the away end held 2,600. The police made us queue for about an hour before simply saying that the kick-off could no longer be delayed, you are not coming in, go home!

At Yeovil I was under the impression that there would be plenty of places available. At 2.40pm, while queuing up, the tannoy announced that due to safety reasons, the capacity had been cut from 14,300 to 12,000 and the ground was full.

It must surely be a record for a supporter of a third division club to be locked out of two games in six days due to crowd congestion.

As a safety net I have booked tickets in advance for Cardiff v Hartlepool!

Continue the good work with RP.

Best wishes, and Happy New Year

Mark Sly

RED PASSION’S ‘CRIME’

Dear Red Passion

Issue 4 – First of all congratulations on an excellent fanzine both in terms of quality and quantity.

However, I felt I had to write to say that your obsession about being referred to as the ‘Official’ Fanzine of Wrexham FC led to you committing a far more serious and damaging offence – a photo of someone wearing a (I can hardly write the words) Manchester United shirt on the cover! Your paranoia over the scoreboard announcement must have taken your eye off the ball – unless of course it was deliberate and meant as a warning to Wrexham FC not to take your support for granted.

I suggest you rectify your error by the next issue of Red Passion having a photo on the cover of the Editorial Team in their Wrexham shirts.

Seriously, one of the biggest contributions you could make to the future of Wrexham FC would be to gain the support of the young and start them wearing Wrexham shirts.

Keep up the good work

Yours faithfully

Roland Hall, Bryants Bottom, Buckinghamshire

ESQUIRE, NEW STATESMAN, RED PASSION…

Dear Red Passion

Congratulations on the first issues of Red Passion.

My boss found it highly amusing. He’s an English rugby fan. When he gets bored he interrupts us by doing things like asking what books and magazines we are reading. So he came in and said: ‘Right, I’ve got Literary Review, the London Art Review and Esquire…What have you got?

Martin, the Irish Liverpool fan and resident academic, said: ‘I’ve got Private Eye, New Scientist and New Statesman’. I said, ‘I’ve only got Red Passion’. They both looked, jaws open, paused and laughed…‘You win. Has it got pictures of sheep in it?’, asked one. ‘Some, but it’s not that kind of magazine’, I said, reaching into my bag.

Let’s hope 1999 brings a change of fortune for the Reds – the last few weeks have been pretty poor. A good cup run would help turn things around but equally could get in the way and we’re nearer the bottom than the top.

Some goalscorers would be good – Ian Rush or someone like that?! ! Last week’s report talked of how the ‘man-marking’ on Russell worked. The man has a zimmer and a man-marker? Whatever happens – we still believe.

Keep up the excellent work.

Cheers

Dean Rogers, Twickenham, London

COLIN WHO?

Dear Red Passion

Thank you for Issue 4; it is nice to know that the club reply to any points raised promptly (see page 4)! ! ! ! I personally did not expect a reply but I thought they would have had the decency to reply to you; you could have upset them by putting them correct over the alleged ‘official fanzine’.

‘Matchball Sponsor – Chesterfield’: Ernie Moss for the last four years was manager of local Unibond League side Gainsborough Trinity. This season he is at Leek Town. Keep the match reports going; they make good reading as I only get snippets out of the national press. Went to see Lincoln v Colchester the other week; poor game, could not see what Brian Flynn saw in Alcide; he was not even the best of a bad bunch; he would have made the team worse not better. I’ve enclosed a copy of Lincoln City fanzine. Please take note of the amount of content for one pound compared to an excellent Red Passion for the same price.

Yours in sport

JG.Parry, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire

DEAN SPINK: AN APOLOGY

Dear Red Passion

Firstly I must apologise to Mr Dean Spink. In my piece in RP3 I was highly critical of him, but after recent form I take my hat off to him. I feel that he has done a wonderful job at the back and has saved us on many occasions as well as being a top captain against Manchester City. Keep it up Deano.

Regards

Matt Wedderkopp, Lyneal, Ellesmere, Shropshire

URGENT APPEAL TO SURVIVORS OF HILLSBOROUGH

Dear Red Passion

The Hillsborough Justice Campaign is issuing an URGENT APPEAL to survivors of the Hillsborough Disaster to contact our office in Liverpool.

We are asking for survivors to be made aware that a Stoke man, Peter Bromilow, who was injured at the disaster, recently won a High Court Judgement against his former solicitors Linskills of Liverpool. The Judgement ordered that Linskills, who had previously paid Peter Bromilow 3,000 pounds in 1989, now pay 50,000, which is to be used for professional counselling.

Many survivors were badly represented by solicitors, and even those who didn’t seek legal help may still have a case to be answered. The more survivors who come forward, the more chance we have of uncovering the truth on a wider scale.

The solicitors who won Peter Bromilow’s Judgement have promised us that they will inerview any survivors free of charge, to assess whether you have a case to pursue.

It is very important to families who lost their loved ones at Hillsborough that the survivors come forward, as we believe a sustained campaign of pressure from all angles will eventually lead to justice for all the victims of Hillsborough.

We are calling for a boycott of the Sheffield Wednesday game at Hillsborough on 8^th May 1999. Stay away in the name of justice for the 96. This includes Liverpool FC directors.

Yours for justice

K.Robinson, Hillsborough Justice Campaign, Anfield, Liverpool (0151 260 5262)