Blue Square Premier fans expecting Wrexham impact

By Mark Currie, Daily Post

10 May 2008

BLUE Square Premier fans are split over how they view the prospects next season for relegated Wrexham and Mansfield Town.

An on-line poll asking which of the two clubs will make a bigger impact on next season’s competition is evenly split, the Dragons and their Nottinghamshire rivals each claiming 40% of the votes, with the remaining 20% undecided.

Meanwhile Wrexham’s preparations for life outside the Football League for the first time in 87 years will continue next week when the Racecourse club is expected to unveil its season ticket offer for supporters and confirm a list of pre-season friendly matches currently being arranged by boss Brian Little.

The Dragons boss has also tidied up the loose ends of his review of the Racecourse playing staff by offering just two contracts to youngsters who have completed their two-year scholarships in the school of excellence.

Goalkeeper Chris Marriott and defender Chris Maxwell, who both figured regularly in the reserve team last season, have been offered one-year deals.

Meanwhile, Altrincham, who finished second bottom of the Blue Square Premier, could avoid relegation for the third year in a row after it emerged that Halifax Town are on the brink of liquidation.

A financial package put together by insolvency firm Begbies Traynor, who rescued the Dragons from a similar fate two years ago, has been rejected by creditors.

Last season Altrincham finished 21st, but were reprieved at the last minute after Boston United were relegated out of the Football League and straight through to Blue Square North because of their financial problems.

The year before that Altrincham finished bottom of the table but stayed up when Canvey Island pulled out of the league, taking voluntary relegation, and Scarborough were expelled at the Conference's AGM for breaching league rules.