Wrexham will NOT get access to the Government’s £11m loan to non-league clubs as they play in Wales

Wrexham will not be allowed access to the Sports Winter Survival Package (SWSP) handed out to struggling clubs due to their geographic position in Wales. 

The UK Government has offered clubs in the National League and National League North and South an £11million loan to help them survive from January to March during this coronavirus pandemic.

However, the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust revealed that the Red Dragons are the only club out of the 66 eligible members for the loan who have been excluded from receiving it, despite the fact they play in English football’s fifth tier.  

Wrexham will not get the Government’s £11m loan to non-league clubs as they play in Wales

Clubs in the fifth and sixth English football tiers will get the loan to help them survive in 2021

The statement began: ‘Wrexham Supporters Trust is disappointed to inform supporters that Wrexham AFC has been excluded from the Sports Winter Survival Package (SWSP) for National League clubs, owing to our location in Wales.

‘This news was revealed in a response to a question posed by club officials at a meeting with fellow National League Clubs.’

The statement also confirmed the non-league clubs were given three options on how to resume the season due to their finances, with Wrexham deciding to vote for the National League to distribute SWSP funding out to each club. 

The Red Dragons are the only club out of the 66 eligible for the loan to be excluded from it

The other two options were the SWSP distributing the money directly to the clubs and the temporary postponement of the season until the funding situation was more clear. 

The WST now claims the club will abstain from Monday’s vote following news that the funding is not available to them. 

The club continued in their statement: ‘It is not relevant to Wrexham AFC due to us being the only club excluded from funding. We have previously voted on every resolution that has been presented to us.’

Wrexham fans voted last year to sell to Hollywood actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, who announced plans to invest £2million into the club after taking control of the Red Dragons. 

Wrexham were recently taken over by actors Ryan Reynolds (left) and Rob McElhenney (right)

The duo brought in former Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore as an adviser, after spending three years at the Premier League club before leaving the Reds in August.

The takeover has still to become legally binding, awaiting clearance from the Financial Conduct Authority, but he actors’ backing has taken on added significance in light of their exclusion from league-wide funding. 

Wrexham are still playing in the National League despite the latest coronavirus lockdown temporarily stopping non-league clubs in the division below them from taking part in fixtures. 

Matches in the National League North and National League South divisions were suspended for two weeks on January 22, with fears rising over the future of non-league football during the pandemic due to to financial reasons.