Journalist claims all is not well at Wrexham as issues arise with staff, fans and tickets

Journalist Alan Smith of the Mirror claims all is not well at Wrexham as a number of issues arise with staff, fans and tickets.

The club are getting prepared for their first season back in the EFL since 2007/08 with plenty of excitement building with the first home league game against MK Dons played on the 5th of August.

But it seems things aren’t so rosey judging by what journalist Alan Smith has had to say, posting on Twitter and writing in his articles.

On the 18th of July, he wrote in one tweet:
“Welcome to Wrexham, where it’s not all good vibes all the time
– Questions over owners’ high-interest loan
– Staff quit over “rude, arrogant” board member
– Fury around ticketing arrangements
– $300 to watch training in US today
– Complex lease of stadium”

But now on the 25th of July, Smith’s added: “Tickets for Wrexham’s second home game back in the EFL are sold out for locals – but international fans can still buy directly from the club.”

Tickets for Wrexham’s second home game back in the EFL are sold out for locals – but international fans can still buy directly from the club https://t.co/rmJv2Dvgsp

— Alan Smith (@alansmith90) July 25, 2023

He said in his first article that… “rifts are beginning to appear among fans and questions around club’s finances remain unanswered.”

Smith points to one source who claimed that there have been “concerns that playing a quartet of friendlies against kids from glamour clubs while coast-hopping in America up to six days before their League Two campaign is not quite optimal preparation.”

There is ow said to be a ‘strain’ between the club’s long serving more local fans and the arrivistes “that is beginning to appear at odds with the community-first image curated by Reynolds and McElhenney.”

Another topic that led to anger is the launch of a reframed membership scheme with fans required to pay £30 just to enter a ticketing ballot. Wrexham said that 150 tickets would be available for each home game for UK members, 75 for those from abroad and the idea also means season ticket holders, who have seen prices rise, will now only be entitled to 70% of away tickets.

“We have and will always listen to fans about all matters relating to the club,” a spokesman told Mirror Football. “The decision to increase the cost of membership was taken after an assessment of the benefits that fans would receive including access to the priority period to purchase tickets and the new ballot, ticket exchange processes we have put in place.”

The club also had open training session in North Carolina with tickets resold for $300 and top seats the 4-0 defeat against Chelsea, a 50,000 sellout, set at $550 face value.

Redeveloping the ground is a key part of the owners’ plans and £25m of funding from the Welsh government has been ringfenced. Work on the new Kop, with a 5,500 capacity that includes 500 corporate seats near the back, is set to commence and the aim, one source says, is to make it a “US-standard venue.”

In the long term, Reynolds and McElhenney hope to eventually buy the lease for the Racecourse from the supporters’ trust, who have 92 years remaining, but is being dealt through is legal experts and both parties have agreed to seek an intermediate opinion from a King’s Counsel, with the costs being covered by the club.

“Obviously we’re not going to tell the club in 2045 that they’ve got to go. We’ve fought tooth and nail to keep the club alive,” Barry Jones, the supporters’ trust’s chairman, says. “We’re currently in negotiations with the owners’ solicitors to extend that sublease or put in place legal guarantees that give the club the security of the Racecourse.

“We’re in discussions with their legal team to make sure that the long-term future of the club is assured. They’re aware of the legacy of this club. They are certainly not in it for a quick five years and then run off.”

The Mirror writer adds that a number of other things including local businesses are added to the growing frustration.

The report states that one company offered to sponsor a match last season have been left silenced by the club while others ‘feel jettisoned now global corporations are front and centre.’

Smith writes “those grumbles of discontent are swept aside by the owners’ regular and wholly admirable gestures of kindness – from GoFundMe donations and buying kits for local children’s teams to bar tabs and social media messages.”

One senior figure was accused of forcing a number of staff members to hand in their resignation due to being “rude, uncaring, arrogant.”

A former employee wrote of the official in a Facebook post: “I can guarantee that you’d have to go a long way to find somebody so horrible to work for.”

The ex-worker is said to be among several to quit the club since the takeover, but chose not want to explain more on what he said after being contacted by Mirror Football.

In a lengthy response, the club spokesman said it “has been through enormous change … that has meant introducing a host of new working practices … we understand this has meant staff members have had to accept massive adjustments in the way we work and we have been delighted in the way that has been embraced by so many people at the football club. But it’s inevitable that some employees would struggle with big change.”

The spokesman added that the club has offered “continual support, understanding and patience” to employees, are “naturally disappointed when staff members move on” and they “operate an open, listening environment where all issues can be raised freely and without prejudice.”

You can read more on Alan Smith’s article by clicking HERE.

Meanwhile, in another piece, he explains that Wrexham supporters have been left miffed off when told that the remaining tickets for their club’s second home game back in the EFL are being held for international fans.

TICKET UPDATE | We are pleased to confirm that our home fixture against Walsall has now sold out to UK members.

There are a small number of tickets still available to International members.

Find out more 👇

🔴⚪ #WxmAFC

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) July 24, 2023

Wrexham said: “We are pleased to announce that our first midweek league fixture against Walsall is now sold out to UK members

“The fixture on August 15, will be our third fixture of the EFL Sky Bet League Two season, and our second in all competitions under the lights at the SToK Cae Ras.

“There are a small number of International Members Tickets still available for the game.

“Further information regarding ticketing for our home fixture against Swindon Town will be released in due course.”

As the journalist claims all is not well at Wrexham as issues arise with staff, fans and tickets, Twitter users had their say…

@Melchurche: Oh here we go something good is happening so let’s try and destroy it because there’s not enough bad news in the world at the moment #wrexhamafc

@DanWrexham: I’m fairly sure this bloke’s entire schtick is to write hit pieces about the club 😂 99% of the people kicking off aren’t even Wrexham fans

@upacreek13: Ahhhh Mirror reporter…says it all. Check your facts first if you can be bothered. Terrible reporting

@mo_ralhiground: When a Wrexham FC Member living 9 miles away is unable to purchase a ticket but someone living 1000+ miles away may still purchase one then this should not be something you, as a club, should be pleased with.

@bristolbluegas: And here begins the issue when you’ve been taken over by Hollywood actors. Locals who supported Wrexham for all of those years in the wilderness, when they were getting crowds of 5k, now can’t buy a ticket! Be careful what you wish for….

@ade_rawden: I’m sorry but this is very poor I am happy you are EFL and congrats on winning the League and earning millions in sponsorships and rebuilding the stadium but don’t let this get in the way of squeezing out those in your community that have supported you during your darkest days..

@samtheshrimp18: My clubs circling the drain so I’m not going to pretend I don’t wish we had this international interest, but it must be doing Wrexham heads in how they’re being told what’s right for their club and how things work by yanks watching a tv show after lifelong support 🤦🏼‍♂️

@liamcahill1084: I wasn’t given entry into the queue until 9.55. I was on prior to 9.30. This happened with the Wigan tickets too. Not a moan about the popularity of tickets but annoyed that the system clearly isn’t adding people to the queue correctly.

@deekbee: Im going to be in the area in 4 weeks time and my son is wanting to see the Swindon game. Sounds like it just isn’t going to be possible.

@queenkatie17: I’m a bit bored of this whole Wrexham thing now. I’m glad the team is doing well, but they have totally “sold out”’on this TV series popularity contest stuff. Why would international people want to visit Wrexham… come on ? Let the local fans have the tickets 🤷‍♀️

@marcbbz: 611 in the queue at 9:30am. Got to the ticketing page at 10:04am. Wouldn’t let me purchase tickets. 👍🏻

@peted1336: Tried to book 3 tickets today…on site an hour before opened…1700 in queue before me when it opened. Utter failure again. Disappointed member 🫤

@KieranAshley16: Rather you than me. Feel for all of those die hards who were there in your darkest days. Nothing but a number now, literally! So glad we don’t have this problem at Notts.

@StuMLloyd: The ticketing system is an absolute shambles

@Lee_FGR: What a joke of a club.

@docko6: Imagine supporting a club for years through the dark National League days and you miss out on a ticket because they have saved some for ‘international supporters’ 😂😂

@iamtylermoore: As an American fan this seems kind of fucked. If there’s tickets left, Sell them to people that want them most.

@HatterSteely: Lie with dogs, get fleas, love it 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Atexo02: How can anyone excuse this? Literally limiting the amount of local fans that can come so specifically tourists can come watch

@tmdxv_: 0.71% of the overall capacity ffs that’s it. Any unsold tickets will go to members anyway. Moaning for the sake of it, so tedious 🤣

@127J_H: Haha imagine missing out on a ticket then seeing all the Facebook posts about how Nathan Fillion or Andy Samberg or someone like that had a great time at the soccer match and even met some fans in the pub!

@ChivertonLaura: Bit of a joke tbh. Feel for any Wrexham fan that can’t get a ticket but Bill from Tennessee who has only been aware of the club since 2022 will be okay 🥴

@msth_19: This needs to be addressed. Its 75 tickets, put them up for sale before members for a small window of time. If they don’t get taken then put them into the members allocation. Simple fix.

@Mattpie95: Disgrace. I’d be fuming if my club did this

@BoertienLiam: Imaging having UK tickets and International tickets, absolutely shite that. Bored of all this Wrexham shit now, hope they miss out on promotion

@Bottman94: International members way to sell the tickets to the loyal fans 😂

@gingelawrence: State of this ffs 🤮🤮

@Stever62Roberts: Locals ain’t happy!!

@adaamjb: Novelty is wearing off lads