Dickens believes in 'slim chance'

The club want manager Brian Little to stay whatever the outcome

Wrexham FC chairman Neville Dickens said he believes there is still a "slim chance" the club can avoid relegation from the Football League.

However, the club's owner admitted it was now "extremely hard" for Wrexham to stay out of the Blue Square Premier.

He hopes work on a housing and retail development at the Racecourse will go ahead, and that the Welsh Assembly Government backs plans for a new stand.

Whatever happens, he wants manager Brian Little to stay at the club.

With Wrexham eight points adrift at the bottom of the table with just seven games left, it looks increasingly likely that the club will lose its Football League status for the first time in 87 years.

It's heartening that the club are still talking to the assembly government Lindsay Jones, Wrexham Supporters' Trust

However, Mr Dickens said: "We have to face what's ahead of us and do everything we can.

"It's going to be extremely hard, but it's not impossible.

"But if we do go down, I'm very hopeful that we can bounce back within one season."

Mr Dickens, who flew abroad for a business trip on Wednesday, said he had every confidence in manager Brian Little.

He said he wanted the former Aston Villa and Tranmere Rovers boss, who only joined in November, to remain even if the club were relegated.

Mr Dickens added: "He's a good man, very experienced and very committed."

Wrexham's precarious position in the Football League has raised questions over the future of a planned multi-million-pound development at the Racecourse.

The proposed project, which has been given outline planning permission, includes a new all-seater stand at the Kop end of the existing ground, as well as shops, apartments and a restaurant.

The club is optimistic developments will go ahead

The club is also hoping for public funding from the Welsh Assembly Government towards the cost of building the new stand as part of their plan to make the Racecourse the "Millennium Stadium of the North."

Mr Dickens said he was still optimistic that work on the housing and retail development would start later this year.

And he said he still hoped the assembly government would financially support the new stadium, adding: "Obviously, our present position doesn't help matters, but we're still involved in talks."

'Regenerate'

Lindsay Jones, a board member of Wrexham Supporters' Trust, said the trust was still hopeful the developments would go ahead.

He added: "We're down in the dumps, but not out. The fat lady isn't singing yet - we thought we were down last season, but we held on.

"Obviously we're worried about the possible implications [of relegation], not just for the development, but for the future of the whole club.

"But it's heartening that the club are still talking to the assembly government.

"The case for an international stadium is still there, and the development would include things like a conference centre, new ticket centre and a shop - all things which could bring in money and help regenerate the club.

"The town needs a stadium, not just for football but for concerts and other things. Okay, we won't get Springsteen here, but we might get the Kaiser Chiefs."

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