Wrexham's youth development programme could be in danger of closing following the club's Football League relegation.

The club were condemned to life outside the league after losing 2-0 to Hereford in midweek which will have a direct effect on the programme's funding.

Head of youth Steve Cooper told Sport Wales the club will lose at least half of its youth funding due to the drop and fears his department could close.

"Money is going to be an issue, there's no doubt about that," explained Cooper.

At present Wrexham runs its youth programme on �270,000 a year with �200,000 coming courtesy of grants they receive as a Football League member and the rest from the club itself.

But from next season the Dragons will be playing in the Blue Square Premier meaning they will immediately lose half of their current grant-based funding which is equal to �100,000.

606: DEBATE Can Wrexham's youth department survive their relegation?

Cooper says this will put the whole youth department he runs at risk and he is concerned for its future.

"This relegation it really could be the end of Wrexham's youth department," he said.

"Relegation means that the grant we currently receive will be halved and the club will obviously have to make cuts somewhere and youth will have to come into that.

"To run the department at an acceptable level where we can produce football players - we need to raise �100,000.

"We're not going to get that from the football club, we don't expect to, but we're going to have to raise some more money - it's as simple as that."

Cooper is hoping the club can raise some money from new sponsorship and through straightforward fundraising but says it will be a tragedy of the department set-up folds which has helped produce the current Wales under-16, -17 and -19 captains.

"There'll always be a youth system and any club at this level has to have a youth system to feed into the first-team," said Cooper.

"We've got good kids, we've got great facilities, we've got good staff and ultimately the programme we run will benefit Wrexham Football Club, first and foremost, but definitely Wales as well.

"We've much such big strides over the last six or seven years to let it just go would be a tragedy really.

"I'm certainly not willing to let it happen, for the now and the boys that are here and the talented young boys that we have and for the ones for the future as well."

* For the full story watch Sport Wales, BBC2 Wales and 2W at 2200 BST on Friday 25 April.