Posted: Sat 13th Nov 2021

Freehold of Racecourse Ground could return to Wrexham AFC as ‘condition’ of ‘significant financial contribution’ to gateway project

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 13th, 2021

Wrexham AFC have launched a consultation on the planned redevelopment of the Kop End of the Racecourse Ground.

Proposals for the 5,500 capacity stand could see the freehold of the stadium returning to the club as part of a ‘significant financial contribution’ to the Wrexham Gateway scheme, while the ambitious redevelopment could see the stadium capacity increase to nearly 16,000 in total.

Fans are being asked questions around three topics, with the first being the highly sensitive issue of who owns the freehold of the Racecourse itself.

The long term security of the stadium has been brought into question several times in recent memory and is therefore a topic many are wary of despite deep widespread support of the club’s new owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Historically the ground was leased for many years from brewers Marston Thomas & Evershed, with a formal extension to that lease taking place in 1998.

A 125-year lease was secured for £750k and then a £1 a year peppercorn rent – the theory being the club would be able to stay secure for over a century until the year 2123.

But scumbag former owners Alex Hamilton and Mark Guterman embarked on “The Wrexham Project”, shafting the club by effectively switching the freehold to one of their own companies in 2002 after then majority shareholder Pryce Griffiths sold up his shares.

The ‘project’ would have likely seen Wrexham AFC evicted from the Racecourse under landlord Hamilton, and much like long dead Chester City FC up the road, with the ground being converted to a retail park or B&Q.

Whilst lucrative for the developers, it would have probably struck a killer blow for the football club.

Fans and administrators fought to reverse the transactions, which saw a High Court ruling challenged in the Court of Appeal, before the freehold finally reverted back to club which by then was run by administrators.

However, the saga was not over as the club’s next owners, perma-tanned holiday peddler Geoff Moss and Ruthin’s Ian Roberts, carved up the freehold site to build the infamous student flats.

The development was enabled by a ‘gamble‘ from Wrexham Council’s planning committee, who seemed easily impressed by the celebrity appearance of manager Dean Saunders.

The ground was later sold to Glyndwr University in 2011 by Messrs Moss and Roberts as part of an enabling plan to allow fans group Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST) to take over the debt-ridden club for a token pound.

The ‘Wrexham Village’ flats remained separate, going on sale for £13,000,000 in 2016, while the WST run club signed a new 99 year lease with the university for use and operational control of the stadium, again with the assurance of ‘securing the club and its historical home in the hands of its supporters for generations to come’.

In 2018, the flats, on part of the old footprint of the site, sold for £11m with the university buying them from Moss and Roberts’ company – with ‘Sibco Ltd’ and ‘Gelco Ltd’ as shareholders.

Currently, the freehold of the stadium is held by the university, with the remaining lease held by WST Assets Ltd.

The WST itself has struggled to function recently with fans questioning if it has held quorate regular meetings, and if board issues have been resolved after a string of resignations.

Less than a mile from the centre of town, a famous old stadium is crumbling down. The Kop, before it was covered over with a huge banner.

Less than a mile from the centre of town, a famous old stadium is crumbling down. The famous Kop, before it was covered over with a huge banner.

Yesterday, with the club under new ownership, a consultation has been launched, with a “significant financial contribution” proposed for the Wrexham Gateway project – a multi-million-pound scheme to redevelop the Mold Road corridor into Wrexham.

The investment would be made by the club on the condition that the freehold for the Racecourse would be returned to its ownership.

It has been said that the university are ‘comfortable’ with this, alongside Wrexham Council and Welsh Government.

The club said: “One of the stated promises in the club’s mission statement was to ‘explore the renovation of the Racecourse Ground and improve the venue for the club, for international matches and perhaps, the occasional Tom Jones gig’ and it is this promise, we are seeking to fulfil.

“The club have engaged with the gateway partnership, which includes Wrexham CBC, Welsh Government and Glyndwr University, to consider how working together we could deliver a new Kop at the Racecourse Ground, as part of a wider development in the area.”

“One of the conditions of the club’s significant financial contribution is that on completion, the freehold of the Racecourse Ground must transfer to the club’s ownership.

“The gateway partnership is comfortable with this principle, but we want to make sure that you are too.”

The club asked two questions about the freehold as follows: “Would you be supportive of Wrexham AFC Limited (‘club’) purchasing the freehold of the Racecourse Ground from Glyndwr University?”

“Would you be supportive of the club purchasing the freehold of the Racecourse Ground from Glyndwr University and the club voluntarily providing legal assurances that the Racecourse Ground will remain the home of Wrexham AFC until at least 31st July 2115, unless a move away is necessary because the Racecourse Ground is no longer capable of meeting the club’s requirements?”

Questions are also asked about travel to the ground, to aide with a future planning application, as well as more detail on what the 5,500 new stand should consist of.

The club said: “As you are aware, the Racecourse Ground is currently all-seater. We have the opportunity to consider reintroducing standing, as part of the Kop redevelopment.

“Without being prescriptive as to the form this standing could take, we want to understand if you feel fans having the choice to sit or stand should be an important consideration at this time.

“There are potential consequences with regard to staging international football matches depending on our decision, hence wanting to seek your views.”

The question to fans adds: “The new Kop is being designed to increase the capacity of the Racecourse Ground by approximately 5,500 of which approximately 500 would be a corporate seating area”.

Fans are asked for their preference on whether the Kop Stand should be all standing, all seated or a mixture including ‘safe standing’.

You can view and take part in the consultation here.

Top pic: Some top secret scribblings Wrexham.com has seen this year as plans come together on the Kop developments along with the Wrexham Gateway project.



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