Money lost on furlough to be repaid to Wrexham players and staff
- Published
Wrexham's home ground, the Racecourse, is the oldest international stadium still in use
Wrexham players and staff who received reduced wages while on furlough will get lost money back from new owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The Government furlough scheme ensured people unable to work due to Covid-19 received up to 80% of their wages to, at most, £2,500 a month.
The National League was suspended in March because of the pandemic.
"It's an unbelievable gesture to come in and repay what you'd written off," said Wrexham manager Dean Keates.
"There was a decision to be made when it was put to us last March, we voted it through to help protect the football club.
"Over the years people have made sacrifices for this football club to help it get by.
"Now it is in hands that can financially stabilise the football club, to have that gesture repaid back to us is great.
"We appreciate it... I knew there was a good possibility of it happening. Now it has been confirmed I have no doubt people will be thinking they are going to get their money back and will be very grateful for it."
Hollywood duo Reynolds and McElhenney took over Wrexham last week in a £2m deal which Keates admits will add pressure to his side, but he insists the club will not be using the money to pay inflated wages.
Keates said: "From the conversations I know, the club is still going to cut its cloth accordingly.
"The money that has been put into the football club is to safeguard it, that is not just the football department, it's everything.
"Conversations have mentioned the community side and the Racecourse Foundation, it's about developing everything.
"It's not going to go straight to the first team budget and we are not going to become ridiculously silly wage payers of players, that is not going to happen.
"There is going to be added pressure with everything that comes with the takeover and who the people are, but there was always massive pressure at this football club anyway.
"We are a big scalp but we are up there with the likes of Notts County, Chesterfield and the other big teams that are trapped down here.
"We have an added pressure now with everything that has happened but that is for us to deal with."
Keates says the club, who play Woking on Tuesday, are looking for free agents to add to their squad who currently sit seventh in the National League.