20 years ago there were four Welsh clubs in the Football League. Then Newport County dropped out and now there is a possibility that Wrexham might go down the same route unless their form improves decisively. Currently they are four points adrift at the bottom of League Two but have two or three games in hand over the other relegation candidates. Amidst their games to be played is one at Edgar Street on April 22nd.
This lunchtime they travel to Chester for a local derby from which they need to take at least a point.
It's taken Newport County a long time to get back to a position where a return to the League is now a possibility. They are fifth in the Conference South with a game or two in hand over their rivals. Wrexham would hope for a much quicker return should they go down.
"It’s strange that when we were in administration we were worried about everything apart from the football; now for the last two years it’s almost been the other way around," Wrexham football secretary Geraint Parry told Wales on Sunday.
"It’s such a shame too because supporters must look at the squad down the bottom and wonder how has this happened. But, for whatever reason, it just hasn’t gone right for us again.
"We’ve given ourselves a fighting chance of staying up, but we’ve had to have a look at what would happen if we did go down.
"The accountants have had a look at what monies would be available in the Conference. It’s not a great deal, but it’s not as bad as perhaps it once was and there is a bit of cash there. At the moment we get our share from the Football League and all the things that go with it like TV, sponsorship and Carling Cup, things like that, and we get about £300,000 from the pot.
"But there is a parachute payment in that first season that could help give you a chance of going back up, or at least give you a footing so the new surroundings aren’t too big a shock.
"It could help us keep the squad going and give us that opportunity."
Former Hereford United manager Colin Addison thinks the circumstances are much different to those at Newport.
"With the greatest respect to Newport, they didn’t have a bean for a long time before they went down.
"They couldn’t pay wages, a lot of people worked very hard for the club, but the couple of occasions I was there they were struggling financially and they’d have to sell a player or rely on a cup run to make a few bob.
"You’d think Wrexham wouldn’t suffer the way Newport did. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a disaster if the club went down, just as it was for Newport and Welsh football when they went.
"That identity can get lost so quickly so easily and getting back isn’t easy by any stretch.
"It took Hereford 10 years and when you look in the Conference now there’s a whole host of clubs who were League regulars."
Parry is hopeful Wrexham will stay in the League.
"We’re not the biggest one, but we are a good Football League club and right now we’re doing everything we can to stay that way."
UPDATE 2pm: Wrexham defeated Chester 2-0 this lunchtime. They stay bottom of the table.
21 Notts County 35 -14 35
22 Macclesfield 36 -21 32
23 Mansfield 34 -16 30
24 Wrexham 33 -21 29
Text at top (next game etc)
Next game: Curzon Ashton On Saturday March 22nd at 3.00pm