Dragons Boss Smith Full of New Year Cheer
A happy man!
By Wrecsam am byth
January 1 2004
Wrexham boss Denis Smith today looked back at a successful 2003, and set his sights on an equally prosperous 2004. Following promotion from Division 3, the Dragons stand in 6th place in Division 2 going into the new year, and Smith is eying a second successive promotion at the Racecourse.
CARLOS EDWARDS
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2003
- WHAT A VERY GOOD YEAR!
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Few Wrexham fans would give anything but
praise for the ex-Stoke defender, who has transformed our
club's fortunes on a shoe-string budget due to pitifully low
crowds, as the majority of the Wrexham public continue to turn
their back on their local team.
Despite a highly successful 2003, which saw the Dragons
automatically promoted back to Division Two at the first
attempt, Smith, forever the perfectionist, was still
disappointed about his clubs shock FA Cup defeat at
Yeovil in November. Matters were made worse by the fact the
4-1 defeat was broadcast live to the nation on Sky TV. Smith
told the Daily Post: "The FA Cup defeat at Yeovil
will stick in my mind for a long time but because of one
mishap, we should not ovelrook the many good things that have
happenned."
Wrexham chairman Mark Guterman was full of words of praise
for his manager and coaching staff. "He's sorted things
out and turned the club around in terms of what happens on the
pitch, so he and his staff have done a tremendous job."
Asked about the club's financial position, Guterman said:
"Financially, we've made a lot of headway and we have
cleared a lot of the debts, but there is still a lot to do on
that score. We have cut the wage bill and we are still working
on lots of ideas to further improve the position. The club is
being run sensibly now."Smith
was also in an optimistic mood about the club's fortunes in
2004. "What has happenned in the last 12 months has been
nothing short of miraculous", he told the Evening Leader,
"We have achieved so much on limited resources, and here
we are again. We're still up there with a game in hand, no
matter how unbelievable it seems, we have a chance of making
the playoffs for promotion."
Wrexham are set for their largest crowd of
the season when struggling Sheffield Wednesday visit the
Racecourse on Saturday. The first game of 2003 was a home
defeat at the hands of lowly Macclesfield, in front of just
3000 home fans. It is amazing what strides the club have made
in just 12 months, and every Wrexham fan will be hoping the
reds can continue their promotion challenge with victory over
the Owls in front of hopefully 7000 home fans, in addition to
up to 3000 travelling fans from the steel city.
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