WREXHAM chiefs have assured fans that the bulk of Dennis Lawrence's £75,000 transfer fee from Swansea City will not be handed over to creditors.
Reports in South Wales yesterday suggested that the Dragons would lose much of the fee paid for the 32-year-old defender - despite the League Two outfit coming out of administration earlier this month.
But club secretary Geraint Parry rejected those claims last night by insisting the money will instead be used to bolster the current squad's wages and possibly fund loan signings.
Only a "small" amount will be offered to the club's creditors as part of Wrexham's administration agreement - although Parry cannot confirm exactly what that slice will be.
"What is being said in South Wales is certainly news to us," Parry told the Daily Post. "Yes, a small percentage will go to the creditors but we will retain the rest.
"The agreement is in place until Christmas to safeguard the creditors because as far as they know we may hold a player back at the club and then sell him for say £3m without them getting a penny. They would obviously be very unhappy with a situation like that and ask 'where did all this money come from?'"
Dragons boss Denis Smith has already revealed it will be almost impossible for him to find a permanent replacement for Trinidad & Tobago international Lawrence who signed a two-year deal with the Swans on Tuesday.
Smith made it clear that he was unhappy with the timing of Lawrence's departure three weeks into the season and revealed that one potential target has now already joined another club while another on his wanted list is injured.
Nevertheless Parry did not rule out Smith bringing in a defender and striker on loan, adding: "That's certainly a possibility and something I'm sure Denis will look at, but some of the money will also go to players' wages.
"We would rather have kept Dennis Lawrence here of course but before he left there was a salary cap in place at the club and now this extra bit of money should give the players a lift."
Meanwhile, Jon Newby admits he would love to prove a point to Chester if he features for Wrexham in Sunday's derby.
The 27-year-old had trials at both clubs this summer. After City passed up the chance to sign him, he penned a short-term deal at the Racecourse.
He said: "It's a massive game and I would love to play a part. If I do play I'd like to do well and maybe show them what they could have had."