DEAN SAUNDERS admitted Anthony Barry had let him down after the midfielder decided to leave Wrexham.
Midfielder Barry, who had his contract at Chester City terminated by mutual consent a fortnight ago, joined Wrexham on an 18 month deal and was due to make his debut against AFC Wimbledon at The Racecourse on Saturday.
But even though he had signed for Wrexham, Barry made a dramatic U-turn and asked Saunders if he could be released from his contract to instead join Conference North highfliers Fleetwood Town who offered the 23-year-old more money.
Wrexham have not received a fee for Barry and Saunders insists he does not want a player at the club whose heart was elsewhere.
“It is quite straightforward, and this is the honest truth. Anthony phoned me and said he wanted to come and play for us,” said Saunders.
“We had a game, obviously he is a good player, and I felt he was the type of player we needed.
“But I told him I had to sign Andy Mangan before I could sign him. I was trying to get Andy in the bag first and then see how much money I had over to offer him.
“But I couldn’t offer Anthony what he was earning at Chester, and he said Fleetwood were trying to sign him. He came in and we shook hands on a deal.
“He didn’t realise he had signed, we had obviously put his contract through.
“Anthony then had a call from the Fleetwood manager, who had seen it was subject to a medical, and has gone in and offered him a two-and-a-half year contract which is three times the amount of money we could offer him.”
Saunders added: “We tried to go as far as we could but I have got a wage structure at the club. I am not here to bankrupt the club, I am here to try and guide the club out of this league and out of the next one, and we have got to do it sensibly.
“I have the rest of the players to think about so anybody who does not want to be here can go. I could have been awkward about it because he had signed for us.
“To be fair to him, he has been offered three times more at Fleetwood, though I am not so sure it is a good career move for him football wise. But he has made that decision.”
Saunders had not dismissed signing a replacement midfielder before the January transfer window closes: “Anthony is a different type to what we have,” he said. “I am trying to take the club forward and if I see a player I think is better than what we have got.
“I think we need a creative midfield player who can slide passes through to Andy Mangan and our wide men.
“We have lots of players with great attitudes who are improving, young players like Christian Smith, Andy Fleming and Nathan Fairhurst who maybe will come on from having Mangan here.
“I just thought Anthony, who has played in a League One play-off final for Yeovil and won this division with Accrington Stanley, was a bit more advanced than them.
“But I will go and have a look again and see what we can do.”
Striker Mangan, Saunders’ other signing, played 67 minutes before he was replaced by Obi Anoruo.
Mangan, who has joined for an undisclosed fee from Forest Green Rovers, had not played a first team match since the end of last season after completing a five month ban imposed by the Football Association in July for breaching betting rules.
But Saunders was pleased with the frontman's contribution: “Andy looked sharp.
You can see his brain works quickly and he will get on the end of things,” said Saunders.
“I just said give me a hour. He would probably have been happier to start on the bench but he is really enthusiastic, and it spreads through the camp.
“He has got an infectious personality, wants to win, and does the most talking in the dressing room.”
Saturday’s visit of Wimbledon was Wrexham’s first match since December 15, and Saunders was pleased with the outcome following the 39 day break: “I am delighted,” he said. “We had the break of the ball at times but I still thought we deserved to win.
“It was a great battling performance, and that is 15 clean sheets now. We defended well in the box and stubbed out the danger. The goalkeeper kicked the ball well, apart from once, and hopefully our luck has changed.
“Maybe this year is like starting a new season.”
Wrexham’s winner arrived in the 29th minute when keeper Seb Brown carried the ball across the line following Gareth Taylor’s cross.
Referee Paul Davison awarded a goal despite protests from the visitors, and Saunders was pleased with the decision: “Unfortunately we have not got a camera on the line. The linesman has got the best view in the stadium and he has given it. I am not complaining, we have had enough bad luck.
“Their keeper made an unbelievable save from Gareth Taylor going the wrong way, and that would have settled all the nerves down.
“We were a bit nervous, we know we needed a win. Wimbledon are a good team, they are not fourth in the table for nothing, but we defended really well.”