DEAN KEATES admits he could be working with a reduced playing budget for the 2020-21 season due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Wrexham Football Club.

The National League announced on Tuesday that the current campaign has been suspended indefinitely with the board now focussed on deciding how to award promotion and relegation.

The Reds, 20th in the table and just one point above the drop zone, are likely to be playing fifth tier football for a 13th successive season but Keates is set to have less money when it comes to building his squad because of the outbreak.

Wrexham had nine games remaining when the league programme came to a halt, with five of those matches at The Racecourse, and the loss of match-day revenue - the biggest source of income to clubs - will be felt by the Reds' boss.

"With the season being suspended indefinitely I can't see it finishing," said Keates.

"Now it gives us a chance to sit down and take stock of everything, and look at how the club is going to go forward from where it is.

"There will be implications on what we have got to spend next season with the fact that five of the last nine games were at home and that was money coming into the club that we haven't had.

"That money has got to come from somewhere.

"I am not daft enough to think the budget won't be as big as this season. The club will have to cut its cloth accordingly."

Director Spencer Harris said last month that there were no “immediate concerns” for the future of Wrexham Football Club when the season was halted due to coronavirus.

However, the club announced yesterday that they have now asked all employees - including the playing and coaching staff – to agree to move into the Government-organised Job Retention Scheme as an approach to cost reduction.

The club statement read: “Coronavirus is the biggest impact on society in living memory and the effects of it are a threat to the continued existence of the Football Club. The decision to furlough all employees of Wrexham AFC has been taken to protect the future of the Football Club.

"Had there been no coronavirus then Wrexham AFC would have continued as a financially stable football club, only spending what it can afford, but coronavirus has impacted us significantly and we understand what a distressing time this is for everyone connected with the Club.

“We know that this announcement will cause worry and anxiety for employees, fans and WST Members but we want to assure people we will do all that we can to navigate the Club through this unprecedented time and we will only be able to do that as a collective together.”