I have supporters' best interests at heart, insists Ashford chairman

Wednesday 21st July 2010

UNDER-FIRE Ashford Town chairman Don Crosbie has issued a statement following news that the troubled Kent club has resigned from the Ryman League yesterday lunchtime, writes Stephen McCartney.

The club escaped relegation on the final day of last season with a home win over Chatham Town – but the Ryman League confirmed yesterday lunchtime that the club have withdrawn and are likely to be a late entry into the Kent League.

This follows a summer of turmoil at Homelands Stadium, with co-chairmen Mr Crosbie and Tony Betteridge fighting it out at the High Court and reported crippling debts of around £1m.

Mr Crosbie told www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk: “Due to pressure from the Football Association, the current boardroom deadlock had to be brought to an end.

“It has been well publicised that my fellow director has sought to wind up the football club, which would have taken Ashford Town Football Club out of existence.

“As I am sure everyone is fully aware, I have worked tirelessly in the background to find a solution to the deadlock but I refuse to be blackmailed or bullied into paying extortionate monies that were not legally due.

“Therefore legal proceedings have now been served with an aim of settling the financial issues that surround the true legal ownership of the freehold at Homelands. These proceedings are now in court so I cannot comment further.

“After weeks of meeting with the club's solicitors and advisors it is with regret that, to save our football club from extinction, we have asked the court to appoint an independent administrator to hopefully resolve the deadlock and allow the club to continue to play football.

“We have been advised, because of the seriousness of the situation, that relegation would probably have been the penalty for our demise so, rather than suffer mid-season, we have been advised to resign from the Ryman League with immediate effect and apply for Kent League registration.

“This scenario has been bubbling on and I am disappointed by the timing of this announcement.

“The Ryman League announced the news earlier on Tuesday, ahead of when we intended to release it to you supporters. I apologise about this but please understand that there was nothing I could do.

“I would like to add that this decision has not been taken lightly but it has been made with the survival of our football club in mind. There has been much speculation, regarding the financial problems of the football club, so I would like to stress that my fellow director has not financially supported Ashford Town Football Club for some 18 months. The problem is not a financial one. It is an FA requirement that all decisions made are a majority decision at board level and, as we have a deadlock situation at this level, this could not be tolerated for another season.

“There has also been plenty of speculation regarding the groundshare agreement with Maidstone United Football Club.

“I can only comment that the decision was taken with legal advice due to the serious nature of the fraud and Ashford Town Football Club could not be an accessory to the crime. Of course we would welcome free commercial Sky Television, as any business would, but this is totally unethical and something that we are fully against as a club. Hence the reason for ending the agreement.

“I would like to end this statement by assuring you supporters that I have your best interests at heart. Our football club has suffered dearly over the last couple of years but I genuinely feel that we are close to ending this sorry saga and putting Ashford Town on a much stronger financial footing.

“Please keep showing your support and backing the club. Let's take it onwards and upwards.”

Visit Ashford Town’s website: www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk