I had a phone call this afternoon from the sports editor of a town with a League 2 club. They went through an administration that threatened the future of the club some years back and since then they have been careful with their money. As a result they’re not achieving much on the pitch. No dange of relegation to the Conference, but way off the play offs.
I had a phone call this afternoon from the sports editor of a town with a League 2 club. They went through an administration that threatened the future of the club some years back and since then they have been careful with their money. As a result they’re not achieving much on the pitch. No dange of relegation to the Conference, but way off the play offs.
So, he asked, should they throw caution to the winds and splash out? My answer was that this was the worst possible time for risky strategies. There were few white knights around to rescue a club, particularly in the lower divisions where there was little prestige or glamour. The banks are calling in overdrafts and the taxman is not slow to slap a winding up order on a club that gets behind with its payments. Next thing you know is you’re in administration and the ten point deduction sees you relegated into the Conference. And that is a hard league to get out of as a well supported club like Luton are finding this season.
This particular town is not that big and it has a largely rural hinterland. So even with good results and a marketing campaign there are limits to what can be earnt in gate money or sponsorship. So the way ahead is probably to try and spot some good non-league players who are hungry for a higher level. It may not be that exciting, but the alternative could be bleak.