WARRINGTON Town chairman Toby Macormac has given an update on the club’s current situation during the coronavirus lockdown.
The Yellows 2019/20 season has been ended, with results being deemed null and void, meaning they will miss out on the chance to earn promotion to National League North.
But not only that, having now lost all of its revenue streams, the club faces around a £70,000 shortfall, which is set to impact their budget for the new campaign, whenever that may be.
Speaking in a Q&A on the club’s official website, Macormac said: “It feels like it’s something every year. We had the Shaw Lane and North Ferriby issues, we had the super play-off last year and now this. Something different seems to be stopping us getting where we want to be.
“It makes me rethink my position within the club. I have put that much money in myself, it’s only now when you get time and sit back and look at it and you go back to 2013 when I first started putting money in, I’ve put in a high-end six figure sum.
“I’m not in it for the return, I’m in it for the progress of the club and to give the town something it desperately needs. But when it’s starting to affect you personally, then you’re going to re-think.
“From my calculations, it’s around a £70,000 impact on the club. We’ve got absolutely nothing coming in. The season ended was compounded by the social club closing, which helps fund the football outside of the season. The entire place is in lockdown. We had four games to go, including South Shields, so it’s had a really big impact and that hole continues until next season when revenue starts coming back in. With the best will in the world, you can’t fill a £70,000 hole, and that’s from March based on my estimates on when things are going to re-start.
“Then of course there is the fact that sponsorship budgets are going to be affected, so that could make the hole even bigger. It’s definitely had a huge impact on us and what we’re doing – we’ve lost so many revenue streams, from sponsorship, gate money, bar takings, even decent sized pre-season games, 3G pitch revenue, it goes on.”
Macormac praised manager Paul Carden and said that the club had been in regular contact with players, the majority of which they hope they can convince to stay for next season, even with taking a pay cut.
The club hopes to launch some fundraising initiatives in the coming weeks, including a sponsorship raffle for stadium naming rights and season tickets.
