Football: Coalville Town Chairman Rennocks Says Decision To End Season Is 'Huge Disappointment' For Club

By Graham Hill

26th Mar 2020 | Local Sport

Coalville Town chairman Glyn Rennocks says the club has been left in limbo after the BetVictor Southern League season was brought to an end due to the Coronavirus crisis.

And he admitted that it has left some of the players concerned about their own financial situation.

It was announced on Thursday that the FA and Leagues at Steps three to six have reached a consensus that the 2019/20 season will be ended with immediate effect and all results will be expunged.

This will mean that there will be no promotion or relegation of Clubs between steps three to six, or relegation from Step Two.

These decisions will also apply to the Leagues and Clubs at Step seven of the National League System.

The decision leaves Coalville an agonising two points outside of the play-off places with games in hand.

Rennocks says there is huge disappointment from his management and playing staff.

But he is aware of the health concerns and the fact that other club have even more to lose from the decision.

However, it leaves The Ravens with a number of logistical problems to sort from being left with unsold food and drink to the future of top players such as Billy Kee who joined Coalville in a coup for the club last month.

"To tell the truth I'm not surprised, I've been half expecting it, all the rumours and talks over the past few weeks seemed to have been going this way," said Rennocks.

"But obviously we're disappointed as well, we were in a good position, there was a chance of promotion. But there were others in a better position than us so they'll be even more disappointed.

"I've spoken to a few of the players over the past week or so and we were all of the same thinking that it would be disappointing - but some have have financial concerns obviously.

"I spoke to the manager after the news broke and he's bitterly disappointed - as you'd expect.

"It's dragged the rug from under us."

But he added that, off the field, it is tough for the club who lose the revenue from home games and the associated food and sales.

"You can't pay out what you're not taking in, that's a problem," said the chairman.

"To add to the problems, on the Tuesday night before the League got suspended on the Friday, we should've played Tamworth, a big game, a local derby and they bring a lot of people with them.

"We were expecting a big crowd, so we ordered extra booze and food, and then the match officials didn't turn up, they'd broken down so that game got postponed.

"Now we have a lot of stock that I have to pay for."

Rennocks says he is already tentatively planning for next season with manager Adan Stevens and hopes Kee will stay. Billy Kee signs for Coalville in coup for club

He added: "I spoke to Billy and he's very upbeat and understanding at the moment.

"It was a coup to get him here. But the problem is that it's a free market over the summer.

"And until we get told when the new League is going to start, you can't agree anything.

"It's no-one's fault, it's not of anyone's making, it's just the situation we find ourselves in at the moment.

"What the manager has said is that he's going to start thinking about what we do, to be fair he's a good manager and he's thinking about that all the time.

'He's thinking of players who we want to retain, which will be the majority, and where we'll need to bolster and improve. When they lift the lid on the lockdown, we'll go through it again in more detail."

Rennocks says the situation needs to be put into perspective.

He added: "There are people in a lot worse situation than we are, mainly from a health perspective, but also football-wise, there are teams who are flying and guaranteed promotion as they're points ahead of anyone else

"Then look at Halesowen, they're in the semi-final of the FA Trophy, the financial gains would be great for that but they had a chance of a Wembley final."

     

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