Northern League club North Shields have confirmed they are fighting for their future as they deal with an ‘impossible financial situation’.
The announcement is the latest blow in a challenging period for the club after they were relegated from the Northern Premier League last season after failing to bring their Daren Persson Stadium home up to meet the required criteria to compete in step four of the non-league pyramid.
That came just 12 months after they were crowned as Northern League champions for only the second time in their history after enjoying remarkable success under former management team Marc Nash and Anthony Woodhouse. Former Ryton and Crawcrook Albion manager Daniel Iredale replaced the duo following their departure in the summer and oversaw a major turnover in players as he prepared a new look squad for the club’s return to the Northern League.
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However, Iredale and his playing squad have now left the club after the Robins revealed the recent spate of postponed home fixtures over the last two months had ‘financially crippled the club’ and left them with ‘no incoming finance’. The North Shields board are now looking to take steps to rebuild the North Tyneside club but warned a ‘very difficult period’ lies ahead as they look to recover from a devastating blow.
A statement released on Friday read: “We can confirm that the club is in an impossible financial situation. The previous two months has financially crippled the club with no financial incomings and greater financial outgoings. The club met with the manager to discuss this and inform them of the situation. The club had to act on finances available and reduce the budget in order to save the club.
"Unfortunately due to the lack of income from recent postponed matches after players have been paid in full, the club is unable to continue paying the current budget. These changes needed to be made in order to still have a Football Club. If we continued to pay players and management in full with no incoming finance, unfortunately the club would no longer exist. The manager held a meeting with the players and it was decided at the meeting that the management team and players will all left the club with immediate effect.”
The Robins confirmed they are working with the Ebac Northern League’s management committee to find a solution over their remaining fixtures for the season and revealed Saturday’s scheduled trip to Carlisle City will not go ahead.
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