Troubled Kettering appear to be failing in survival bid
Ashley Westwood has acknowledged that Kettering Town are in a “serious situation” as the club appears to be losing the battle for survival.
The Kettering Town (Poppies) Supporters Trust have made one last plea for financial help after releasing a statement in which the fans’ group said the club was “all but dead” due to the severe financial problems.
It is believed that debts are well in excess of £300,000 and the Poppies were hit by another devastating blow on Thursday after Northamptonshire Police withdrew their policing of today’s game at home to AFC Telford United which was postponed due to a frozen pitch yesterday.
Had the game gone ahead, it would have been played behind closed doors.
The problems continue to mount with the playing squad having not been paid for two months, as well as various other bills including electricity, while a proposed takeover by former Cambridge United chairman George Rolls is believed to be on the verge of collapse.
Sponsors ID Medical intervened to allow the club an eight-week stay of execution on a winding-up petition from Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs.
But Kettering are still facing a three-point deduction after being told by the Football Conference that they must pay their football creditors by the end of the month.
Caretaker-manager Westwood admitted he was stunned by the latest news.
“I have said from the moment I took this job that I wouldn’t get involved in the off-field issues,” he reflected.
“I have not been told anything but it’s obviously a serious situation and I don’t really know any of the answers.
“Maybe the game being off is a blessing. The last chance any club has to survive is by punters coming through the doors and we would have lost that if the game had gone ahead.
“I haven’t been notified of anything, it is up to the people in charge to sort this out.
“The players are continually asking me what is going on and when will they get paid and I just have no answers for them.
“The fact we have had games called off is a problem because it is giving the lads time to focus and reflect on their personal situations instead of focusing on football. No-one can blame them for that.
“We have 10 days until our next home game and I would guess that someone, somewhere has to get this mess sorted out. It really doesn’t look good.”
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