Trinity bridge gap in finances to survive

Gainsborough Trinity chairman Richard Kane and striker Jordan Thewliss agreed the club's survival in National League North on the final day of the season was a massive achievement.
Gainsborough Trinity chairman Richard Kane.Gainsborough Trinity chairman Richard Kane.
Gainsborough Trinity chairman Richard Kane.

They pointed to the big difference in the size of budgets of some clubs in the division — many of them full-time — compared to the likes of part-time, community clubs such as Trinity.

The Blues escaped relegation, despite a 5-1 defeat at FC United Of Manchester, because Worcester City lost 4-2 at champions AFC Fyld.

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After the the loss in Manchester, chairman Kane revealed three people working on the club’s community side would have lost their jobs if the club had gone down.

“ Luckily they didn’t (lose their jobs) so we go again next year and we can get funding for the Football In The Community lads,” he said. “We will keep building and keep it as a community club.

“The biggest problem people have to understand is that our budget is miniscule compared to a lot of teams in this league. Nearly a quarter of the division will be full-time next year.

“There was a classic example last week. Our back four were £700 a week, while Kidderminster had one player on £1,500

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“How can we compete with that? There are some massive clubs in this league with silly money.

“My job is to keep this club sustainable. A couple of weeks ago we were down to the last £75 in the bank and then we got a gate of 900 that paid the wages for the next two weeks.

“That’s how we live and as long as we don’t fall into the red that’s fine. we just need to keep at this level.”

Thewliss, who said he had enjoyed his first season at the Northolme, said: “It’s a massive achievement with the budgets in the league now — some are ridiculous. It is not a level playing field.

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“The gap in wages between the top 12 and the bottom five is huge — so to compete with the likes of Kidderminster has been massive.

“About seven of the lads hadn’t played at this level before and they have come on massively

“It has been an enjoyable first season, but I didn’t expect to be in a relegation battle.”