Loyal Spalding United manager Matt Easton has revealed the extent of the problems he’s been dealing with off the field.
Easton, who saw his Tulips secure their future as a step four side with a 0-0 Evo-Stik NPL East Division draw at Belper Town last Saturday (see page 37), admits that he sees finishing 18th in the table as a “relative success”.
That’s because the players haven’t been paid their wages for weeks and the management team received no money at all for their efforts after a key sponsor removed their vital funding from the club.
Easton admits that he and his staff – director of football Bob Don-Duncan, assistant boss Lewis Thorogood and physio Richard Storey – got together in February to decide whether they’d walk away from the club or endeavour to keep them up on a shoestring budget.
Having made the call to stay loyal, they were shown the same grace by a number of the players hard-working chairman Andy Gay as they eventually limped over the line to stay up on the final day of the season.
With some players often opting to work instead of travelling to games and others forced to pay their own expenses (on top of not being paid their agreed wage), Easton insists that he can’t imagine a more loyal squad in non-league football.
“It’s probably the right time to let people know what we’ve been dealing with,” said Easton. “We limped over the line, but I think the season has been a relative success.
“We were all set for the season ahead, but unfortunately a sponsor pulled out and left us with no budget. The players didn’t get paid for a good while – and still haven’t been paid.
“We had players opting to work instead of travel to games, because it was costing them money to play for Spalding United.
“The management group took a decision not to take any money, too.
“The chairman was begging, borrowing and stealing to try and get us something and he couldn’t have done any more.
“We decided in February that we’d see it through and try and keep this club up, but what you don’t expect is the vast majority of the players to have the same attitude.
“They’ve been extremely loyal; infact I don’t think you’ll find a more loyal group in non-league football.
“It wasn’t pretty at times, but we stuck to our task and ensured the club didn’t get relegated.
“Everyone stuck together and, even if we had some bad days, we succeeded.”
Despite been put through the ringer in his first season as a manager, Easton insists that he has no plans to walk away from the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
He has a meeting with the chairman this week to discuss next season, but admits that all of the players are free agents and says he can’t fairly negotiate with them regarding next season until their wage shortfall is reconciled.
He sees this season as a positive experience and wants to build on it next term.
Easton added: “From my point of view, everything that could happen, did happen last season.
“I’d be daft not to put the season down as an experience that I can draw on in the future. I’m not sure everyone would see it that way, but that’s the sort of bloke I am.
“It’s my intention to carry on, but obviously we’re a bit behind the rest. None of the players are on contracts and I can’t really negotiate with any of them at this point.”
