FOOTBALL: Worthing's playing budget is cut
WORTHING Football Club have had to slash their playing budget in half for the rest of the season but boss Simon Colbran and all of the players are set to stay.
When Rebels announced a 20,000 shortfall between income and expenditure at an emergency meeting in January, the budget was set to be cut. But various fund-raising initiatives by the club and Worthing supporters meant any cut was not immediately imposed.
But that cash has now been used up and Rebels secretary Alistair McKail said: "It's disappointing for all concerned, but the initiatives we took up in January, with hard work from the supporters, haven't raised as much as was needed, although the amount that has been contributed was a great effort and a typically excellent response from the fans which got us this far.
"It's a setback, but not a disaster. We have to be realistic now, but there are a great deal of positives to take forward from that January appeal. The future of the club has to be more engaged with a committed group of supporters, and that is already reaping rewards in terms of raising the profile of the club.
"We have committed to having supporter representation on the board, and hope to harness the genuine passion and enthusiasm of our supporters."
Colbran said: "I'm really disappointed about it, considering where we are in the league and what we have done.
"But I'm staying and so are the players. We couldn't just walk out on the supporters, who have been brilliant, and really love the club."
The players were told the news after their comfortable 2-0 win over former boss Danny Bloor's Eastbourne Town side on Saturday.
Rebels went ahead after just 57 seconds when Paul Kennett volleyed home Ben Johnson's cross, after hesitant goalkeeping from Russell Tanner, and there only looked one winner from then on.
Worthing were dominant in the opening 15 minutes and went close to increasing their lead on four separate occasions through Johnson, Chamal Fenelon, Evan Archibald and Charlie Farmer.
Fenelon and Archibald again both almost scored before Rebels doubled their lead five minutes before half-time. Fenelon's powerful drive was parried by Tanner and Archibald nipped in to score for the fifth successive game.
Archibald almost increased Worthing's lead on a couple of occasions in the second period, while Town only really threatened in the closing stages. Former Rebel Stuart Tuck, unmarked, headed a free kick wide from 10 yards on 83 minutes, before Francis Kumbur's effort was saved by Worthing keeper Alan Mansfield.
Colbran said: "We looked sharp throughout and it was a brilliant start. It should have been 3-0 in the first 10 minutes. All we can do is keep winning to put pressure on the other teams."
Worthing now head into a run of three away games in five days (starting tonight, Thursday), and Colbran said: "We'll take it one game at a time and have got a big enough squad to cope."
WORTHING: Mansfield; Bowra, Farmer, Axten, Groves; Greenfield, Patton, Kennett, Johnson; Archibald, Fenelon. Subs: Clarke (Greenfield 71), Williamson (Archibald 79), Whitehead, Akehurst, Brown. Att: 366.
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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Light showers
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