CTFC - Posted 8th March 2010

After careful consideration, long discussions with my family, and a heavy heart, I have decided to resign as a Director of Crawley Town Football Club with immediate effect.

I remain a shareholder for the time being and I will continue to do what I do for the club on a day to day basis, and support the club in whatever way I can, at least until the end of the season.

I have come to this decision in the main part to enable me to concentrate on my business, which requires my undivided attention, along with my home and family. Along with my step daughter, to whom I have been her only Mother, since she was 5 years old. Following a very difficult pregnancy she is due to give birth to her first child within the next 2 weeks.

I cannot deny I have been hurt by some of the criticisms levelled at the club and directors recently, but I realise these comments are made without being in possession of the true facts. It is only the very small team of people, who have worked tirelessly with me, within the club during the last 2 years, who can fully appreciate the mountain that has been climbed. When I step down at the end of the season, I will be leaving a very different club to the one I joined nearly 2 years ago. We may not have gained promotion to the football league yet, but we have, despite everything firmly established our right to be in the Conference, with a team other football clubs take for granted at their peril.

The future for Crawley Town Football Club is a bright one. A lot of the work has gone on behind the scenes with the aim of giving the club a solid base from which it can progress in the future, with confidence. A lot of time and effort has gone into rebuilding relationships such as with our landlords Crawley Borough Council and local businesses. Alternative revenue streams are being planned and organised; all with the aim of underpinning the size and quality of squad the club can reasonably expect to have and afford, and in turn achieving everyone’s dreams of promotion to the league one day. Our new website continues to evolve. New signs have gone up this week. Music nights in Redz have recently been launched (www.redzvenue.co.uk), as I used to say to my children when they were little ‘don’t tell me you will not like it until you have at least tried it’!  A Sportsman’s Dinner is arranged for May 1st. Details of ‘Football Rocks’ – coverage of the World Cup live in Redz was announced last week. The new look programme has been a success, although we always struggle to find contributors.  A new ticket system will be implemented before next season.  We have been looking into the possibility and logistics of resiting one of the tea bars in the SE corner of the ground, and next year’s season tickets will be launched very soon giving supporters the opportunity to spread the cost over several months. What is needed now is for our supporters and the people and businesses of Crawley to play their part, get behind the club, and support the clubs efforts and initiatives, without which the dream will remain at best a dream. Yes there will be joy mixed with disappointment, ups as well as downs, but that is football and all part of being a true supporter.

There is no silver bullet; the stability of the club and stadium in the town is paramount, league football is achievable, but only with everyone’s support. So if it can’t be this year, then at least let’s get as many people working together to build on what we have, and make it a real possibility next year. A club is nothing without its supporters - so the future is up to you...... are you up for it?

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