Kettering Town field 10 players as team struggles to survive

[editor]

Further proof of the awful state of modern football.

Kettering could field only 10 players against Bashley, with the club struggling to pay their squad.

A number of players gave the Poppies a 14-day ultimatum to be paid their wages or else they would leave Nene Park.

That deadline expired before Saturday's match and Poppies lost the Evo-Stik Southern Premier encounter 7-0.

"If I could tell you a solution I would but I can't see a way forward. I was in tears at the end," caretaker-boss Alan Doyle told BBC Radio Northampton.

The club's manager John Beck was asked to step aside prior to their FA Trophy match against Concord Rangers, but he has confirmed that he has not been sacked, nor has he resigned.

Doyle did have 11 players on the teamsheet prior to the match, but reserve goalkeeper Ben Gathercole, who had been set to play outfield, failed to turn up for the fixture.
"I rang him this morning and told him I needed him to play, but he said he was owed money by the club," said Doyle.

"I told him that I would give him some money out of my own pocket and he said he'd come in, but then he stopped answering his phone."

Doyle revealed that following news that many of the squad had left the club earlier this week, Kettering - who had debts totalling £1.2m prior to agreeing a company voluntary arrangement with creditors - tried in vain to bring players in for the Bashley game.
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"We tried to sign some players on non-contract terms, we had five players to register," he added.

"The FA told us on Thursday night don't bother sending them in because there's an embargo on the club.

..."I don't know if we will be able to put a team out again. I can't sign any more players, one of them got a knock and one of them said to me he doesn't want to play any more, so that's us down to eight."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19859492

 

[agricola]

As ever (and I appreciate you probably know this already), twohundredpercent have been documenting the killing of Kettering Town for some time now.

At the full-time whistle, several of the Kettering Town players were seen to be in tears, as was manager Alan Doyle, the former chief scout drafted in following the completely unsurprising resignation of John Beck a few days before. Yet there was no animosity towards these players or the manager at Nene Park this afternoon. Anybody with so much as a cursory knowledge of the events in this corner of Northamptonshire over the last year and a bit knows fully well that the playing staff have been the least of the clubs problems. This is a club that has been dragged to the point of extinction by incompetent, inept management from the boardroom by a small group of individuals that have acted at every turn in ways detrimental to the club of which they appointed themselves the custodians. Imraan Ladak, George Rolls and others have killed this club.

They could have walked away at any point but they chose not to, and of or when this club finally does go to the wall – and it feels this evening like more of a “when” than an “if”, they will have blood on their hands. It was they that gerrymandered the club away from its Rockingham Road home to jump into the grave of Rushden & Diamonds by taking over their home after that club died so speedily that one might suspect that this death was murder rather than accidental. It was they that mismanaged it through last season, put it into a CVA which sold its creditors down the river and then laughed in their faces by announcing at almost the same time that their financial slate was wiped clean that they would remain a full-time club this season. They have overseen the collapse of a club that was for many years one that we might have expected to work its way into the Football League, a club with a solid identity that had represented its home town with dignity and honour, a club which commanded a loyal support-base who didn’t deserve to be treated with the contempt with which they have been treated recently.

 

[Fez909]

That's really sad and I think the players should be ashamed of themselves. When Middlesbrough went bust in the 80s, they padlocked the gates and the club ceased to exist. Some of the players continued to train with the former manager and coaches and they hadn't been paid for a long time. The club was eventually reformed and they got promoted two seasons in a row.

The players who stayed and trained are still regarded are legends, and the ones who left at the first sign of trouble are thought of as scum.

 

[agricola]

That's really sad and I think the players should be ashamed of themselves. When Middlesbrough went bust in the 80s, they padlocked the gates and the club ceased to exist. Some of the players continued to train with the former manager and coaches and they hadn't been paid for a long time. The club was eventually reformed and they got promoted two seasons in a row.

The players who stayed and trained are still regarded are legends, and the ones who left at the first sign of trouble are thought of as scum.

No offence, but this is nowhere near the first sign of trouble - this is right at the end of that club, and keeping it alive by playing for free (at a financial cost to everyone but those responsible for the plight the club is in) does noone any favours.

 

[editor]

Indeed. You can't blame professional footballers wanting to be paid for their work. I imagine many of those playing are already owed back wages and they've got mouths to feed just like anyone else. And, unlike Middlesborough, there's very little prospect of a revived Kettering bringing in large crowds, so there's less to hang on to.

 

[Fez909]

I don't know too much about the history here, I admit. But neither of your points make this sound any different to what happened to Middlesbrough.

@agrcoloa: Boro were relegated and then mismanagement caused the club to go into financial ruin. This was "the end of that club". It even stopped existing as a company. The Middlesbrough players kept the club alive by playing for free, and then training for free when the club didn't exist. The players involved are now thought of as legends and the town has a football team! How is that doing "noone any favours"?

@editor: I know they want to be paid, and I'm not saying they shouldn't be. But the scenario here is identical. Do you think the Boro players didn't have families or bills to pay? Fair enough, they might not have the prospect of the large crowds seen at Boro, but if they got promoted again and things were looking up, I don't see why they can't sell out their stadium (which at 6k is not a bad size).

 

[editor]

@editor: I know they want to be paid, and I'm not saying they shouldn't be. But the scenario here is identical. Do you think the Boro players didn't have families or bills to pay? Fair enough, they might not have the prospect of the large crowds seen at Boro, but if they got promoted again and things were looking up, I don't see why they can't sell out their stadium (which at 6k is not a bad size).

I think there was far more likelihood of a new, viable club rising from the ashes at Middlesbrough than there would ever be for a small club like Kettering.

 

[Fez909]

I think there was far more likelihood of a new, viable club rising from the ashes at Middlesbrough than there would ever be for a small club like Kettering.

Why, though? It's only half the size of Middlesbrough, so it's not like the place is too small to have a decent club. Kettering is bigger than Burnley, for instance, and Burnley had a Premier League club two seasons ago (maybe I've chosen a bad club to compare, there, considering Burnley's role in founding the Football League )

 

[agricola]

@agrcoloa: Boro were relegated and then mismanagement caused the club to go into financial ruin. This was "the end of that club". It even stopped existing as a company. The Middlesbrough players kept the club alive by playing for free, and then training for free when the club didn't exist. The players involved are now thought of as legends and the town has a football team! How is that doing "noone any favours"?

The important distinction you are missing is that, by playing for free now, they would be keeping the current version of the club (the loaded with debt, ineptly / corruptly run, the one that refused to pay its creditors) alive. This prevents the new Kettering from coming into being - if you want a parallel with Boro, what they are doing is helping to keep Kitching or McCullagh in charge, whilst preventing Gibson from being able to relaunch the club.

Of course there are much better parallels - especially the case of Chester City, who (like Kettering) were run into the ground by (to put the kindest possible spin on it) incompetent owners, aided by some utterly useless officials at the FA and league level, and which fan action (boycotts, pitch invasion and support for striking players) was eventually able to kill off in favour of a new, fan-owned, Chester FC.

Chester FC have since gone on to have back-to-back promotions (as champions), have restored football to the City, and are currently third in the BSP North (with games in hand).

 

[Fez909]

The important distinction you are missing is that, by playing for free now, they would be keeping the current version of the club (the loaded with debt, ineptly / corruptly run, the one that refused to pay its creditors) alive. This prevents the new Kettering from coming into being - if you want a parallel with Boro, what they are doing is helping to keep Kitching or McCullagh in charge, whilst preventing Gibson from being able to relaunch the club.

Of course there are much better parallels - especially the case of Chester City, who (like Kettering) were run into the ground by (to put the kindest possible spin on it) incompetent owners, aided by some utterly useless officials at the FA and league level, and which fan action (boycotts, pitch invasion and support for striking players) was eventually able to kill off in favour of a new, fan-owned, Chester FC.

Chester FC have since gone on to have back-to-back promotions (as champions), have restored football to the City, and are currently third in the BSP North (with games in hand).

Fair enough. I hope Kettering get a similar outcome to Chester.

 

[1927]

That's really sad and I think the players should be ashamed of themselves. When Middlesbrough went bust in the 80s, they padlocked the gates and the club ceased to exist. Some of the players continued to train with the former manager and coaches and they hadn't been paid for a long time. The club was eventually reformed and they got promoted two seasons in a row.

The players who stayed and trained are still regarded are legends, and the ones who left at the first sign of trouble are thought of as scum.

So if your employer went into administration or liquidation and you werent getting paid you would continue to turn up and put in a shift would you?

 

[Fez909]

So if your employer went into administration or liquidation and you werent getting paid you would continue to turn up and put in a shift would you?

I think being a professional footballer is slightly different to working for a catering firm.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Didn't realise the shit had hit the fan to this extent.

(And I'm not quite sure I'd registered that they had left Rockingham Road.)

 

[Maltin]

Indeed. You can't blame professional footballers wanting to be paid for their work. I imagine many of those playing are already owed back wages and they've got mouths to feed just like anyone else. And, unlike Middlesborough, there's very little prospect of a revived Kettering bringing in large crowds, so there's less to hang on to.

If, as you claim, they are professional footballers, one has to ask why a club in the seventh tier of English football is running as a professional club?

And why is it proof of the awful state of modern football? That a club such as this is in a parlous financial state by obviously living beyond their means? I'm not sure that is an issue with modern day football; more with incompetent management.

 

[Maltin]

I think being a professional footballer is slightly different to working for a catering firm.

Why? If you're paid to play and that is your only source of income, why would you play for nothing?

 

[agricola]

Why? If you're paid to play and that is your only source of income, why would you play for nothing?

Speaking of which:

All of which led to the farcical events of Monday morning. By all accounts – and for a glimpse into what was going on the Twitter time-line of player Ben Gerring is well worth a read – some players were due to be holding a meeting with club officials on Monday morning. However, with the players en route to the agreed meeting place, this meeting was moved to Cambridge and then, with just twenty minutes before it was due to start and with unpaid players having spent money that they in all likelihood couldn’t afford on petrol to get there, the meeting was called off. Gerrings comment on the matter – “That’s enough for me I’m done. Moved my life up here for them to treat it as a joke. Thank you for the support from the supporters” – was another damning indictment to layer upon all of the other damning indictments that have come from this club over the last twelve months or so.

 

[Fez909]

Why? If you're paid to play and that is your only source of income, why would you play for nothing?

OK, I've just looked up the wages and it seems they get paid a lot less than I thought. Average wage is something like £300 a week. Not good.

Although I can't imagine Middlesbrough players were on a lot back in the early-mid 80s, either.

 

[Maltin]

OK, I've just looked up the wages and it seems they get paid a lot less than I thought. Average wage is something like £300 a week. Not good.

Although I can't imagine Middlesbrough players were on a lot back in the early-mid 80s, either.

Even so, I don't think it is fair to compare Middlesbrough FC with Kettering Town. Boro are, and were, a far bigger club with a bigger history, support and ties to the local community than I imagine Kettering have. I can imagine more of those Boro players may have also been Boro fans. Not sure whether the same would apply to many of the Kettering players.

 

[Fez909]

Even so, I don't think it is fair to compare Middlesbrough FC with Kettering Town. Boro are, and were, a far bigger club with a bigger history, support and ties to the local community than I imagine Kettering have. I can imagine more of those Boro players may have also been Boro fans. Not sure whether the same would apply to many of the Kettering players.

Fair enough. It's unfair of me to compare them, and they shouldn't have to work for nothing for scumbag bosses.

 

[1927]

I think being a professional footballer is slightly different to working for a catering firm.

Why?

 

[1927]

OK, I've just looked up the wages and it seems they get paid a lot less than I thought. Average wage is something like £300 a week. Not good.

Although I can't imagine Middlesbrough players were on a lot back in the early-mid 80s, either.

As a matter of interest how much did you think they would be earning, and what is the cut off point at which you should be expected to work for nothing?

 

[Onket]

Read post #19.

 

[1927]

Read post #19.

How does that answer my question?

 

[Onket]

How does that answer my question?

He's amended his stance based on what others have already said. There is no need for you to ask the questions.

 

[1927]

He's amended his stance based on what others have already said. There is no need for you to ask the questions.

I am still interested in knowing thats why I posed the question.

 

[g force]

If, as you claim, they are professional footballers, one has to ask why a club in the seventh tier of English football is running as a professional club?

And why is it proof of the awful state of modern football? That a club such as this is in a parlous financial state by obviously living beyond their means? I'm not sure that is an issue with modern day football; more with incompetent management.

One odd thing that makes England very different to other countries is the sheer number of 'professional' teams and divisions and the way it is so top heavy. I don't think Kettering will be the last club to have these issues in the coming seasons and it's sad that loyal fans will see a club they love die because, more often than not, they're run by hugely unaccountable chairmen/boards.

 

[Balbi]

Game cancelled tonight, they only had six players.

 

[DotCommunist]

Should have gone for a five-a-side

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Game cancelled tonight, they only had six players.

That pretty much means they are fucked, doesn't it?