'Thank you': Worksop Town FC Supporters' Trust contribute £20K to save cash-strapped Tigers, talk fundraising efforts and express gratitude

The extent of fundraising was revealed by Trust secretary and treasurer Roger Mills who thanked everyone for their ongoing efforts to help save the cash-strapped club.

Worksop officials and fans are still working towards reaching their £30,000 target by the end of the month, which will go towards helping to settle the club's initial debts.

A new dawn awaits the world's fourth oldest club if they are able to do so with Pete Whitehead, who owns the lease to the football ground on Sandy Lane, agreeing to become the Tigers' new chairman.

Whitehead has already contributed a substantial amount to the cause and is keen to make the club self-sustainable in the near future.

"The fans are immensely grateful that Pete Whitehead stepped in when he did," said Mills. "In early December the football club was faced with imminent closure as a result of a five-day notice of electricity supply cut off.

"Had Pete not kindly stepped in and cleared the outstanding bills, we would not even have had the opportunity to rally round and try to rescue the club.

"As has been well publicised, Pete set us the task of raising £30,000 in just one month to clear other outstanding debts in return for the promise that if it was achieved he would step in and take the club forward.

"I have to admit that, as Pete keeps reminding me, I really did not think it was possible but we have been totally astounded by the response and support that has been forthcoming."

Following the appeal, news of Worksop's plight spread far and wide.

"Obviously the involvement of high profile figures such as Chris Waddle, Peter Crouch and Jeff Stelling has been immense in publicising our cause," said Mills.

"I have had calls and received donations from all over the country - one from an old Worksop fan who has lived in Leicester for the past 40 years and to whom I used to give a lift to away matches in the 1960s.

"But as well as donations from other old Worksop fans ‘in exile’ there have been quite a few who are simply non-League football fans with no connections to Worksop whatsoever - quite amazing!"

Part of the reason why they were able to raise so much so quickly was due to the Trust’s own forward planning.

"During the football club's previous regime, I am pleased to say the Supporters' Trust had built a reserve fund of £15,000 which had been ‘ring-fenced’ for ground development purposes but for which there was now evidently a somewhat more pressing need," said Mills.

"There was obviously not much point having this reserve if there was no football club, let alone a ground to spend it on. But under the constitution of the Trust, which is a registered Cooperative and Community Benefits Society, it was necessary to call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the members in order to gain agreement to release the money.

"With the release of this money and further fundraising since December, the Supporters' Trust has already poured just over £20,000 into the football club.

"This, together with the ongoing generous support of Pete Whitehead, has enabled us to stave off the most pressing creditors and reach a temporary agreement with others."

The club has a proud history and Mills hopes it will have a bright future.

"As the fourth oldest football club in the world, dating from 1861, and with an amazing history of FA Cup exploits against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea and, in more recent times, Barnsley and Bournemouth, the football club helps to keep Worksop on the national map," he said.

"The fans are naturally desperate to keep it alive and, thankfully, the wider football community recognises the club’s historical importance.

"The challenge to raise the money has exceeded my wildest expectations but we are not out of the woods yet. With no home game in March, there is no income for a full month but still with overheads to pay which adds further pressure.

"We really must reach the target so that we can pay off all the remaining debt in March and with the ongoing support we are still receiving I am confident that we can do it.

"I am sure that Pete would give us a few days grace into March if we just needed to find a few extra pounds."

Mills added: "I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has supported us.

"In addition to the wider football community, I am aware of many local people with no direct link to the football club who have also made donations to help us and, on behalf of all the supporters, I would like to express a very special thank you to them."

All those wishing to make a donation to the Fund to help save the Tigers can visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/worksoptown.

Further details of how to make contributions to the Worksop Town FC President’s Fund to help save The Tigers can be obtained from the following: Keith Ilett, Life President, Worksop Town FC: 07734 144961; Mick Lowery, Treasurer, Worksop Town FC: 07931 5665087 (evenings only) or at [email protected]; Roger Mills, Secretary and Treasurer, Worksop Town FC Supporters Trust: 07590 609029.