Worksop Town life president confident of hitting £30K fundraising target to save club

Ilett approached Whitehead when he discovered the extent of the Tigers's debts and feared the worst for the world's fourth oldest football club.

Whitehead has already paid off a "substantial amount" of the debts and has said he will take Worksop on if the club can raise £30,000 by the end of the month.

Their appeal has reached audiences near and far with high-profile football figures making donations, combined with the efforts of the club's loyal supporters.

"The fundraising's going very well," Ilett told the Guardian. "We're getting donations from sources we never even dreamt of getting, like Peter Crouch and Chris Waddle.

"I've had people from all over the country get in touch and donate as well as people in Australia, ex-players and the club's supporters.

"They all come up with the same thing - 'how can we let the fourth oldest football club go?'

"Within minutes of the news spreading, we had loads of phone calls in including ex-players asking 'what's gone off?' and donating what they can.

"It's amazing. They've still got an affection for the club."

Club officials want to find 300 people or businesses to donate £100 each to help them reach their target.

A Just Giving page set up to help the club achieve its target by pumping money directly into the WTFC's Presidents Club Fund has already surpassed £5,000.

"The fans have been absolutely outstanding," said Ilett, who has been actively involved in the club since 1970.

"We have got the best fans because it's not happened once, it's happened three or four times.

"Worksop always seems to hit a sticky patch but it always seems to come back out of it.

"I'm really confident we'll raise the money and we'll get Pete Whitehead in as chairman.

"If he comes in then it's a fresh start for the club.

"We'll have a businessman as well as a football man, which we've never had as far as I know.

"We've had one or the other but we've never had a businessman who is also a football man.

"He's got experience of playing, youth setups, management and also being chairman.

"He knows a lot of people in football as well so he'll be a big asset to the club."

Whitehead owns the lease to the football ground on Sandy Lane and has "given the club hope" in Ilett's eyes.

"When I found out, I thought this was going to be the end of the club.

"Pete has given us hope.

"Fans now know there is something to work for and if we can do it then the future is secured.

"He has been absolutely marvelous.

"He's been the rock behind helping us.

"We've got to get that £30,000 because if we get that then the football club will be on a sound footing, with a top quality chairman.

"We can start fresh again and move forward," said Ilett.

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.