7th tier club given two weeks to try and raise £120,000 to save them from folding

Marske United has now provided all requested documentation, and the League thanks the club for its full cooperation.

Consequently, the club will resume league fixtures on Saturday 16th December away to Ilkeston Town FC.

The League recognises that the club faces significant challenges going forward and will therefore continue to monitor the situation closely, providing support wherever possible.

Manager, Graeme Lee, explained the club’s financial situation to BBC Tees, you can listen to it in full HERE.

He began: If we can’t raise this money in the next two weeks and I can’t see the club going forward and that’s where we are really. It’s a difficult situation for everyone off the field trying to move the club forward.

“We’ve had probably the last month or so been trying to get the club.

“I think if everyone seemed there’s been shares being released and we try to take club into a limited company so we could release shares and bring some investment to the club to move us forward.

“Unfortunately, the leagues put that to a hold at the moment because there’s a lot more behind the scenes process has to be done to get there to move that forward.

“But unfortunately that means while the club can’t do that, it’s very difficult for the club to survive.

“We needed that to get us to the end of the season, then look at, then re-evaluate.

“So the league have suspended us, which is difficult because we had two home games which would have been vital to bring some funds into the club.

“But now we had a meeting last night at the club and it’s three options to move forward.

“One option was obviously the limited company, which we can’t do at the moment because you need approval funds as well for the next two seasons, which is impossible.

“It’s not an easy target. We need to get to, so it’s going to be about 120,000, I think, with creditors to get us to the end of season.

“And then hopefully we’ll be able to re-evaluate and change things around and get us to where we need to be.

“But if we can’t raise this money in the next two weeks and I can’t see the cup going forward and that’s where we are really.

“It’s a difficult situation for everyone, especially everyone who’s been involved for years.

“There’s people in their meetings who have been support the club all the life and they’re in their late 60s, 70s and that’s their life. So hopefully we can raise some good funds and keep the club going from that.”

SAVE OUR CLUB

Fundraising page now live https://t.co/d96n4i7EL6 pic.twitter.com/FvPu6WpyLN

— Marske United FC 🦁 (@MarskeUnitedFC) December 11, 2023

CLUB STATEMENT

“As many of you will have seen, the club has recently been suspended by the League due to a challenge in changing the structure of the football club.

“The plan was to move to a Limited Company Structure supported by the shares issue along with the other benefits this would bring.

“The NPL and FA have advised the club that the process of correctly transferring ownership of Marske United and meeting all the requirements of the NPL and FA could take several weeks.

“During this time the club would remain suspended and be unable to play any fixtures.

“Until Marske United have met the requirements, and have gained approval from the NPL and FA, we are NOT allowed to issue shares in the Limited Company of Marske United Football Club Limited.

“A decision was made on the 10th December 2023 by the members and committee of the previous controlling entity, that the club revert back to this entity and ask the NPL to lift our suspension after providing the required documentation. It is still the clubs intention to move to a Limited Company status in the summer when time is available for the correct procedure to be followed.

“All those who have previously purchased shares will have ALL monies refunded in the near future. Please bear with us on this matter as there are several hundred purchasers to be contacted and monies refunded.

“However, the club still need to raise substantial sums in a very short period of time in order to remain in the NPL for the remainder of the season and to this end, the club have set up a Just Giving page to try and save the club.

“We hope that everyone will get behind the club which will then allow football to continue at Marske.”