National League club chairman speaks on rumours of voluntary relegation

One National League club chairman speaks on rumours of voluntary relegation, something which several sources suggested to the Non League Paper.

There was claims that the Lancashire non league side would be up for dropping back down to the National League North, a division they looked to be heading for anyway.

The club ended the cancelled 2019/20 season bottom of the table, 17 points from safety.

There was also rumours that ground-grading would be an issue for Chorley, which chairman Ken Wright mentioned when talking to the paper.

the National League club chairman speaks on rumours of voluntary relegation: “I don’t know where that talk has come from. It’s certainly not come from anybody in a senior position at the football club.

“If it’s ultimately decided that there will be promotion and relegation and we were to go down, we would have to accept that and get on with it.

“But if the season is declared null and void, we would like to stay at this level. We worked hard to get to that level again and we’ve enjoyed the experience.”

? “If the season is declared null and void, we would like to stay at this level. We worked hard to get to that level again and we’ve enjoyed the experience.”

Chairman Ken Wright insists @chorleyfc want to remain in the National League ?https://t.co/Fn2RadUZb5

— The Non-League Paper (@NonLeaguePaper) May 6, 2020

On Victory Park, he added: “We have an issue with one part of our stadium which we had to close down and affected our covered accommodation.

“The reality is that there are some things that still need to be done, but haven’t been completed because of the lockdown. What we need to do can be done very quickly once we have access to labour, it’s as simple as that.”

“All our income streams have stopped, but we’re pursuing one or two different avenues. We can’t just sit back and think something magical is going to happen.

“We have no benefactors, myself and Graham aren’t wealthy people. But I’m proud to say in my time at the club since I’ve been chairman, we have always been able to pay our way. We have found it a struggle sometimes but we’ve achieved it.”

“My personal feeling is that when people are dying left, right and centre, football doesn’t really matter. We need to come through this coronavirus.

“As for football, in the long-term, it might be good for the game, with the wages that are being paid. It’s a reality check for ourselves irrespective of what league we are going to be playing in.

“We will be looking at our financial situation and income streams. How can we ask local businesses to sponsor this or that when they aren’t working and there’s no income? Companies will go bust.”