Prospective Yeovil Town owners updates fans after the already relegated club confirms a late payment to their players and staff.
A potential takeover of the National League club had been in place since March. However, it was confirmed that this had not yet been completed.
In the spring of this year, a group called SU Glovers took over Yeovil from Scott Priestnall who had taken over the club in 2019, when they dropped out the English Football League.
Matt Uggla, Director of the Consortium, said that the consortium “makes all the decisions and is in charge”.
The deal is not yet complete, with Yeovil since relegated to the National League South, and this will be the first time since 1997 that they will be playing at the sixth tier.
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Fan site Gloverscast first mentioned the news: “We understand from a number of different sources at Yeovil Town, that the players and staff have not been paid their wages today. Whilst we believe there is a plan to right this wrong, it is another troubling sign of the state of our club.
“We are sure we speak for every supporter when we call on the leadership at the club to step up and address the uncertainty at Huish Park and give clarity to the hard-working people – both on and off the field – who are the lifeblood of our club. Achieve by Unity.”
Yeovil Town have issued a statement with regards to staff wages. #YTFC 💚
— Yeovil Town F.C. (@YTFC) April 28, 2023
Yeovil Town wrote in a statement: “It is highly regrettable that the staff at Yeovil Town Football Club have not been paid today.
“The transaction for the sale and purchase of the club has not been completed, but the staff will be paid on Tuesday irrespective of a transaction being concluded or not.”
Local businessman Martin Hellier claims that Yeovil will go in to administration if the club’s on-off takeover is not completed soon. You can read what he had to say by clicking HERE.
SU Glovers said: “To reassure everyone, It has been an incredibly complex deal but we feel confident that we are now in agreement to move forward and get the club back to where it should be. @matt_uggla
“We are lead to believe this will happen next week at which stage we will ensure funding is injected into the club to ensure its success. We have put in 430k to date, and the funds are being managed by the club.”
Matt Uggla added: “Hope everyone can get behind @YTFC tomorrow for their last game of what’s been a rough season for many reasons. Hopefully we can close the chapter tomorrow and start a new one soon full of optimism. Best of luck to the two young lads Ollie and Benji hopefully the first of many!”
Fan, Si Thyer, asked: “Why is this the most complex football club takeover of all time it’s a small club in Somerset not Anfield.. also it would of been nice for a director to thank the sponsors today as opposed to unpaid players who as always give their all.”
Matt Uggla: “I think you can see with other groups that have tried that it was never going to be an easy situation. We have been persistent and kept going after each knock down and I think that at the very least shows our commitment to the club and the belief we have in it.”
Si replied: “Ok 1 question which I think fans def want to know . Are Yeovil Town going in to administration?”
Matt said: “Absolutely none if we can get it over the line which we really truly believe we will. We definitely had days where we thought about walking away but we are still here all this time and money later. If we can get it done the club will be revived. People just have to buy in.
“If for whatever reason it doesn’t work out and we are blindsided then I can’t speak for what happens to the club. There are so many variables.”
Twitter users reacted as prospective Yeovil owners updates fans after the club confirms late payment to players and staff…
@l_whiteytfc: @RobinsStuart stop hiding away, clearly no fan of the club
@KurtWestt: Abysmal, how this is being allowed to happen I will never ever know???
@MonteroTyler_: Teams always play better when not payed, do it for us tomorrow lads, hope you get a new owner soon 🙏
@coreyeaton97: So you’re expecting your players to play tomorrow without being paid with bills to pay?
@CallumHallett6: So what about the rent that is due next week??? Will we be expecting another statement about that..
@Sufcjp1: Players play with passion when not paid. Let’s gooo Yeovil 💚
@cbillington85: Absolute shambles of a club
@MattDoble89: This has got to be a whole new low…
@RussellsSalad: Disgraceful yet unsurprising.
@BarlowBosh: Administration in writing! The clubs board should be ashamed. Rotten to the core
@dfido1: Can only assume you’ll be compensating those who miss mortgage and bill payments as a direct result?
@skyhigh20002: Another half arsed statement. Sorry for those at the club
@Supersizedsam: Get in the bin.
@AlDinAtlantic: Actually lost for words at what is happening at this club I have supported 30 years. Feel like crying.
@Benjymann: How about an apology?!
@Anto260889: This is absolutely ridiculous!!!
@robbie123456780: Preistnall you are an absolute disgrace to humanity. No doubt your pockets are filled. To think I crowdfunded you £50 during covid, makes my blood boil.
@callumgould16: Absolute joke, Priestnall clearly can’t pay for the rest wages, so why not complete the sale, blokes a crook, should never be allowed to own a business again
@hairybadman: @scottpriestnall you are a crook and this is what you have wanted from the start. Not sure why anyone thinks it’s the fault of anybody else.
@CleaveO: Pathetic statement. This is people’s livelihoods you are messing with (human beings). The transaction for the sale of club has not been completed. Tell us what is actually going on then. Will the rent payment be made on time next week?
@Scquayle: If a deal isn’t concluded by Tuesday, who will pay the players & staff @scottpriestnall? @matt_uggla? Stuart Robins? Martin Hellier? Who, @YTFC? Respect to every player playing today without their pay. Sad times.
@TauntonTownSES: Why does a “transaction for the sale and purchase of the club” need to happen for employees to get paid? This suggests the club is currently insolvent, does not have cash in bank to pay wages, and requires an injection of funds from a new owner.
@callum3081: Disgraceful this.. even if the takeover isn’t complete the players & staff should be paid on time not waiting until Tuesday 👍 Sickening behaviour
@SpireiteC: Another great club being ran into the ground happens all too often in the lower leagues, becoming an accepted thing that 3 or 4 teams will have issues like this every season
@SkinnerAdam: @SomersetCouncil @Southsomersetdc Imagine paying an owner 2.8m of tax payers money to ‘save the club’ and within a year there is no money to pay staff. You must all be very confused by this! Absolutely incredible… you were warned by everyone this would happen. #YTFC
@ytfcwattsy: Utter disgrace. How many times have we seen clubs make empty promises of payments and it not materialise in these situations?! Don’t turn up tomorrow lads! #ytfc
@cricketcelt: I really think there needs to be repercussions for when a club fails to pay their staff on time. Seems to happen far too often.
@TheHuishPOV: @TheVanaramaNL can I seriously suggest someone investigates your board member and cowboy owner of Yeovil Town please @scottpriestnall. These are peoples livelihoods he is messing around with. How did he ever get voted onto your board, I will never know.
@AlexCoatesy: Someone fucking do something ffs #YTFC
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