Non League Yorkshire

Maltby are hibernating and Race fears for clubs who cannot

Maltby Main chairman Wilf Race is a rare breed. He is one of few former managers who have become a club chairman. Picture: The66Pow

Maltby Main chairman Wilf Race says he fears for the future of other Non League Clubs.

Non League clubs across the country are struggling financially because of Government restrictions. Mr Race has no concerns over Maltby as they are more fortunate than most as how they operate allows them to effectively shut down and wait for the green-light to return. 

Mr Race, a Non League fanatic who has been involved in the game for over 40 years as a player, manager, director of football and now chairman, admits that a lot of clubs cannot hibernate and will be facing real challenges.

“We are a unique club because as an ex-mining team we don’t own any of the land and we don’t have any assets,” Mr Race told Non League Yorkshire.

“We purely just rent the pitch. In terms of how the situation affects Maltby Main, the club has been mothballed. The fact we are no longer hiring a pitch every two weeks saves us money. The fact we are tenants rather than landlords means we have not got a single overhead. The charity that we hire the pitch from cover all the costs such as the utilities and grass cutting.

“We have gone into hibernation as a club, but as a committee we are still there and we are happy to help anybody that is involved in the charity that runs the ground in trying to keep costs down.

“We haven’t got a clubhouse. We go to a local pub who take all the profits so we haven’t lost that kind of income.

“So things what used to be our achilles heel, under the current scenario, have actually helped us to mothball the club and ensure everything in place for next season. It hasn’t been a comfort blanket, but the impact is less severe on us as football club.

“I definitely fear for the future of clubs. There are clubs who shall we say feed off wet sales on match days and during the week.

“It will hit them a lot harder because they have social clubs that are open seven days a week and a lot of the income and profits from these wet sales are fed back into the Football Club.

“The minute that dries up your lifeline is somewhat exposed. I genuinely feel sorry for these clubs and my heart goes out to them.”

New Maltby Main manager Louis Axcell

Maltby have used the break to make two brand new appointments to their management team. Interim boss Louis Axcell was named as the club’s permanent manager shortly after the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division campaign abruptly finished.

Axcell is assisted by John Crossland and the pair have since been joined by former Hallam coach Dean Bamforth and ex-Athersley Rec and Nostell Miners Welfare joint manager Jason Dodsworth – appointments that excite Mr Race.

“Because of the two guys who we have brought in to help Louis, you’ll know them both, Bamf and Jason Dodsworth, we now have probably the three noisiest managers you can have,” Mr Race quipped.

“So as a football club we wrote off to Matt Hancock and asked him if he could order us some ear defenders and he said ‘not a problem, but we’ll not get them while 2023’! That’s a little dig at what has been done to the NHS over PPE.

“I’m looking forward to Bamf and Jason Dodsworth joining us. Yeah they’re noisy, yeah they’re vocal, but I know both guys and they both bring different aspects to the club which hopefully make us a stronger team.

“When that first ball is kicked next season I’m hoping they will have us ready from the off. We had a somewhat slow start last year and as you are aware Scott Mason was relieved of his duties.

“You don’t know what will happen? Will clubs who had the clout they had this year have the same clout? We don’t know who will be in good shape? One thing I can say is that we will be in the same shape, if not better shape going into next season.” 

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