Redditch United FC fans fear ‘the club is being destroyed’ - The Redditch Standard

Redditch United FC fans fear ‘the club is being destroyed’

Redditch Editorial 13th Dec, 2019 Updated: 13th Dec, 2019   0

REDDITCH United FC fans fear ‘the town’s football club is being destroyed’ after a string of disastrous results.

The club currently sits rock bottom of the Southern League Premier Central after losing 6-0 to second bottom Leiston FC at their Bromsgrove Road ground last Saturday.

It followed a 7-0 defeat the previous week and on Monday this week they shipped another half dozen to crash out of the Worcestershire Senior Cup to Evesham 6-1.

In all they’ve chalked up 11 consecutive league defeats and are facing a struggle to beat relegation.




Gates have fallen too, with just 175 fans estimated to have watched the Leiston match.

In an email to the Redditch Standard ‘Concerned fans of RUFC’ said they fear the club is trying to get relegated, that the weekly playing budget has been cut to £1,400 a week, roughly £2,000 less than the league average and that the junior and women’s section has shrunk from 40 teams to just 15.


They further claim that chairman Chris Swan turned down an offer of £650,000 to buy the club.

One season ticket holder said: “I have been following Redditch United since the 70s and we were undoubtedly in a worse position before Chris arrived as he paid off all the club’s debts.

“But performance wise, well in Duane Darby we have our seventh manager in three seasons and yet another new team. I’ve lost count of the number of players who have been and gone.

“Currently the side is made up predominantly of academy players and they’re trying their best but they lack experience and look frail.”

Chris Swan was unavailable to comment but director Gary Barak said although the performance on the pitch had been disappointing much work had gone on behind the scenes to ensure the club’s viability.

He said the club hadn’t been in control of many of the junior teams and was now ensuring they were part of the organisation.

On the offer of £650,000 he said the chairman had invested at least £750,000 in the club and felt he had unfinished business at the club for personal reasons.

“The last thing anyone wants is relegation, but the club itself is way ahead of similar outfits and I think Chris needed to get things working behind the scenes to get it working on the pitch,” he said.

“I totally understand what the supporters are saying but it takes two to tango and if the supporters are not there for the club it just makes it more difficult to get from A to B.”

Redditch play second from bottom St Ives away on Saturday in what is another six pointer for the club.

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