FEARS are growing for crisis club Eastwood Town, who could have played their last ever game after being forced to cancel two matches, including yesterday’s scheduled visit of Gresley.
The Evo-Stik NPL Division One South side have been locked out of their Coronation Park home and had their lease cancelled by landlord Broxtowe Borough Council.
The council claim the Badgers have failed to pay rent for three years and owe them over £45,000, with £26,000 of this in the respect of business rates.
The ground’s gates and office doors were subsequently locked and the club were forced to inform the Evo-Stik NPL that their home game yesterday against Gresley and Tuesday’s trip to Coalville Town would not be able to be played. The league had a meeting on Thursday but no decision has yet been made regarding the club’s membership.
A source told The NLP: “This situation is about as serious as it gets. They are really on the brink and have to do something extremely quickly.”
The Badgers have been struggling financially for some time and currently sit bottom of the league with two wins all season following relegation from the Evo-Stik NPL Premier last year.
In 2008, the Nottinghamshire club stunned Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup second round and three years later finished fourth in the Skrill North under current Mansfield boss Paul Cox but were unable to enter the play-offs due to ground grading issues.
Since then Town have slipped down the divisions and may have played the last game in their 61-year history – a 3-0 defeat at Lincoln United two weeks ago.
With questions still surrounding who is running the club and acting as directors, former owner Steven Lynch says it is now up to the fans to save the club.
He said: “The club had changed its memorandums of articles in 2011 to be a not for profit club, in order to apply for business rate relief which would help the club by reducing the amount payable by 80 per cent per year. However, to date Broxtowe Borough Council have refused the application.
“In Eastwood’s case it would mean the outstanding rates would be £5,200 which the club would be able to start to clear.
“With regard to the forfeiture of the lease, this process can be challenged and overturned by the High Court, however it would need the support of the fans and the community to make this happen as funds would have to be raised to settle the outstanding rent amount and support those in charge to keep the club going.
“The choice is the fans’ – to work to keep the club alive or shut it down.”
