Nuneaton Borough have closed their academy due to the uncertainty of the club’s future.
With no chairman or directors, the National League North club is effectively a rudderless shell, being kept going only by manager Nicky Eaden, his assistant Lee Fowler, club secretary Adam Etheridge and general manager Carly Morrey.
Previous chairman Lee Thorn had put the club up for sale at the back end of last season before selling their Liberty Way ground to Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite and resigning his directorship of Boro Leisure Ltd at Companies House.
It was a move that helped pay off the debts and save Boro in the short-term, but under FA and league rules, Smurthwaite can’t have any say in the day-to-day running of the club.
Money from sponsorship and season ticket sales means wages have been paid on time this season but after this month the well is running dry and there are fears over their long-term existence.
As well as having no training ground or training kit, there is no hot water in the showers – leading to complaints from opposition teams – and rainwater is leaking into the club offices.
Although a dispute with the electric company is thought to be close to resolution, the ground is currently being powered by a generator.
When it ran out of diesel before the FA Cup draw with Brackley last month, the team-talk had to be conducted in near darkness.
Now in order to cut costs, the club has closed its academy.
A statement read: “It is with a great deal of regret that Nuneaton Borough Football Club have had to withdraw our Academy from competition for this season.
“It has also become clear that we would be unable to fund the Academy for the remainder of the year due to the current uncertainty surrounding the Club.
“We thank Andy Turner, Luke Brooks, David Faulkner and the Academy staff for their efforts in helping us get as far as we did this season as well as the scholars that stayed with us.
“We have worked with the education provider to help all of the scholars find a suitable facility to continue their studies as well as somewhere to further their footballing development.”
