By Mark Carruthers
The immediate future of Ebac Northern League club Billingham Synthonia is at risk just months before they celebrate their 100-year anniversary.
Synners are set to host Division Two rivals Willington on Saturday as they look to continue pushing for a return to the league’s top tier.
However, the fixture has been overshadowed by a statement released on Thursday morning confirming the perilous financial situation the club is in after their main investor had withdrawn their financial backing.
Following a devastating move from their former Central Avenue home in 2017, Synners have played their “home” fixtures at Norton – but that agreement is said to be ending at the end of the current season.
That could mean the club kicking off their centenary season without a home – although that depends on the success of planned meetings with potential new investors over the next week.
The club’s players were informed of the situation at a meeting on Wednesday evening and a JustGiving page with an initial target of £10,000 has been set up.
A statement released on Thursday morning read: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, our main source of income has decided to randomly pull out of the club leaving us in a bad situation.
“This is no fault of anyone currently involved with the day-to-day running of the club but it is now going to be a struggle to survive.
“Rest assured the club will do everything we can to continue and take this club to the level it deserves.
“The club has meetings set up with potential investors and hoping all goes well with them.
“Next year, Synners will celebrate 100 years of existence and it would be absolutely heart breaking to us all if Synners would cease to exist. We are all extremely upset with what’s going on and are determined to put it right and seek major help.
“We have held a meeting with the players last night about the situation and are hoping they can stick together whilst we do our best to get out of this mess.
“The chairman has set up a JustGiving page which will be going out on social media and to the likes of the BBC and newspapers for any help people can offer via donation and will be promoted quite often over the coming weeks.
“Thank you for your support. Up the Synners.”
A link to the club’s JustGiving page can be found here.
