Reply To: Closing academy

[ironfromafar]

DH has replied

David White
Wendi Betts Rob Jubber here’s the facts.
The academy has 8 scholars that’s all, with 2 of them already left for Grimsby.
We have received NO funding since June.
The Academy staff have known for weeks i had closed it.
The academy setup and administration was nothing short of a disgrace. The academy had vastly overpaid staff (substantially higher salaries than EFL) but it did not even pass an EFL audit in order to retain some sort of funding.
The academy has left the club with a six figure debt.
The academy has not one sell on despite being funded by the EFL for years.
Many children left to go to other clubs over the years with the club benefiting nothing. Where is the loyalty that everybody seems to demand from the club.
People need to stop moaning, someone had to make the difficult decision and the football club will always be my priority. The academy was failing miserably.
I have said I will support a separately run community junior section using volunteers and parents like all none league clubs do. But rather than show any interest in that is all I hear about us money money money.
There was also very much a feeling of them and us within the academy and for whatever reason it never felt unified.
I will not apologise for my decision, my only regret is not sticking to my guns in February. If the remaining 6 are good enough they will find their path.
I’m respect if wages we are closing down the academy as we speak, calculating figures and Wendi you are on the list to contact as you are one of the three who I have a figure for but I suspect it is wrong as there will be further days up to the end of last week. But coming on here slating the club that’s paid you constantly extremely good money is a prime example of why my decision to close the academy is the right one.
All staff will be paid once we gave final figures across the board and can settle everything and move on. We have been working on this for several days