Blues ask for backing (From Winsford Guardian)

Blues ask for backing

3:04pm Thursday 24th May 2012 in Sport By Andrew Simpson, Senior Sports Writer

WINSFORD United chairman Mark Loveless has warned that the town’s team will not continue to make progress on the pitch without more help off it.

He told the Guardian that it is becoming increasingly difficult to run a North West Counties League club with so few volunteers prepared to play a part.

“Plenty of people find time to complain,” he said.

“We need help, and not just in terms of fans putting hands in their pocket.

“There’s lots of ways to help make life easier without it costing anybody a penny.”

Loveless believes Blues, who placed seventh in the Premier Division this term after occupying third position at the end of last season, will find it harder to compete in the future without a better off-pitch infrastructure.

Last week he said that the team had surpassed his expectation to occupy such a high place in the table.

He said: “The die-hard supporters have been great again, but we can’t rely on that same group of people to keep finding the money that keeps us going.

“The club hasn’t had a shirt sponsor for three seasons and it continues to be tough in non-league football.

“We’re in better shape than a lot of our rivals in that we’ve paid all of our bills, so our focus is on finding a way to move forward from what is a solid starting position.”

He said that a first priority this summer is to spruce up the club’s Barton Stadium home.

A list of tasks includes fixing seats in the main stand, refurbishing the floodlights and also tiling the changing rooms.

Blues this week confirmed pre-season friendlies against Bangor, Cheadle, Erith, Kidsgrove and West Didsbury with more to be announced shortly.