The Hearle World, Your Local Paper, Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Not for the first time in recent years, it's what's happening behind the scenes at King's Lynn Town Football Club rather than the on-field action that has grabbed all of the headlines since the weekend.
Club owner Stephen Cleeve's matchday programme notes declared that the club needs around £50,000 to get them to the end of June, which it hasn't got.
It also added doubt over the future involvement of Singaporean investor Jo Phua and his Turn Capital group at The Walks, who came on board a year or so ago when The Linnets issued their previous SOS.
To help alleviate the situation, Mr Cleeve has asked supporters attending Lynn's next home fixture on Good Friday with Scunthorpe United to donate £10 to the club to keep the rising tide away from the door for the time being.
Firstly, it should be stated that Stephen's commitment and devotion to Lynn FC down the years should never be questioned.
Over the years he has always tried to find the monies to cover the wages of new players when they have been needed, not only in the numerous summer rebuilds but when an extra player or two has been needed to add a little more substance in a promotion or title race - just ask the likes of Rob Back or Ian Culverhouse if you need further confirmation.
He's also given the team the best chance of winning long haul away games by travelling the day ahead of the game for an overnight stay at a hotel whilst being transported hundreds of miles around the country on a luxury team bus - something never afforded to previous managers and teams before he first sat in The Walks seat of control.
As many of you know, I spent the last 18 months of my involvement at The Walks as a full-time employee of the club before leaving during the summer of 2021, just ahead of the club's second year in the full National League.
At the end of that season, the club were relegated back to the feeder National League North, effectively level two of non-league football, where they have remained to this day.
It's at that point where, personally, I would have reverted the whole operation to a part-time basis.
The league consists predominantly of part-time teams and it would have provided the club a chance to take stock and decide how they go about attempting to move back to full National League football.
However, the club decided to continue to plough the full-time furrow despite some voicing their concerns to do so.
Stephen has stated on a few occasions that he feels being full-time provides Lynn with the best chance of promotion, and that may be so, but as I write this column, the club finds itself just outside of the play-offs with only four games left to play.
As things stand currently, it seems impossible to think that come August, the club will be lining up as a full-time club playing Step 2 football.
Stephen has indicated that he has commercial deals lined up for next season, which in his words, would see the club 'just about break even' but with the business world being in a constant state of volatility, is it wise to place so much trust in one option?
And before that, there is a £50,000 'black hole' that has to be filled, and that alone may not be an easy task either.
The reality of the situation to me as things stand is that currently it isn't sustainable to be a full-time club, and neither is it correct to be doing overnight stays ahead of away games until, financially, Lynn FC has moved away from the financial quicksand situation.
And if that means a good few seasons spent at level two, rebuilding the club's foundations, I see nothing wrong with that scenario.
The club's fans also deserve to be put in the picture regarding Jo Phua and what his current position is regarding involvement at The Walks.
I seem to remember reading a few months ago that Jo would be taking over the Linnets imminently, along with off-field staff to move the club forwards.
Now you have to question: was this the truth, or was it just fanciful speculation in some quarters?
Some supporters will, I know, dip into their pockets and donate to the chairman's plea to help keep the club afloat.
The 2020 Covid situation made me realise how much Lynn FC means to so many when the club asked for donations to help its survival.
That situation, though, was not assisted by a worldwide pandemic that was thrust upon our daily lives so quickly and hung around like a bad odour for far too long.
The club should have learned its lesson back then, but as things stand today, it seemingly hasn't.
Various ideas of raising extra capital, such as summer music concerts have come and gone with nothing seemingly happening to implement them.
The club now has to make a plan to live within its means, starting as soon as it possibly can. Only when this is done can those begging bowls be put away for good.
Not for the first time in recent years, it's what's happening behind the scenes at King's Lynn Town Football Club rather than the on-field action that has grabbed all of the headlines since the weekend.
Club owner Stephen Cleeve's matchday programme notes declared that the club needs around £50,000 to get them to the end of June, which it hasn't got.
It also added doubt over the future involvement of Singaporean investor Jo Phua and his Turn Capital group at The Walks, who came on board a year or so ago when The Linnets issued their previous SOS.
To help alleviate the situation, Mr Cleeve has asked supporters attending Lynn's next home fixture on Good Friday with Scunthorpe United to donate £10 to the club to keep the rising tide away from the door for the time being.
Firstly, it should be stated that Stephen's commitment and devotion to Lynn FC down the years should never be questioned.
Over the years he has always tried to find the monies to cover the wages of new players when they have been needed, not only in the numerous summer rebuilds but when an extra player or two has been needed to add a little more substance in a promotion or title race - just ask the likes of Rob Back or Ian Culverhouse if you need further confirmation.
He's also given the team the best chance of winning long haul away games by travelling the day ahead of the game for an overnight stay at a hotel whilst being transported hundreds of miles around the country on a luxury team bus - something never afforded to previous managers and teams before he first sat in The Walks seat of control.
As many of you know, I spent the last 18 months of my involvement at The Walks as a full-time employee of the club before leaving during the summer of 2021, just ahead of the club's second year in the full National League.
At the end of that season, the club were relegated back to the feeder National League North, effectively level two of non-league football, where they have remained to this day.
It's at that point where, personally, I would have reverted the whole operation to a part-time basis.
The league consists predominantly of part-time teams and it would have provided the club a chance to take stock and decide how they go about attempting to move back to full National League football.
However, the club decided to continue to plough the full-time furrow despite some voicing their concerns to do so.
Stephen has stated on a few occasions that he feels being full-time provides Lynn with the best chance of promotion, and that may be so, but as I write this column, the club finds itself just outside of the play-offs with only four games left to play.
As things stand currently, it seems impossible to think that come August, the club will be lining up as a full-time club playing Step 2 football.
Stephen has indicated that he has commercial deals lined up for next season, which in his words, would see the club 'just about break even' but with the business world being in a constant state of volatility, is it wise to place so much trust in one option?
And before that, there is a £50,000 'black hole' that has to be filled, and that alone may not be an easy task either.
The reality of the situation to me as things stand is that currently it isn't sustainable to be a full-time club, and neither is it correct to be doing overnight stays ahead of away games until, financially, Lynn FC has moved away from the financial quicksand situation.
And if that means a good few seasons spent at level two, rebuilding the club's foundations, I see nothing wrong with that scenario.
The club's fans also deserve to be put in the picture regarding Jo Phua and what his current position is regarding involvement at The Walks.
I seem to remember reading a few months ago that Jo would be taking over the Linnets imminently, along with off-field staff to move the club forwards.
Now you have to question: was this the truth, or was it just fanciful speculation in some quarters?
Some supporters will, I know, dip into their pockets and donate to the chairman's plea to help keep the club afloat.
The 2020 Covid situation made me realise how much Lynn FC means to so many when the club asked for donations to help its survival.
That situation, though, was not assisted by a worldwide pandemic that was thrust upon our daily lives so quickly and hung around like a bad odour for far too long.
The club should have learned its lesson back then, but as things stand today, it seemingly hasn't.
Various ideas of raising extra capital, such as summer music concerts have come and gone with nothing seemingly happening to implement them.
The club now has to make a plan to live within its means, starting as soon as it possibly can. Only when this is done can those begging bowls be put away for good.
Despite all of the off-field drama last weekend, Adam Lakeland's side gained what may be a vital point in the play-off chase following the 0-0 draw with Chorley.
Lakeland did his best to shield his players from the latest financial gloom that has descended upon The Walks by not allowing match programmes into the dressing room ahead of the game so his charges could remain fully focused on the task at hand.
The ploy helped as the point gained kept Lynn in the hunt to extend their season further in what now looks a straight fight between Lynn, Chorley, Hereford, Buxton and possibly Spennymoor for the final two spots.
The Linnets hit the road for the penultimate time in the league this season on Saturday to play already relegated Farsley (with the game being played at Buxton's ground) before entertaining the league title-chasing Scunthorpe United on Good Friday afternoon. The Linnets surely have to beat Farsley to keep their play-off dreams a reality.
Lynn have already tasted defeat to Farsley Celtic on home soil this campaign, so I’m sure nothing will be taken for granted when it comes to preparation for another big game.
A defeat wouldn't end them but it would make the task even more difficult with only Needham Market and Chester to be played after Good Friday.
