Plans to create second team in town are ended

AFC Skelmersdale creator Frank Hughes this week confirmed he will no longer continue the pursuit of starting a new football club in the town.

In a statement spanning over 1,000 words posted online, Hughes also revealed he was involved in a consortium that offered a ‘considerable’ cash injection to struggling Skelmersdale United.

“It had always been our intention from the very beginning to save Skelmersdale United from going out of business,” he said.

“At the end of January we contacted [Skelmersdale United chairman] Paul Griffiths to discuss our proposal.

“The proposal being, with 13 games to go until the end of the season we would inject a considerable five-figure sum to give the club a playing budget which we believed would give them a fighting chance of surviving relegation from the Northern Premier League.

“In return there would be a restructuring of the board and a new management structure would take over the running of the team.”

United, however, eventually decided to ‘politely reject’ the offer which has left Hughes and his consortium baffled.

“Whilst we understand the committees desire to see the club through to the next phase of its current project, we fail to understand why they refused a significant cash injection to help stabilise the club financially,” the statement continues.

“In simple terms it wouldn’t have had any impact on the continuation of the project.

“Besides, as we stated at the meeting we would’ve embraced those changes and also kept some of the current committee on board.

“But as they’ve made that decision, we have no choice but to accept it and move on and in doing so we wish Skelmersdale United all the very best for the future.”

It is understood that Hughes and his consortium have not ruled out further proposals in the future.