Heed face League scrutiny over bills
CONCERNS are growing about Gateshead’s future under the current regime at the International Stadium.
The club’s financial situation will be put under the spotlight in today’s meeting with the Vanarama National League.
Unpaid bills are believed to be mounting up under the foreign stewardship of Dr Ranjan Varghese and Joseph Cala.
Costs have been slashed to the bone and former Scotland Under-21 international
Fraser Kerr was off-loaded this week.
Kerr, one of the Heed’s top earners, joined local rivals Hartlepool United for a reputed fee of only £4,000.
Another top earner, captain Scott Barrow, who wants to stay at the club, has been the subject of a bid from Harrogate Town.
The Yorkshire outfit were in for the Welshmen in the summer, Barrow and Kerr the only two senior players to stay at Gateshead from last year.
Barrow, according to his agent, has been touted around other clubs as the Heed hierarchy desperately look to make ends meet.
It’s a situation the former Newport County defender is far from happy about. Jon Mellish and Tom White are also believed to be on Hartlepool’s radar.
Mellish and Schemer Greg Olley have both been selected in England C’s 16-man squad for the international against Wales on March 19.
Both are in a Gateshead squad that now has just 16 professionals for tomorrow’s National League game at Aldershot Town. The relegation-threatened Shots were victorious for the first time in 19 games last weekend when they won 1-0 at bottom club Braintree.
Despite their off-field problems, Gateshead are only outside the playoffs on goal difference and are unbeaten in six games under Ben Clark. Rookie manager Clark has been both frustrated and disappointed with the departure of top scorer Scott Boden and now Kerr.
Clark said: “Once you hear the words that a bid has been accepted it’s very disappointing.
“It’s tough and another blow, but we’ll galvanise each other and, come Saturday, we’ll be ready for the Aldershot game.” Cost-cutting will see the Heed’s threadbare squad make the 305mile journey to Aldershot by coach on the day, leaving at 6am.
It’s tough and another blow, but we’ll galvanise each other Ben Clark