SAD TONY IN AGONISING BEES CULL
BARNET chairman Tony Kleanthous says he is heartbroken after putting all non-playing staff on notice of redundancy “to ensure the longevity of the club”.
Approximately 60 staff have been laid off, including manager Darren Currie, as a result of the Bees chief ’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
Barnet had seen an average drop in attendances of 50 per cent since they were relegated in 2018 and were budgeting to lose £100,000 per month in the hope of earning promotion back to the Football League. They sit four points adrift of the play-offs in 11th with as many as four games in hand on those above them.
Kleanthous, Barnet’s owner for 26 years, has taken “emergenstable cy measures to preserve the club and ensure it remains sustainable” following the suspension of the National League season with their parachute payments from the EFL set to finish at the end of April.
All first team coaching and backroom staff, the Barnet Academy and operational staff have been put on notice. Players’ contracts are protected and cannot be terminated early.
The club’s academy had already been made aware of the situation due to the finance from the EFL ending at the end of the season, but the redundancies of 15 academy staff have been brought forward.
Currie, who was appointed on a permanent basis in January last year, is said to have a long notice period within his contract and, should the season resume, will be in charge until the end of the season and possibly beyond.
Kleanthous is preparing to operate on a “leaner cost base” from next season, and said: “Our greatest concern is that within the UK and across the entire world, people are losing loved ones. Our sympathies and thoughts go out to everyone affected but, right now, I have to focus my attention closer to home and look at the impact it’s having on our club.
“It is my responsibility to ensure Barnet FC continues to survive and remains financially
and, therefore, I have had to make difficult decisions.
“I have to be open and honest with the staff and it’s been a difficult past few days having to deliver the bad news but it’s something that had to be done.
“I have not had time to think about plans for next season yet but we will have to find a way to move forward based upon our current crowd attendance because existing National League rules limit any signings we can make or players’ salaries we can commit to going forward.
“The knock-on effects are of course heartbreaking for me personally as I am fully aware of how this will impact my phenomenal team of hard-working support staff across the group.”