HEED CHIEF IS TICKLED PINK WITH PROGRESS
GATESHEAD chairman Neil Pinkerton says the club are “committed” to finishing the season after they secured a National League North play-off place.
Mike Williamson’s side are set to travel to Brackley Town after the Heed replaced north-east rivals Spennymoor Town in the top seven as a result of the decision to calculate the final standings on a pointsper-game basis.
However, the move also meant that Pinkerton and his fellow Heed directors were left with a difficult decision with clubs receiving no financial support from the governing bodies for the additional fixtures.
Players and coaches would have to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing at a cost of £125 per test – and with clubs earning no income through admission.
Pinkerton described the dilemma as “difficult” but insisted that the club’s longterm future would not be put at risk by a decision to take part in the play-offs.
He told The NLP: “It still is a difficult decision, but the whole process has been difficult too.
“We haven’t been categorically asked by the National League if we want to be in the play-offs.
“Even though we could refuse to do so; we aren’t going down those lines.
“We are going through the process of following FA and government guidelines to return to training.
“But we have to say that the club has to fund everything and it’s not a small amount of money.
“There is no financial support, the National League don’t have any money, the FA have told us they don’t have any money and the only money that has filtered down from the Premier League has been the advanced solidarity payment of around £13,000.
“Gateshead are committed to finishing the season in accordance with the resolution that has been passed.
“But 100 per cent of the costs have to be met by the clubs and it’s important that our supporters and the wider footballing community know that.”
Gateshead have been helped in their plight by Northern League neighbours Hebburn Town, who have leant them use of their Energy Check Sports Ground as a training base.
With the International Stadium remaining closed, Hebburn offered their facilities for when training resumes next week, just as they did during the latter half of the 2018/19 season.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Stephen Rutherford and everyone else connected to Hebburn Town in helping us overcome yet another obstacle,” Pinkerton added.
But just to reach the top seven of Non-League’s second tier is an achievement in itself for everyone at Gateshead.
It is just over 12 months since the club was rescued from going out of business by a supporter-led consortium and they have thrived on and off the pitch since those dark days.
Lifelong Heed supporter Pinkerton described his pride at how far the club has come in his first year as chairman.
“It’s been a massive journey and that played heavily in the decision to continue the process of playing this season to a conclusion,” he added.
“I am immensely proud of what everybody has achieved and it’s hard to put it into words just how far the club has come in 12 months. But, whatever happens, we will look after the club’s long-term future and ensure that we build on what has been achieved this year.”