Crusaders are still in the hunt
HUNGERFORD Town’s bid for the Southern League Premier South play-offs is still alive going into the final week of the campaign.
Town stayed in the hunt following their excellent win over AFC Totton on Saturday.
But a win for rivals Merthyr Town at Winchester City on Tuesday would have ended the Crusaders’ challenge.
As it is, the Welsh side lost 20, leaving five teams chasing the final play-off spot.
Hungerford are still the outsiders, and it’s win or bust at Hanwell on Saturday and in the finale at home to Basingstoke the following week.
Even so, Crusaders must hope that Merthyr, Bracknell Town, Walton & Hersham and Dorchester slip up.
Off the field, Hungerford called a Special General Meeting of the club’s members on Monday to discuss the recall of an alleged personal loan to the club by the immediate past chairman Alan O’Donohue.
A club statement said: “The former chairman had demanded that his alleged loan be repaid by April 30 or else he would instigate bankruptcy
proceedings against the club.
“Given that this posed an immediate threat to the very existence of the club, formed in 1886, the management committee called the SGM in order to inform the membership of the situation, and also give the former chairman an opportunity to address the membership.
“Following a secret ballot, the members of the club decided by a majority vote that the sum of money given to the club by the former chairman was not an approved loan
according to the club’s constitution, and that there was therefore no obligation to repay this money.
“However, the members also mandated the management committee to keep the lines of communication open with the former chairman and to try to find an amicable way forward for both parties.”
O’Donohue took over as chairman last summer, replacing Patrick Chambers who moved to a similar role at National League North Gloucester City.