We had to go part time sooner than expected admits Kyle
IAN Kyle admits plans to revert to part-time status at Southport were brought forward by ‘at least six months’ this season.
Southport were forced to leave their former Stormy Corner training base in Skelmersdale earlier in the campaign after a string of disturbances at the facility.
They subsequently moved to JMO Sports Park which only offered part-time access and the decision was made to reduce the full-time responsibilities of Liam Watson’s squad.
“Going into the new season we still had a squad of full-time players on full-time contracts who were there for the foreseeable,” majority shareholder Kyle said.
“We started the season on a full-time basis and we were intending at that point to continue until the end of the season on that basis with a view to sitting down this summer to decide what was the best way forward for the club both in respect of where the club was at and finances.
“Circumstances were taken out of our hands prior to
Christmas because the training facility we were using at the time at Skelmersdale was no longer suitable for the club.
“On that basis the decision was brought forward six months because we couldn’t continue to train there.
“That meant we were left with all our squad on full-time contracts but we had to find alternative facilities for us to train.
“The only facilities available were on a part-time basis.
We’ve gone to JMO in Skelmersdale who have been fantastic and really helped us with that.
“But that has brought forward by at least six months those conversations we were having about moving forward.
“At that time, and really throughout the beginning of the season, there was a real difference in opinion in relation to full-time and part-time, given the availability of players and the quality of players that are available.
“We have to be realistic at Southport and if players are looking to play on a full-time basis there are other clubs not too far from Southport, look at Fylde, Fleetwood, who are able to offer those full-time players better wages than we are.
“That would be their first port of call for those players.”