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Next Game: Boston At Edgar Street On Saturday April 20th Kick-Off 3.00pm

Sunday, March 01, 2015

Clubs Failing To Pay Wages


Kidderminster Director Gino Ruffinato spoke to the press after yesterday's game with the coaching staff and players refusing to talk after their short wages payment.

Ruffinato said: "There are a few issues but hopefully they'll be resolved over the next week or so. When you stretch to go for promotion you stretch as far as you can and you hope you get the support to go with it."

The Director hinted that they had hoped for a 2,000 gate yesterday instead of the 1,766 that attended, and dodged a question as to whether benefactors Ernie and Kath Lane - who quit the board in the summer - were still going to cover the shortfalls at Aggborough. Ruffinato also suggested the club could only afford a £350,000 playing budget and were still spending over that despite a series of departures.

Asked a yes/no question, Ruffinato would only respond that the pair had been supportive of the club and he hoped it would continue, with the club having previously threatened legal action against the Lanes after they pulled their financial commitment earlier in the season. When a reporter states that "the club couldn't pay the wages without the support of the Lanes", Ruffinato adds "that's be true for a few years."

Meanwhile, Leyton Orient are another club on the verge of a crisis after it was revealed that they had failed to pay their staff as due at the end of the month. Players have been promised pay by Wednesday with the near farcical reign of Italian owner Francesco Becchetti seeing last season's play-off challengers now in the League One relegation zone. 

Revelations at the club include last seasons' wage structure, whose top earner was on £2,500, smashed with at least five players earning over £7,500 a week while the manager cannot speak English and needs his goalkeeper coach to translate team talks. Fans have already expressed concern with Becchetti using the club for a reality show on his Italian TV channel.