Carey to Remain in Charge at Falmouth

The company which owns Bickland Park, the home of Carlsberg South West Peninsula League Premier Division....

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Published 18th May 2012

Alan Carey

....Falmouth Town, has taken over the running of the club, in a shock move which, it says, will save one of Cornish football's biggest clubs from going out of business.

The announcement was made last week by the ground's owners Falmouth Town AFC Ltd.

In a statement, the company said that it was left with no option but to intervene after revealing the club had been operating "beyond its means".

Town were one of the biggest spenders in South West Peninsula League football last season.

But despite substantial outlays on the squad, Town, under manager Alan Carey, who was previously in charge at Mullion and Porthleven, were unsuccessful in their bid for promotion to the Toolstation Western League after only finishing third in the Premier Division.

The statement read: "Unfortunately, the success on the field has come at a crippling cost to the club, and it has now become evident that the club has been operating beyond its means for some time.

"The legal process had already commenced which could have led to the club being unable to continue to exist.

"As a result and in order to save the club, the owners of Bickland Park, Falmouth Town AFC Limited, have stepped in to take over the running of the club."

Steve Kimberley, who took over as chairman four years ago, appointed Carey in January 2009, with the club struggling at the foot of the premier division table.

But Carey has slowly transformed Town into one of the biggest forces in Peninsula League football and this season's third place finish, after Saturday's 8-0 win at Bovey Tracey was their highest since the league was formed in 2007.

It has, however, come at a cost, quite literally, with the ground's owners now deciding on what action to take next.

Chris McMellon, a director of Falmouth Town AFC Ltd, said: "The board is committed to getting the club back on a sound financial footing, and to adopt a policy of only spending what it earns.

"We intend putting in systems of control and governance, which will prevent any recurrence of the situation that we are now attempting to deal with.

"This means that we will be stopping the policy of bringing in higher paid players from further afield, and returning to a policy of using and developing local youngsters to take the club forward."

Kimberley did not wish to comment on the situation, while Falmouth Town AFC Ltd have failed to give any clarification on his future at the club.

They have, however, released a further statement, to confirm Carey will be continuing as manager.

It read: "Following a very positive meeting held in the clubhouse between FTAFC Ltd and the members and supporters of the football club there will be no change in the management of the teams.

"Alan Carey will be remaining as the 1st team manager as will Paul Murray of the 2nd team.

"The ladies, managed by Neil Phillips, and the youth section will be more encompassed by the whole club.

"The Directors of the Ltd Co, C McMellon, G Medlin, M Newland, P Hinchley, C Spargo and V Ferguson, who will be managing the club, will be working towards reducing the debt whilst still supporting local football at all levels."

[Source: West Briton]