Whitehaven have released a board statement on the immediate plans of the club going forward following their relegation from the Championship.
It is a three-year strategy to stabilise the club and rebuild for the future, encouraging more local players to test themselves in League One.
The performance of Jack Kellett against Halifax on Sunday, stepping up from National Conference Division Three to star in the Championship was the perfect showpiece for what can be achieved.
The statement said: “Although we are disappointed to be relegated from the Championship, we feel this is a great opportunity for the club to take stock and rebuild, on and off the field, for the longevity and sustainability of the club.
“We have already identified areas for improvement, on and off the field. An action plan and strategy are currently being developed. We will share details of these once finalised by the board of directors.
“Everyone recognizes the turbulence that the club has been through over the past two years. We are all committed to ensuring this never happens again. As with any business, the club needs to operate in a sustainable way.
“We recognize that over the past two seasons, this has not been the case. Operating budgets have been developed which will allow the club to be self-sufficient, alongside the valuable input from our sponsors. Given this reduced budget, this will have an impact on the playing budget our new coach will have at his disposal.
“The basis of our strategy is a three-year plan of improvements to rebuild the foundations of the club. The board of directors’ main focus and priority is not an immediate return to the Championship, and this has been discussed with our new coach.
“The recruitment and retention of local players, improving relationships with the local community clubs and development of a new squad is at the forefront. If this brings improved on field performances and results earlier than we plan, that will be a bonus.
“However we have to reinforce the message, the sustainability of the club is our number one focus. If we can build a culture of positivity and support, and keep the negativity out, it will benefit us all.
“The BoD would like to thank our coaching staff, players, volunteers, fans and sponsors for their support this season. We have been through some very difficult moments all together.
“Finally we will have some recruitment news coming later this week.”
Anthony Murray, coach at Workington Town for the last two years, remains a strong favourite to be appointed at Whitehaven with Gus Frazer following him from the Fibrus Community Stadium as number two.
