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Ashford Town Chairman Don Crosbie puts the club into administration after resigning from the Ryman League

Ashford Town directors Tony Betteridge (left) and Don Crosbie (right) before their relationship broke-down, with Elaine Orsbourne receiving the Ryman League's Programme of the Year Award
Ashford Town directors Tony Betteridge (left) and Don Crosbie (right) before their relationship broke-down, with Elaine Orsbourne receiving the Ryman League's Programme of the Year Award

by Alex Hoad

Ashford Town chairman Don Crosbie has put the troubled club into administration as he bids to 'save the club from extinction.'

On the same day it was revealed Mr Crosbie had withdrawn the Nuts and Bolts from Ryman League Division 1 South, the Town director said he decided to put the club into the hands of administrators to allow the club to continue to play football.

Mr Crosbie is involved in a long-running feud with co-director Tony Betteridge with Mr Betteridge launching a High Court bid to have the club wound up as he claims it has been trading insolvently.

In a statement to supporters Mr Crosbie said: "After weeks of meeting with the club's solicitors and advisors it is with regret that, to save our football club from extinction, we have asked the court to appoint an independent administrator to hopefully resolve the deadlock and allow the club to continue to play football."

He revealed: "We have been advised, because of the seriousness of the situation, that relegation would probably have been the penalty for our demise so, rather than suffer mid-season, we have been advised to resign from the Ryman League with immediate effect and apply for Kent League registration."

Mr Crosbie said he was 'disappointed' with the Ryman League for announcing their resignation on its website on Tuesday before the club had informed supporters.

Ashford are currently suspended from all football by the FA for non-payment of fees to Ebbsfleet last season, while the Ryman League also revealed the club owes it money and Mr Betteridge claims the club's overall debts have spiralled to around £1m.

Mr Crosbie insisted he had not taken the resignation decision lightly and "it has been made with the survival of our football club in mind."

He also hinted that the FA had pressured him into taking action to break the deadlock between the two directors.

Mr Crosbie also revealed that legal proceedings had been launched in a dispute over the ownership of the freehold to the club's Homelands ground.

Ashford need to move swiftly to appoint an administrator as they need to have had the suspension lifted by next Friday (July 30) in order for an EGM of Kent League clubs to be called to vote Town into the League before the opening games on Saturday, August 7.

Clubs are widely expected to back Ashford's inclusion in the division, but if they are not ratified in time for the opening weekend they will not be allowed to join.

In a direct message to supporters Mr Crosbie said: "I would like to assure you supporters that I have your best interests at heart. Our football club has suffered dearly over the last couple of years but I genuinely feel that we are close to ending this sorry saga and putting Ashford Town on a much stronger financial footing."

Picture: Tony Betteridge (left) and Don Crosbie (right) before the breakdown of their relationship at Ashford. The pair are pictured with former supporters club secretary Elaine Orsbourne who was receiving a Ryman League programme award.

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