Chorley chairman Ken Wright on the battle for survival – on and off the pitch

Keeping a club like Chorley on a sound financial footing is a fine balancing act – that is according to chairman Ken Wright.
Chorley chairman Ken Wright pictured at Victory ParkChorley chairman Ken Wright pictured at Victory Park
Chorley chairman Ken Wright pictured at Victory Park

The Magpies have found things difficult both on and off the pitch this season since winning promotion to the National League – the top tier of non-league football.

Boss Jamie Vermiglio and his players have struggled for results and currently find themselves bottom of the 
table – eight points away from safety.

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And Wright revealed he and his fellow Board members have had to work prudently to keep up with the extra financial demands which come with competing at the higher level.

A part-time club, Chorley – who have no game this weekend –are going up against former Football League clubs and full-time operations on a weekly basis.

Wright said; “It’s always a tightrope, isn’t it?

“It’s always difficult to make sure that you remain solvent, but that’s the challenge for us to compete and stay in the league.

“The away travel at this level in itself is a massive expense for us.

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“We try to do it correctly. We can’t stick players on a coach at five or six o’clock in the morning, travel for five or six hours, and then expect them to go and play.

“We ensure the players have overnight stays wherever that is the best possible preparation for them.

“That obviously comes as an expense.

Recruitment is difficult too because we are dealing with players who are full-time.

“We will approach a player who is established at this level but they are on full-time wages.

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“It is a difficult one, 
especially for the manager particularly.”

Despite the club’s status at this level looking precarious to say the least, Wright has given his full backing to Vermiglio and his assistants Andy Preece and Jonathan Smith.

“The manager certainly has my 100% backing,” said Wright.

“He works tirelessly and the management team that we have got are good.

“I don’t think we could improve on them.

“The difficult thing we have is identifying and recruiting the players which will keep us in this division and that’s the manager’s challenge at the moment.”

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Wright – who praised the fans for their continued support this season – insisted all is not lost in their fight to avoid relegation with 16 games left to play.

“I have said that success for us this season is to stay in the league and that still is our main aim,” he said.

“There are still plenty of games left and we have got to try to turn it around quickly and that’s the challenge we have got.”