LEWES Football Club's major sponsor has warned fresh investment needs to be pumped into the club straight away if it is to avoid a potential catastophe.
Mark Henderson, of Magic Man, Lewes's shirt sponsor, said, "There needs to be something done. We can't just dither around.
"The FA Cup exit coupled with the gates dropping to a level that they are, the consequence for the club is severe.
"Nobod
y else has come forward with any financial input or ideas.
"Without money no club can operate. What I want to see is an offer, otherwise I don't see where (the club) can go, other than spiralling downwards.
"Decisions need to be made. The statement that came out had to be made. It had to be made for people to realise the serious position of the club. People are aware now.
"It's a business like anything else.
"You couldn't get a better advocate for Lewes Football Club than Martin Elliott.
"Martin and the board are totally open to offers, that's because they've got the best interests of the club at heart.
"And they don't want to invite in people who don't have the best interests of the club at heart.
"Without the continued financial commitment of Martin Elliott and others you haven't got a football club here.
"(But) you can't have a club where there are no supporters coming though the turnstyles.
Alluding to rumours of supporter boycotts of games, he said, "The low gates have brought the club to this situation. Maybe some people will be proud of that but what it's done is to bring the club to its knees.
"Something has to be done – and has to be done very quickly. The club can't survive the way things are going. If somebody doesn't do something soon it will be to the detriment of the football club.
"It's got to be done and it's got to be done quickly."
Mr Henderson also called on Lewes fans to "make a difference"
"I know it's an economic downturn but where are all these supporters?
They can do something, they can make a difference."
Mr Henderson pledged that his company would continue to support the club, regardless of who was in charge in the boardroom or in the dressing room.
"The commitment from Magic Man has always been with the club and not any individual that will run the club, " he said.
However, he added that he was not in a position to pump any more cash into the club that he already was, saying, "I don't have that sort of money. I'm not a wealthy man.
"But there are all these wealthy people in Sussex who could be doing something for the club. If a thousand people put in £100 each or a hundred people put in £1,000 each it would be problem solved.
"Kevin (Keehan), the board, the players and the fans – they have all got to take responsibilty. You can't point the finger at any one person. With a community club like Lewes, responsibility is with everyone."
Mr Henderson also urged those people who had pledged to sponsor the club at the start of the season but had yet to pay up to contact the club as soon as possible to make a contribution.
The full article contains 552 words and appears in Sussex Express Series newspaper.
