Gainsborough Trinity suspend season ticket usage in a bid to bring cash into crisis-hit club

Curtis Woodhouse's side return to action at home on Boxing Day. Pic by KLS photography.

They will now charge a flat rate of £10 to fans as part of a short-term strategy to bring crucial cash into the club.

Trinity will return to NPL action when they host Grantham Town on Boxing Day, with a maximum limit of 300 fans imposed by the tier 3 restrictions.

A club statement was critical of the NPL’s decision to return to action: “Richard Kane and the Board of Directors at Gainsborough Trinity are working tirelessly to ensure the sustainability of our great football club.

“A lack of support and consultation from the league has left us frantically racing around, trying to come up with the best way forward.

“Historic poor decisions do not appear to have been learned from. And no matter how loudly we bang the drum, we don't seem to be heard."

The statement also insisted Trinity had taken the only step available to them.

It added: “Match sponsorship offerings are significantly reduced as hospitality and pre-match meals are not permitted in the current climate, leaving us faced with ever increasing losses. Without decisive action being taken to sustain this great club, we will not have the ability to still be standing proud in another 150 years.

“All things considered; we have had to take the unprecedented action of placing all season tickets on hold until the time comes when we are no longer restricted to limited numbers.

“And at this time, where we are restricted to 300 gates, we need to bring in enough money to remain solvent, and so have taken the decision to charge a flat rate of £10 per game.

“We all hope that this is not a long term feature of our ticketing policy, as we do value our young up and coming supporters and the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the cause.

“As a result of this, we will be offering season ticket holders a partial refund on season tickets. This will be calculated taking into account games played to date.

“We ask that any season ticket holders that would like to support us through this crisis do not seek a refund, choosing instead to allow the money to help with running costs.”