Thetownend.com

BOB Holt has hailed the "Dunkirk spirit" of the County Ground staff over an uncertain last few months - admitting without their loyalty they could already have gone out of existence.

As the Swindon Town takeover inched closer to completion last night, with lawyers attempting to tie up some final loose ends, the Town director insists the contribution of everyone at SN1 can not be overplayed.

Holt is expected to resign from the board the moment the deal is sealed, as fellow member Martyn Starnes has already done, but was quick to recognise the efforts of everyone on the club's payroll.

He said: "I am thrilled this is progressing because it will bring to an end the stress everyone has been feeling.

"The staff, the players - absolutely everyone.

"Everyone has been unsure of their future and working in those conditions is very difficult.

"Everyone at the club has kept at the helm to keep the club running, the whole man Jack.

"People have made sacrifices to keep this club running. Everyone has been paid now. There is still some balance to be paid to Paul Sturrock, we have agreed what he is owed.

"I will repeat we can't thank the staff enough.

"It is great we have such a great spirit in adversity.

"Certain sections of our fan base have been negative towards us, to put it mildly, but without us being here perhaps it would not have lasted so long.

"It has been like the Alamo at times at the club but everyone has shown a real Dunkirk spirit."

Fitton's expected arrival in the hot seat will clear crippling debts at the club, to the tune of £5million, but Holt insists they are far from the only club in financial strife.

He said: "In short our incomes in three and a half and our expenditure is four and half.

"We lost a bit more last year when we got promoted because more money spent on the squad.

"Some football clubs are different to us because they own their own ground and have low over heads.

"We have substantial overhead here, our player budget is £3m and that only leaves us half a million for the rest.

"A thick of end of a quarter of a million is spent on rent and rates for the year so you can quite easily see where the money goes.

"If we cut back on the playing squad, like we did a couple of years back, then you are not competitive any more.

"So you drop down to the second Division which no one wants.

"It gets even harder in the championship because the average losses there are five to six million pounds."

The frustration of an uncertain last few months have led to Holt & Co being the subject of abuse from the terraces but he believes much of that towards the staff was unwarranted.

He said: "It would be easy for us to say right we are off home to the supporters but it does not work that way because there would just not be a club left.

"We will stay here until no chance of survival or someone comes in to rescue the club. Mr Fitton is now in talks and we are very very close to that position.

"We have been working under a cloud for quite a long time now and I take my hat off to everyone who turned up diligently every game, never questioned the position and stuck to their guns."

There is still some balance to be paid to Paul Sturrock, we have agreed what he is owed.

Aaaah, like Barry Corr gets?

I cant believe it. After all theyve put us through. They are crowing and patting themselves on the back. The deal hasnt even been completed yet.

Are you sure??

Usually, Holt in press = disaster coming.

"It has been like the Alamo at times at the club but everyone has shown a real Dunkirk spirit."

Extracting thousands of troops from the Northern french coast is a lot like buying a house in the wild west :mrgreen:

I am glad you can you theiving bastard, because the rest of us cant

You may get in trouble for that Andy but leave it up i want to see what happens

"In short our incomes in three and a half and our expenditure is four and half.

"We have substantial overhead here, our player budget is £3m and that only leaves us half a million for the rest.

"A thick of end of a quarter of a million is spent on rent and rates for the year so you can quite easily see where the money goes.

"It gets even harder in the championship because the average losses there are five to six million pounds."

please, just sign the papers, sod off and let someone else have a go.