Swindon Town players and staff go unpaid amid takeover wrangle (original) (raw)

Swindon TownImage source, Rex Features

Image caption,

Swindon Town are back in League Two after being relegated from League One

Swindon Town players and staff have not been paid for June amid ongoing problems regarding a takeover of the club, BBC Radio Wiltshire reports.

Pre-season training has also been delayed until Monday, having been due to commence this week.

It is the latest problem to hit Town, who saw manager John McGreal leave last week after a month in charge.

Chief executive Steve Anderson also left and it is understood that director of football Paul Jewell may have quit.

The Robins had nine players under contract following the end of last season and have since signed two more - goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott and defender Pierce Sweeney.

It is another twist in a chequered recent history for the club, which won the League Two title on average points per game in 2020 after the season was ended early because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last season they struggled in League One, ending the campaign second from bottom, having seen promotion-winning manager Richie Wellens leave for Salford City in November.

He was replaced by experienced former Plymouth Argyle, Chesterfield and Oldham boss John Sheridan, but he left in April after being unable to turn their fortunes around.

In February, chairman Lee Power said the Robins were "on the brink" of bankruptcy having warned in May 2020 that Swindon could go into administration after he failed to overturn an injunction to prevent him selling the club to an American company.

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption,

Lee Power took control at Swindon in December 2013 and had a brief spell as interim manager in 2015-16 following the sacking of Mark Cooper

Power is currently facing two separate cases against the club over Swindon's ownership - one in the courts and one from the Football Association.

Minority shareholder Clem Morfuni has been trying to buy Swindon and has been backed by the club's supporters' trust.

But a court injunction is in place to stop Power from putting the club into administration amid a legal case over who is able to buy the club.

Meanwhile, Power is facing FA charges regarding the ownership and funding of the club.

In April, Power, along with sports agency First Touch Pro Management and its company director Michael Standing, were charged with breaching FA rules on ownership.

Standing, a former Aston Villa trainee who had spells at Bradford and Walsall, had previously stated he acquired 50% of Swindon's holding company when Power bought the Robins in 2013.

But under FA regulations, agents are not allowed to own clubs because of potential conflicts of interest.

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