Doncaster Rovers chairman John Ryan has admitted the club is currently operating at an annual loss of more than £1.5 million and has asked fans to turn out in force to keep the club in the Championship, the Sheffied Star reports. Rovers's average attendance is among the lowest in the division. Repeated cuts to match-day tickets in a bid to increase crowds left some loyal season ticket holders threatening not to renew as the reduced prices left them feeling out-of-pocket. Ryan said: âOur pricing structure last season upset some of our season-ticket holders, who questioned how loyalty is rewarded. âAs a club we continue to stay loyal to our fans by giving the manager as much resources as possible to compete in the Championship, a division that grows in strength year on year. âExpressing our loyalty in this way means that the club operates at a loss in excess of £1.5 million per year but gives our fans the opportunity to say that your team is one of the best in Yorkshire. âIâve put my heart and soul into Doncaster for 13 years now and Iâm desperate for this club to continue moving in an upward direction. But without the fansâ support this is simply not possible.â But Ryan claims he is not willing to close the gap in the club's finances by diminishing the playing staff. He recently turned down a £2.6 million bid from Ipswich for striker Billy Sharp and James Coppinger. Ryan continued: âI think Billy will maybe move at some stage unless we get into the Premier League, but I feel that it will only be to a club in the top flight. âThere is always a sniff of interest in Billy, and there is also a bit of interest in George Friend. But we are hopeful that we can keep the main part of the squad together and obviously add to it.â Young goalkeeper Gary Woods is the latest player to be linked with a move away. The 20-year-old is rumoured to be a target for Everton. âIf Everton came in for Gary then he probably would leave, but we havenât had a concrete offer. We want to keep him because we feel that he is part of our future, but you never know in football," he added.
I think that our directors can stand the loss. It will be hard to get more bums on seats with our economy as it is, and it will get worse. A good run of victories would help though and a challenge for the top six. A fit team is one of the answers to the latter statement. On the Woods situation we will need a keeper whatever the outcome, money gained for Gary could be invested in someone else.