Stanley chief executive Rob Heys admits that the postponements of possibly three home games could cost the club £50,000 – but that the lack of finances won’t mean a repeat of 2009 when the club almost went bust.

Heys says that the postponement of the last two home games, against Shrewsbury and Burton, due to the weather have probably cost the club £10,000 each but the Boxing Day match against Crewe is usually a bumper pay-day of around £20,000.

It is already looking bleak due to the icy conditions and it means the club have had little income since November.

But Heys insists that the monthly tax bills of around £30,000 are still being paid and that the £60,000 it has cost to bring the ground up to Football League criteria of a 5,000 capacity will not mean a crisis for the Reds.

Heys said: "I do admit it is tough at the moment and it is a case of living month to month.

"But next month we get the Premier League Solidarity payment of around £100,000. That will more-or-less be wiped out by the work on the ground but it will be a huge help, obviously."

The Reds had a 31 December deadline to meet to make the ground improvements in the Coppice Terrace, which include a new control tower, but they have been granted an extension by the Football League.

The chief executive continued: "We would have met the December deadline if we had to but the Football League have been good with us, due to the weather, and it will be completed in January.

"The League are happy with this as long as we keep them informed. Once we have done this we will look at the changing rooms and the toilets and catering for fans.

"It would be good to spend some money improving the things that really matter to the supporters."

While there are plans afoot Heys admits it is not easy juggling finances at the Crown Ground.

"At a small club like Accrington, it is hard but the tax bill is a priority – along with wages – every month. We have to make sure we meet it and I don’t think it will come as a surprise to anyone to know that it is getting tougher and tougher," he said after Stanley were almost wound up in the High Court with a £308,000 tax bill in November 2009.

"We are not trying to hide anything, its not easy keeping on top of the finances, especially at the moment with the loss of revenue from Shrewsbury and Burton home games and, with the way the weather is, Crewe is in doubt.

"All will be replayed in the new year but that doesn’t help our bank balance now and, even then, Tuesday nights in the winter months are never as popular as a Saturday afternoon and certainly nowhere near as lucrative as the Christmas holiday period.

"Also we have been hit hard with the knock-on effect of others struggling with the downturn.

"We have to work hard to get around this though, keep our costs down where we can, and perhaps use the fact we can offer sponsors something at a fraction of the cost of going to watch Manchester United for example.

"£50,000 will get you a tiny board tucked away in the corner at Old Trafford for one match almost.

"At Accrington Stanley you can have your name on the front of the shirt and have a stand named after you! This is what we have to look to in order to keep the club ticking over."

Heys admitted the ownership issue is the big thing overshadowing the club at the moment.

Millionaire businessman Ilyas Khan is the chairman – he saved the club last year – while Eric Whalley is still the major shareholder and Dave O’Neill, who has been trying to buy the majority shareholding, is the managing director.

Heys admitted: "I am in the dark as much as the fans as to who is actually in charge of the club and this can be a hindrance when it comes to sponsorship as any sponsors – especially major ones – want a clear picture. The worst thing is that there does not appear to be an easy solution.¿

"We have been in a strong position in recent months and it would be tragic if it took another crisis to bring the issue to a head – that wouldn’t be good for the club or the town.

"There is a stalemate at the moment and the day-to-day running of the club is continuing as normal but there needs to be a solution in the new year for everyone’s sake – the people involved, the players, the management and the fans."

Heys admitted that the ‘crisis’ could come if someone does come in for one of Stanley’s players in the January transfer window.

"It’s an interesting question as who decides if the price is right, who decides whether to sell and who sorts out the deal? Is it the major shareholder, the managing director, the manager, the chairman or the chief executive? That’s why it needs clarifying.

"We have a great squad at the moment and, even though results haven’t gone our way recently, I still believe we can do something in the second half of the season.

"The problem is that with the match postponements hitting the cashflow there might be more pressure to sell, but then who makes that decision?"

With stadium improvements at the Crown Ground, the Reds are also hoping to finally have a training ground they can call their base at Blackburn Rugby Club.

"It’s a month’s trial and obviously the weather hasn’t helped but as long as both sides are happy, then it will be a huge boost for us," Heys added, with Stanley roaming from place to place at the moment.


* There will be a pitch inspection on Thursday (23 December) at 2pm to see if the Boxing Day clash would go ahead.