Businessmen step in to secure future of Hungerford
The future of the club appears to be secured after two appointments
AFTER several weeks of uncertainty, it appears that the future of Hungerford Town Football Club has been secured.
During an emergency fans forum last month, it was announced that chairman Steve Skipworth, secretary Mike Hall and treasurer Terry Wild would be stepping down at the end of the season.
But this week, successful businessmen Patrick Chambers and Carl Reader have stepped in to take in the roles of chairman and vice-chairman respectively.
Chambers owns a family business which develops residential park bungalows for both semi-retired and retired people.
Originally born in Nottingham, the 58-year-old moved to Eastbury and he watched his first game at Bulpit Lane when Crusaders hosted Slough Town on April 6.
Chambers’ wife then saw a post on social media in regards to Hungerford seeking a number of new roles ahead of the new season.
Meanwhile, Reader, 38, is an author and a business adviser for the Daily Express, and he attended the Good Friday clash with Bath City
After announcing his new role, Chambers – a Nottingham Forest fan – said: “I want to help the club become more viable.”
“We’re both looking forward to this weekend’s game as we’ll both be there and I have had a few good meetings with Ian Herring.
“I think he is a manager with a very bright future because he is committed to the club and he has worked under very difficult circumstances.”
Hungerford face a crunch game with East Thurrock United on Saturday and Chambers is confident they can get the result they need to retain their place in National League South.
He said: “There is a great squad there and all being well if we can stay in the division, which I am confident we can, then we can retain a lot of the players.
“The only thing I have said to Ian is that he speaks about what happens on the pitch and I speak about what happens off it.
“Carl and I have made it very clear that even if we don’t stay in the division, we’re committed to doing a minimum of between three and five years in the roles.”
Although it’s a big change at the club, the 58-year-old has admitted that a lot of match-day roles will remain the same.
He said: “The rest of the committee who work hard on a voluntary basis will continue to do that and I think they just need some expertise to help with things.
“I want to get more people involved with the club. It’s going to be mine and Carl’s first involvement into helping to run a football club,” admitted Chambers.
“We’re not trying to take over – we just want to work with people who are clearly committed and we want to help them.
“It’ll be a nice journey for us and if Ian can keep us in the division, under the circumstances, it’ll be one of his greatest achievements in his managerial career.
“It sounds crazy and he may not get the accolades he and assistant Kevin [Watson] deserve because they have done a great job.”
