Read warns of football's recession
Stafford assistant manager Darren Read has seen the full effects of football's recession and warns the worse is yet to come.
The Rangers No 2 was on the staff when a financial crisis engulfed Marston Road in December, which led to the departure of manager Steve Bull and most of the playing staff after 50 per cent wage cuts.
Decisive action - although it led to a relegation fight - saved the club from further oblivion and enabled management to work from a similar budget for next season.
But in a week where Kidderminster let nine players go to ease their money worries and Fisher Athletic - who completed 2008/09 in the southern equivalent of Rangers' Blue Square North - folded all together, Read warns of trouble ahead.
He insists it will be survival of the most prudent, in a troubled economy that is starting to take optimum effect in the footballing world.
The assistant said: "It's a knock on effect. Before long you will start to see it happen in the Football League and it will take effect all the way down to grass roots. There's just no money out there at the moment - and what cash there is certainly isn't being put into football.
"Our cuts came in December, it was made public and we said at the time it was a sign of things to come. We would not be the only ones. A lot of clubs swept it under the carpet and didn't want to admit it to themselves.
"We swallowed our pride and took action before it was too late. The worst thing is it isn't going to stop here, over the next 12 to 18 months you will see the true effect the recession is having in football.
"It will get to the point where clubs will start the season by trying to get as many points as they can - in case more financial cuts come."
