Setanta collapse a blow for Rangers
Stafford chairman Jon Downing has warned of another financial storm brewing for non-league football after the collapse of Setanta.
Rangers staved off their own crisis this week as their fans raised £50,000 to lend the club, settling a bill for hired seating that would have led to serious court action if left unpaid.
But the ripple effect of the Irish-based broadcaster entering into administration last month has still to take hold, with all clubs in the Blue Square pyramid set to be affected by the contract Setanta had with the Football Conference - which still has two years left to run.
Downing explains that - while the consequences for his Blue Square North side are less severe - it is another blow at a time where every penny counts.
He said: "Setanta have caused absolute chaos in non-league, which has affected us as well because we have a sponsorship deal with them.
"It's a precarious position for clubs to be in, there may be a rescue package in place but I don't know how well that is going to work.
"It's the clubs in the Blue Square Premier I feel sorry for. They get around £85,000 a year in sponsorship and how much of that will be lost?
"In the Blue Square North, total sponsorship is around £15,000. There was talk at the recent AGM about that dropping as low as £5,000."
