Nicky Eaden: I’d have quit had app taken over Hednesford Town

The Pitmen boss – who has guided his side into mid-table with three consecutive wins – would have been made effectively powerless, with control of signings, tactics and training instead going to OWNAFC members who had paid £49 to sign up.

And Eaden is instead looking forward to working with a more local consortium to get Hednesford moving back up the football pyramid.

“It would have been an impossible job and I didn’t want to be a part of it,” said Eaden when asked about OWNAFC’s failed takeover bid. “My first reaction was: Where does it start and where does it stop?”

Instead, the Pitmen will now be run by a mixture of club officials, supporters and local businessman for the next 12 months, with owner Steve Price staying on board.

And Eaden hopes everyone can work together to make a success of the new structure.

“Steve gets a bit of unfair treatment, but he’s supported the club for 20 years financially,” said the former Birmingham City full-back.

“He doesn’t have the time and energy to run it how it could be run.

“Only time will tell if the new guys will be able to generate enough money to run it themselves, but it buys a bit more time and it’s people who have a connection with the club.”

OWNAFC congratulated Hednesford on the takeover of a local consortium yesterday, but in an email to its members appeared to question the decision.

Founder Stuart Harvey wrote: “We have learned from the Hednesford deal in that although owners are willing and looking to sell, not all clubs are really interested in progression and a long-term sustainable model.

“The club is a great little club with amazing facilities but the club volunteers and most fans have no real ambition to ever be anything else.”

Hednesford’s Staffordshire rivals Stafford Rangers will be in action when they travel to Northern Premier leaders Warrington Town tomorrow (3pm).

Chasetown have won their last three in Northern One West, but do not have a game this weekend.

An under-19 fixture at Tamworth on Wednesday though ended shrouded in controversy amid allegations of racism from both sides.

The Lambs’ Abdourahman Cole and an unnamed Scholars player were sent off by the referee for using racist language towards one another in the National League U19 Alliance fixture, which ended 1-1.

Tamworth released a statement, which read: “Once the full investigation has been concluded, if the above allegations are proven correct, serious internal action will be taken against the Tamworth FC player in addition to the external sanctions that he will face.

“We would hope that Chasetown Football Club will act in a similar manner with regards to their player.”

A full investigation into the fixture has been launched.