RADCLIFFE Borough chairman Bernard Manning Jnr is inviting the clubs’ fan to join a newly formed supporters committee and have a say in how the football club is run in the future.

After 25 years at the helm, the 54-year-old major shareholder and fellow managing director Kevin Glendon are both stepping back from the day-to-day running of the club and are looking for supporters to join together to raise monies and lead the club forward.

A fans group affectionately named the “Friends of the Borough” is already in its fledging stage, and after seeing how enthusiastically supporters have taken to the idea, Manning Jnr is confident the scheme will work.

Speaking exclusively to the Radcliffe Times, he said: “I’ve probably got another good 25 years left in me but I don’t want the responsibility of the football side resting on my shoulders as much any more.”

With Glendon also signalling his intentions to develop his own business interests away from the club, Manning is seeking the help of those who love the Boro as much as he does – the supporters.

“It’s been very insular with Kevin and I as it’s only been us two running things and raising money, but what we are looking to do is get a transitional period going with a few people on a committee.

The ‘Friends’ already have the basis of the right people in place including a chairman in lifelong supporter Ivan Cooper, secretary Rick Fielding, who follows in his father’s footsteps, and Dave Chalmers, who’s been with the club for five years, will act as treasurer.

“What we need now is more fans to come forward to help with fundraising,” said Manning Jnr. “It would be good to see some old faces back at the club, looking to do things differently,” he said.

While the club will still look after the major bills including the pitch, lighting, nets, energy bills and players’ insurance, the ‘Friends’ are tasked with raising cash for players wages, football kit, medical supplies, fines, coach travel and matchday programmes.

“The club needs to raise around £500 a week to pay the playing staff, but with gate money coming in, sponsorship, lottery and other fundraising events taking place at the clubhouse, that is achievable.

“They have already made a fantastic start, raising £250 in their first week and all of a sudden they are realising that the mountain is not so high,” said Manning Jnr One idea the friends have already initiated is the re-introduction of fans travelling on the players’ coach to away games.

“For long distance trips the fans have expressed the willingness to pay £20 to travel on the team coach, and that will more or less cover the coach fee,” he said.

The club have struggled through a economic downturn in recent times and although players are having to be patient with regards to payment, Manning Jnr feels the club has now turned a corner after the transfer embargo placed on them for failing to pay a £1,000 PAYE bill was lifted earlier this month.

“The team spirit is great and the players have been very understanding while the transitional period takes place. They are playing well together and for their manager (Paul McGuire).

“We’ve got a fantastic set-up at Boro with around £500,000 of assets and facilities. We had new floodlights installed in April and we are always looking to build on what we have here.

“But there has to be life after Kevin and Bernard, so this is a chance for a few people to live the dream of running a football club, just like Kev and I have done for so many years,” he said.

n Supporters’ meetings take place in the Legends Lounge every Thursday from 7.30pm and anyone who has an interest in Radcliffe Borough Football Club is welcome to attend.