Burns backs Colchester United's openness over playing budget (From Essex County Standard)

Burns backs Colchester United's openness over playing budget

12:52pm Friday 27th May 2011 in Local Sport By Simon Spurgeon

Colchester United Supporters’ Association chairman Jon Burns has backed chairman Robbie Cowling’s call for U’s fans to show their loyalty to their club.

Cowling announced this week that the U’s playing budget will be directly linked to gate receipts at the Weston Homes Community Stadium over the next five years.

With big spending being undertaken on a new training facility in Tiptree and developing a top level youth system, the club feels it can’t keep ploughing cash into players’ wages.

So Cowling has said the amount paid into the playing budget will be reduced over the next five years, with the main input now coming from gate receipts.

And the message to fans is clear: back your club with your attendances and there’ll be more to spend on players.

It is a stance that has won Burns’ support and the Standard’s regular U’s columnist welcomed the club’s openess in revealing its finances.

He said: “I think sensible fans will understand where Robbie is coming from.

“We always want to see success, but we will have to achieve it, not the hard way, but in the prudent way.

“I think this is Robbie Cowling’s version of Delia Smith’s ‘let’s be ‘aving you’ call to the Norwich fans.

“Delia took a lot of stick over that, but look where they are now."

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