Fans must back Linnets in their hour of need

Paddy Davitt King's Lynn's new commercial director Simon Pomfret insists it is time to focus on football after the recent turmoil at the Blue Square North club. Lynn lost a trio of last season's Southern League, Premier Division title-winning squad last week following the on-going financial uncertainty after major backer Michael Chinn's exit.

Paddy Davitt

King's Lynn's new commercial director Simon Pomfret insists it is time to focus on football after the recent turmoil at the Blue Square North club.

Lynn lost a trio of last season's Southern League, Premier Division title-winning squad last week following the on-going financial uncertainty after major backer Michael Chinn's exit.

Pomfret is now urging the local community to turn out in force ahead of tomorrow's latest home test against Vauxhall Motors buoyed by battling draws at AFC Telford and Solihull.

“The club has been in the news quite a lot recently,” admitted Pomfret. “People have asked questions about the financial side, players leaving, and rightly so. Yes, the club had financial issues - that is well known - and the board had to made tough decisions. We've got a lot of ideas coming through that might not as yet be apparent but I feel we have a team here prepared to work ever so hard. It's about consistency now at all levels of the club - from the players, backroom staff and the board, to help us push us on.

“What I want to do is to get the focus back onto football. I want to encourage more people to perhaps wander down to The Walks where they'll get a warm welcome. In the current climate there is a lot of doom and gloom but it's a great stress buster to come and spend two hours supporting your team or even just watching a game in the fresh air.”

The successful Wymondham-based management consultant confirmed he was well aware of the behind-the-scenes situation at the cash-strapped club before joining the board earlier this month.

“The chairman was very open and straight and honest and that was one of the things that attracted me to get involved,” said Pomfret. “I was painted a very honest picture and I am prepared to take on the challenge. Everybody who comes along this weekend will either know someone or be directly affected themselves by what is happening in the economy. They might be working for a company which is having to think about the commercial side and make some tough decisions.

“I see it as a natural process - that is just the way of the world at the moment. Three players chose to go but I think the team now looks focussed, committed and strong. We owe a lot to the three who left but they made a decision that their future was elsewhere. We wish them all the best but lets focus back on the team who is left here and what is happening on the pitch.”

t Former European lightweight boxing champion Jon Thaxton will be guest of honour at Lynn's Blue Square North home game on Saturday against Vauxhall Motors.

The popular Norfolk fighter will be presented to both teams prior to kick off.