Money is ruining Non League – Pearse

Selby Town chairman Ralph Pearse believes the money paid to players is out of control in Non League Football, even at the lower end.

In the final part of Non League Yorkshire’s wide-ranging interview with the Selby chairman, he admits that although his club “aren’t spending beyond their means”, they pay players more money than he wants to.

Mr Pearse says that to compete in the NCEL, clubs have to pay players.

“I think some people think Non League Football is a bottomless pit,” Mr Pearse said.

“Money has ruined it and it is survival of the fittest.

“The first thing most players ask is ‘how much are you paying’? People will go to other clubs for just a little bit more money.

“We give our players expenses and I wouldn’t say we pay the most, but we certainly don’t pay the least.

“There are some lads out there who are 17-year-olds and they say to me ‘how much are you paying us’?

“My view is that at their age they are an apprentice and they have to learn their trade and then they might get a bit of money.

“They should concentrate on playing because they might get a move to a higher league a season or two down the line.

“I’d like players to play for nought, like I did, but I feel we have to pay to be competitive.

“We were in a scenario a couple of years ago (in 2012) when we were about 14 points adrift in this league.

“We got a new manager in called Ian Dring and we went ten or 12 games unbeaten so we were ok.

“I don’t want to be in that scenario again where we are struggling.”

Mr Pearse, who earlier this week slammed a small minority of referees who he believes are disrespectful to clubs, also praised his club’s volunteers.

But he also painted a bleak picture. Referring to the FA’s large scale review of grounds at Step Six level last season, Mr Pearse said life is becoming more difficult for Selby.

“In 2019, this club is 100-years-old and I don’t know if it will make that,” Mr Pearse said.

“The way things are going with the FA coming round and saying ‘you have to do this to the ground’ and if you don’t, ‘you won’t be playing in this league’.

“We don’t want to go in the York and District League. We have been a member of the NCEL and the Yorkshire League before that from the beginning. We want to play in the NCEL

“The key issues are money and the number of volunteers. We have a good band of volunteers and they are a godsend. We had a leak in the home dressing room recently and someone has gone in and boarded it up and re-plastered it. It is fantastic work, but it is getting harder for a few reasons.”