Roland Wycherley's help needed to support Shrewsbury Town financially

New chief executive Liam Dooley was asked during a recent meeting with the club’s fan engagement panel if Wycherley was providing financial support.

And after consulting with the chairman after the meeting, he has ‘reluctantly’ allowed Dooley to confirm he has been putting his own money to help support the club.

The minutes state: “Since the meeting, the chairman has very reluctantly, only when asked, confirmed that unfortunately, it has become necessary for him personally to support the club financially at this moment in time.”

The chairman released concerning statements in the summer about the club’s financial stability.

He said: “It is a matter of record that Shrewsbury Town Football Club Ltd has, over the past three years to the end of June 2022, posted combined losses of £2.359m.

“These losses are obviously unsustainable and have devastated the carefully accumulated reserves built up over many years.

“Whilst we continue to monitor and analyse regularly, the early financial indications are a matter of concern.

“Despite regular financial meetings and warnings that spending is greatly exceeding income and budgets, it continues unabated.”

This led to a review of the structure of the football club, which saw Micky Moore come in as a director of football and Matt Taylor arrive as Town’s first-ever head coach.

The extent of the financial challenges the club has faced have been unknown to this point and will remain that way until the accounts are revealed in April 2024.

But the fact the chairman is putting his hand in his own pocket suggests they need financial support.

Elsewhere in the fan engagement panel’s minutes, it was revealed there are ‘ongoing expressions of interest’ to buy the club, with rumours circulating online about a takeover.

Dooley said: “There are ongoing expressions of interest, but the decisions have to be based on what is best for the long-term future of the football club.”