WHILE St Albans City FC's financial problems continue to haunt the Club and threaten its existence, Saints fans have been dealt a further blow with the news that the popular co-management team of Gary Roberts and Steve Cook fear for their future at Clarence Park.

In a frank interveiw, Roberts revealed his fear that a possible new chairman and buyer of the club would instill his own regime, leaving Roberts and Cook out in the cold.

Roberts said: "The position that Steve and I find ourselves in is very muddled to say the least. We are doing our job and running the team as normal and obviously we want to do as well as we can."

"The club is in limbo but we know a consortium is interested in buying the club and if they are interested in buying the club they must have plans for St Albans.

"I would like to ask them what their plans are otherwise I can see a situation where we find ourselves out of Clarence Park at the hands of a new regime.

Since Roberts and Cook came to Clarence Park in May, the duo have worked on a shoestring budget, yet City are currently lying seventh in the table after five victories in their last six game and Roberts remains commited to the club despite rumours circulating the terraces speculating that the duo may be about to leave Clarence Park on their own accord.

"I am not looking to leave St Albans," stated Roberts. It is a club that I have wanted to manage for some time and I believe it has huge potential."

"We are not going anywhere unless we are pushed. We have a good relationship with the fans and we believe that they are behind us. We've shown our loyalty to the club but have been given no assurances as to our future here."

Roberts clearly believes that City are a club with huge potential and desperatley wants to be involved in any upturn of Saints' recent dismal fortunes.

"The trouble with the club is that for the past eight years, far too much money has been thrown at it and they are now suffering because of it. The club has huge potential, we have a three year plan here to try to bring some success to the club and we believe we are well on our way of achieving our goals."

Roberts also took time to thank the supporters, who have clearly been the driving force behind the players much improved performances in the last month.

The future of the football club has been under close scrutiny for some time now, and throughout, the players and the management have maintained dignity and proffesional respect.

The fans have proved in the last month that they are the most important people at this football club, whether they would stand for another dissapointing upheaval should City survive is a debatable question.

December 13, 2001 13:00